Chapter 7: The Signature That Wasn't Mine
I stared at the document until the words began to blur.
My signature.
Vanessa's witness signature.
And Daniel's name printed beneath the words Authorized Representative.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then I pushed the paper away.
"That's a forgery.""
Richard picked it up carefully.
"Most likely. But we need to establish how this document was created and whether it was submitted electronically or physically.""
"I never signed it.""
"I believe you, Emily.""
Claire leaned across the table.
"There's something else. The bank received the document in person. The individual who submitted it presented identification.""
"Who?""
Claire hesitated.
"Daniel.""
My mother made a strangled sound.
"That man has no shame.""
I looked at the document again.
"When did he get this?""
"Three weeks ago," Claire answered.
"The bank received it shortly after he requested information about your father's account.""
Three weeks.
I remembered exactly what had happened three weeks earlier.
Daniel had invited me to dinner at an expensive restaurant downtown. He had brought a bottle of champagne and spent the evening talking about our future.
At the end of dinner, he had given me a leather folder.
"Just some paperwork for our financial planning," he had said.
I remembered laughing.
"Daniel, we're not even married yet.""
He had kissed my forehead.
"That's why we should get ahead of everything.""
I had taken the folder home.
But I hadn't signed it.
I had left it on my desk because I wanted Richard to review it first.
The next morning, Daniel had offered to organize my office while I went to work.
I remembered returning to find everything neatly arranged.
At the time, I had thought he was being thoughtful.
Now I felt physically sick.
"He had access to my office," I whispered.
Richard looked at me.
"Did he have access to any personal documents?""
"My passport. Tax records. Old financial statements.""
"Your signature samples?""
I nodded slowly.
"I have signed documents in several folders.""
Richard exchanged a look with Claire.
"That could explain how he obtained a sample.""
My mother stood up.
"Then we call the police.""
"Not yet," Richard replied.
"We need to preserve the evidence and obtain copies of the original submission.""
I looked at him.
"How long will that take?""
"That depends on the bank and the authorities.""
I shook my head.
"He was trying to steal my father's money while planning to marry me.""
Richard lowered his voice.
"Which is why we need to be careful. If he realizes we have discovered the forgery, he may try to destroy other evidence.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Daniel.
I know you're with Claire. We need to talk before you make things worse.
I showed Richard.
He read it without changing expression.
"Don't answer.""
Another message arrived.
Vanessa is lying to you. She did this on her own.
I stared at the screen.
Then another.
I can explain everything if you meet me tonight.
My mother grabbed my hand.
"Don't you dare.""
I wasn't planning to meet him.
But I wanted to know what he thought he could still explain.
I typed one sentence.
Why is my signature on a document I never signed?
The reply came almost immediately.
Because you did sign it.
I felt my heart pound.
I have proof.
Then he sent a photograph.
It showed me sitting at my desk three weeks earlier.
I was wearing a blue sweater, my hair tied back, and I was holding a pen.
The photograph had been taken through the open office door.
I zoomed in.
On the desk in front of me was the leather folder Daniel had brought to dinner.
My mother whispered, "Where did he get that?""
I looked at the date.
The photograph had been taken the morning after Daniel organized my office.
Richard took my phone.
"Emily, this is important. Don't delete anything.""
He forwarded the photograph to himself.
Then he called his firm's security specialist.
Claire watched him.
"Daniel may have installed something in her home.""
The words made my skin crawl.
I thought about the little things I had noticed over the past month.
My laptop restarting unexpectedly.
A security camera disconnecting.
Daniel insisting that I use the shared tablet for banking because it was more convenient.
I had trusted him with everything.
Richard ended the call.
"We're going to have your devices examined. You should also avoid returning home alone.""
My mother nodded.
"She can stay with me.""
Before I could answer, Claire's office phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Then her expression changed.
"That's the bank.""
She answered.
"Claire Morgan speaking.""
She listened.
Her face grew increasingly tense.
"Are you certain?""
A pause.
"Yes. Please preserve the footage.""
She ended the call.
Richard stood.
"What happened?""
Claire looked at me.
"Someone attempted to access the account again.""
"When?""
"About fifteen minutes ago.""
"Who?""
She looked at the bank notice.
"They used Daniel's identification, but the person who entered the branch wasn't Daniel.""
I frowned.
"Then who was it?""
Claire hesitated.
"Vanessa.""
My mother swore under her breath.
Claire continued.
"She presented the same authorization document. When the bank requested additional verification, she became agitated and left.""
Richard immediately picked up his phone.
"Where is she now?""
"We don't know.""
I looked at the photograph of my forged signature.
"She must have the original.""
Claire nodded.
"Which means we need to find it.""
My phone vibrated again.
This time, the message came from Vanessa.
I can prove Daniel planned everything. But if I help you, he'll destroy me.
I stared at the screen.
A second message followed.
Meet me tomorrow. Alone. I have something that belonged to your grandmother.
Richard read it over my shoulder.
"Absolutely not.""
I looked at him.
"What if she really has something?""
"Then she can hand it to the authorities or to me.""
Another message arrived.
You don't understand, Emily. Daniel wasn't the person who started this.
I felt a chill.
I typed:
Who did?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Finally, Vanessa sent one last message.
Your grandmother's death wasn't an accident.
I dropped the phone.
May you like
And for the first time since the wedding, I was afraid of something far worse than losing my inheritance.
I was afraid that the people who had destroyed my family had never stopped.
