Chapter 4: The Signature That Shouldn't Exist
For several seconds, nobody in Marcus Reed's conference room moved.
I stared at the document on the laptop.
My mother's name was written at the bottom in the familiar handwriting I remembered from birthday cards, school permission slips, and little notes she'd tucked into my lunchbox.
But the name beside it belonged to Tiffany.
“That isn't real,” I whispered.
Dad pulled the laptop closer.
“Let me see that.””
Marcus turned the screen toward him.
The document was titled Last Will and Testament — Amendment.
It claimed that my mother, Eleanor Mitchell, had amended her will three days before her death, removing me as the sole beneficiary of several assets and naming Tiffany as an alternative beneficiary.
Dad read it twice.
Then he shook his head.
“Eleanor would never have done this.””
Marcus remained calm.
“Daniel, I understand. But we need to establish whether this document was legally executed.””
“She was in the hospital three days before she died. She could barely hold a glass of water.””
I looked at him.
“You never told me Mom changed her will.””
“Because she didn't,” Dad answered immediately.
Marcus zoomed in on the signature.
“There's something unusual here.””
He pointed toward the bottom corner.
“The document references a notary named Patricia Lawson.””
Dad frowned.
“Patricia? I don't know anyone by that name.””
Marcus opened another file.
“I checked the notary registry. Her commission expired four years ago.””
Dad leaned forward.
“So the document is fake.””
“It's potentially fraudulent. We need an independent examination before making that conclusion.””
I felt my throat tighten.
“Why would Tiffany want Mom's money?””
Neither man answered.
Then I remembered something.
“Dad?””
He looked at me.
“Mom had a blue folder. She kept it in her bedroom closet. It had all her important papers.””
Dad nodded slowly.
“Yes. I remember.””
“After she died, Tiffany said she was organizing everything. She told me she'd moved Mom's documents into the study.””
Dad's face changed.
“When?””
“About two months after the funeral.””
Marcus immediately wrote something down.
“Was anyone else present?””
“No.””
Dad stood and walked toward the window.
For a moment, he seemed unable to breathe.
“I let her handle everything,” he whispered.
I wanted to comfort him, but I was angry too.
“You didn't know,” I said.
He turned toward me.
“But I should have checked.””
Marcus closed the laptop.
“There's something else you both need to understand. The forged amendment may be part of a larger scheme. We have evidence of repeated attempts to gain access to the trust, a questionable guardianship application, and now a suspicious withdrawal request.””
Dad looked at him.
“What do we do?””
“First, we secure the trust. Second, we notify the financial institution that no changes are authorized. Third, we preserve all original documents and communications.””
“And Tiffany?””
Marcus paused.
“Don't confront her until we understand the full scope.””
Dad gave a bitter laugh.
“She is sleeping in my house.””
“Then I suggest you arrange somewhere else for her to stay.””
I looked at my father.
“Does that mean she's leaving?””
“Yes,” he answered.
His voice was firm this time.
“She won't be alone with you again.””
For the first time, I felt my shoulders relax.
But the relief didn't last.
Marcus received an email while we were gathering our things.
He read it, then looked at Dad.
“The financial institution has provided the originating account information for the attempted transfer.””
Dad frowned.
“Who was it sent to?””
Marcus turned the laptop around.
A bank account appeared on the screen.
The account holder's name was Vanessa Cole.
Tiffany's best friend.
Dad stared.
“That's the woman who helped plan our wedding.””
I nodded.
“She works at the company managing Mom's investments.””
Marcus looked at me.
“Did she ever speak to you about your mother's estate?””
I thought carefully.
Then I remembered the bridal shower.
Vanessa had approached me while I was helping carry decorations.
She'd asked whether I knew how much money my mother had left me.
I'd thought it was an awkward question.
I'd answered that I didn't know.
She'd smiled and told me that I was lucky to have such a generous mother.
Now the memory made my skin crawl.
“She asked me about the trust,” I said.
“When?”” Marcus asked.
“Maybe two months ago. She wanted to know whether I understood how the money worked.””
Dad clenched his jaw.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I didn't think it mattered.””
He closed his eyes.
“Sweetheart, from now on, tell me everything.””
Marcus collected the documents.
“I'll contact the institution's fraud department. We should also request copies of every access log and communication connected to the account.””
Dad nodded.
Then he took my hand.
“Let's go home.””
The drive was silent.
When we arrived, Tiffany's white SUV was parked in front of the garage.
Her car was still there.
Dad looked at it for several seconds before opening his door.
“Stay beside me,” he said.
We entered through the front door.
Tiffany was sitting on the living room sofa, scrolling through her phone.
A glass of wine rested on the coffee table.
She looked up and smiled.
“Daniel! You're back early.””
Then she noticed Marcus's business card sticking out of Dad's jacket.
Her smile faded.
“Why is your attorney involved?””
Dad placed his briefcase on the table.
“We need to talk.””
Tiffany slowly put down her phone.
“About what?””
“About the guardianship application. The trust. And the attempted transfer of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.””
Her face went completely still.
Then she laughed.
“I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.””
Dad pulled out the printed withdrawal request.
“Your friend Vanessa tried to transfer money from Ariana's trust into her own account.””
Tiffany's eyes moved toward the paper.
For a fraction of a second, I saw recognition.
Then she recovered.
“Vanessa? That's absurd. She would never do something like that.””
“Then you won't mind explaining why your name appears on the guardianship application.””
Tiffany stood.
“Daniel, you're making a terrible mistake.””
“Did you submit that document?””
“I was trying to help.””
“Did you forge my signature?””
Her voice rose.
“How dare you accuse me of forgery!””
“Did you?””
She looked at me.
“This is because of her, isn't it? She's been filling your head with lies.””
Dad stepped between us.
“Don't look at her. Answer me.””
Tiffany's face twisted.
“You want the truth? Fine. I was trying to protect this family from a child who refuses to accept that things have changed!””
I stared at her.
“By stealing my money?””
“I never stole anything!””
“Then why did Vanessa try to transfer it?””
Tiffany opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Dad pointed toward the staircase.
“Pack your things.””
She blinked.
“What?””
“You heard me. You're leaving tonight.””
Tiffany stared at him.
Then she began laughing.
It was the same cruel laugh she'd used when she threw my clothes across the living room.
“You can't throw me out, Daniel. We're getting married in three weeks.””
“Not anymore.””
Her expression collapsed.
“You're canceling our wedding?””
“Yes.””
She looked at me.
For the first time, she didn't even try to hide her hatred.
“You did this.””
Dad's voice turned cold.
“No. You did.””
Tiffany grabbed her phone and purse.
“Fine. But don't come crying to me when you discover what your precious daughter has been hiding.””
She marched toward the staircase.
I thought she'd gone to pack.
Instead, she stopped at the landing and turned around.
“Oh, and Daniel?””
He looked up.
“You might want to ask Ariana why her mother never told you about the second account.””
Dad frowned.
“What second account?””
Tiffany smiled.
Then she disappeared into the bedroom.
I turned toward my father.
“What second account?””
He looked at me.
“I don't know.””
But something in his expression told me he was beginning to remember something.
Something he had forgotten.
May you like
And when he finally spoke, his voice was barely audible.
“Your mother once mentioned a safe deposit box.””
