Chapter 6: The Document With My Name On It
I couldn’t breathe.
For one second, I thought I had heard her wrong.
“My name?””
Diane smiled.
“Yes.””
Jason turned toward me.
“What is she talking about?””
I shook my head.
“I have no idea.””
Diane walked slowly back to the table.
“You always thought Sarah was innocent.””
Jason looked at her.
“Don’t.””
“She has been keeping secrets too.””
My heart started pounding.
Because this was exactly what Diane did.
When she was cornered, she attacked someone else.
She created confusion.
She made everyone question the truth.
But this time, Jason didn’t immediately defend her.
He looked at me.
“Sarah?””
I stared at him.
“I swear I don’t know what she’s talking about.””
Diane laughed softly.
“Of course you don’t.””
She reached into another drawer.
Then she pulled out a second envelope.
This one was newer.
She placed it on the table.
“Open it.””
Jason didn’t move.
“Why do you have this?””
Diane ignored him.
“Open it.””
I stepped forward.
“Jason, don’t let her control the conversation.””
Diane looked at me.
“Funny.””
“What?””
“You always think you’re the one in control.””
Jason opened the envelope.
Inside was a copy of a legal document.
He read the first page.
Then the second.
Then he looked at me.
“What is this?””
I walked closer.
He handed it to me.
My hands froze.
Because I recognized the name.
Mine.
But not the signature.
The signature was supposed to be mine.
Except I had never signed it.
“This is fake,” I whispered.
Jason looked at Diane.
“Why do you have a fake document with my wife’s name?””
Diane sat down.
Finally.
Calm again.
“I didn’t create it.””
“Then who did?””
She looked at me.
“You should ask yourself that.””
I felt anger rising.
“You’re lying.””
Diane smiled.
“Am I?””
She pointed at the paper.
“You know what this document does?””
Jason read the top line again.
His face changed.
“It transfers ownership?””
I nodded slowly.
“I never signed this.””
Diane leaned back.
“And yet your signature is there.””
The room felt smaller.
Jason looked between us.
Someone had created a document using my name.
Someone had moved money.
Someone had tried to control our family.
And Diane wanted us to believe I was involved.
But then Jason noticed something.
A detail Diane missed.
He picked up the paper and looked closer.
“Wait.””
Diane stopped.
“What?””
Jason turned the page around.
“This document was notarized.””
I looked at him.
“So?””
His eyes narrowed.
“The notary’s name.””
He pointed.
I leaned closer.
And my blood ran cold.
Because I knew that name.
Jason knew it too.
It was someone who had been inside our home.
Someone who had sat at our dinner table.
Someone who had watched Lily grow up.
Jason whispered:
“This wasn’t done by a stranger.””
Diane’s face suddenly changed.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
Jason looked at his mother.
“Who helped you?””
Diane didn’t answer.
He stepped closer.
“Who helped you fake this?””
Her phone suddenly rang.
She looked at the screen.
And this time, she didn’t hide it fast enough.
Jason saw the name.
His face turned pale.
Because the person calling Diane was the last person either of us expected.
May you like
And when he answered, the voice on the other end said:
“Jason, you weren’t supposed to find out about your father’s real will.””
