Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn’t Mine
Olivia’s fingers wrapped around my phone before I could pull it away.
For one second, everyone froze.
Then Rachel grabbed her wrist.
“Are you seriously trying to steal her phone?””
Olivia yanked her hand back.
“Don’t touch me.””
“You just attacked her.””
“I was trying to stop a private conversation.””
Daniel looked between us.
“What did Martin say?””
I picked up my phone.
My heart was pounding.
Not because Olivia had tried to grab it.
Because her reaction had answered the question before Martin ever could.
She knew.
“Sarah,” Daniel said again.
I stared at him.
“Why is Olivia afraid of my lawyer?””
“She’s not.””
“Then why did she try to take my phone?””
Nobody answered.
Emma came down the stairs slowly.
She had heard enough.
“What signature?””
Daniel looked at her.
“Go upstairs.””
“No.””
His expression hardened.
“Emma.””
“No. Every time something happens, everyone tells me to leave the room. But this is my family too.””
The words hit harder than she probably intended.
Daniel looked away.
I opened the email Martin had sent.
The scanned document filled the screen.
“This transfer authorization came from an account connected to my family trust.””
Daniel frowned.
“I don’t know anything about that.””
“That’s interesting.””
“What?””
“Because your signature appears on it.””
His face changed.
“I never signed anything from your trust.””
“Then someone did.””
Olivia crossed her arms.
“This is ridiculous. Anyone can copy a signature.””
Rachel looked at her.
“Exactly.””
Olivia realized her mistake too late.
I watched Daniel turn toward her.
“Why would you say that?””
She blinked.
“I mean… because fraud happens.””
“You sound very familiar with this document.””
“I’m not.””
The silence stretched.
I placed the phone on the table.
“Martin found another transfer.””
Daniel looked at me.
“From where?””
“From Whitmore Development Partners.””
His eyebrows pulled together.
“That’s not possible.””
“Why?””
“Because that company hasn’t been active in years.””
I studied him.
“You know about it.””
“I know my father mentioned it.””
“My father owned it.””
Daniel laughed once.
A nervous, empty sound.
“Sarah, your father was gone before you understood any of this.””
“Exactly.””
I stepped closer.
“And someone else did.””
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Olivia moved toward him.
“Daniel, don’t let her confuse you.””
But he didn’t answer.
He was staring at the paperwork.
The same man who had looked so powerful yesterday suddenly looked uncertain.
That was when I knew.
He had not known everything.
But he had known enough.
“Where is the company office?”” I asked.
Daniel looked up.
“What?””
“The company records.””
“Why?””
“Because I want to see them.””
“You can’t just walk into my company.””
I almost smiled.
“Your company?””
The words bothered him.
Good.
Because they should have.
Emma quietly stepped beside me.
“Mom?””
I looked at her.
“We’re leaving.””
Daniel looked relieved for half a second.
Then I continued.
“To meet Martin.””
His expression changed.
“Sarah.””
“No.””
I picked up Emma’s suitcase.
“I spent years protecting you from embarrassment. I covered your mistakes. I defended you when people questioned your business decisions.””
My voice shook.
“But yesterday you made my daughter feel like she was nothing.””
Daniel lowered his eyes.
For a moment, I thought I saw regret.
Then Olivia whispered:
“Don’t fall for this.””
The regret disappeared.
We walked out.
This time, nobody stopped us.
Martin’s office was quiet when we arrived.
He had stayed late.
A stack of documents waited on the conference table.
“I’m glad you came directly here,” he said.
Emma sat beside me.
Rachel stood behind us.
“What did you find?”” I asked.
Martin opened a folder.
“The signature.””
He placed a copy in front of me.
“It was attached to a loan application.””
I looked at it.
My name.
My address.
My supposed approval.
But the handwriting wasn’t mine.
“Who submitted this?””
Martin opened another page.
“Olivia Mercer.””
My stomach tightened.
“She forged my signature?””
“We believe so.””
“We?””
“Because we need forensic confirmation.””
Rachel shook her head.
“She stole money from the company and used Sarah’s identity.””
Martin nodded.
“That appears to be the direction.””
Emma looked at me.
“Why would she do that?””
I stared at the papers.
Because the answer was becoming clearer.
Olivia didn’t just want Daniel.
She wanted everything around him.
The house.
The money.
The company.
The image.
Then Martin placed one more document down.
“This is the part you need to see.””
I looked at the page.
A transfer agreement.
My father’s company.
A private investment account.
And one name appearing as beneficiary.
*Olivia Mercer.*
My breath caught.
“She was planning this for years.””
Martin didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Daniel.
I opened it.
*We need to talk. Alone. I found something in Olivia’s office.*
I stared at the screen.
Rachel leaned over.
“Are you going?””
I looked at Emma.
Then back at the message.
May you like
Because for the first time since Daniel threw us out, he sounded afraid.
And I needed to know what scared him.
