Chapter 5 - The Second Signature
Norah didn't touch the document.
"That's impossible."
Daniel smiled.
"That's what I said."
The page purported to dissolve Eleanor's trust.
Eleanor's signature appeared at the bottom.
So did Norah's.
Six months after Eleanor's funeral.
Luca moved closer.
"Original?"
"Copy," Daniel said.
"Where's the original?"
Richard answered.
"Destroyed."
Norah looked at him.
"Convenient."
"Your mother intended the trust to end."
"Dead people don't sign documents."
Daniel pulled out a chair.
"Sit down, Norah."
"No."
"Still stubborn."
"Still stealing?"
Richard slammed his hand against the desk.
"Enough."
Norah didn't flinch.
Her father seemed almost surprised.
"Tell me what happened."
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Your mother created Hian with Samuel Vale. They purchased the riverfront before anyone understood what it would become."
"I know."
"Samuel died. Eleanor inherited control of his interest under a private agreement."
Claire hadn't mentioned that.
"So Mom eventually controlled all of Hian?"
"Yes."
"And she left half to me?"
"Eventually, all of it."
Norah stared.
The riverfront land alone was worth tens of millions.
"Why?"
"Because she didn't trust me."
At least that was honest.
Daniel laughed.
Richard turned on him.
"Shut up."
Norah looked at Grant.
"Why are you here?"
Grant finally met her eyes.
"To fix this."
"You mean hide it."
"No."
"Then start talking."
Grant looked toward Richard.
Norah saw it.
The reflex.
Permission.
She walked over and crouched in front of her brother.
"Stop looking at Dad."
Grant's face tightened.
"Look at me."
He did.
"Where did the $875,000 go?"
"Daniel."
"Why?"
Daniel answered.
"Payment."
"For?"
"My silence."
Norah stood.
"Blackmail."
Daniel shrugged.
"Call it consulting."
She almost laughed.
"What did you know?"
"That Richard forged the trust dissolution."
Richard snapped, "You helped."
"Yes."
Daniel seemed almost proud.
"Difference is, I kept copies."
Norah felt disgusted.
"Why would Dad need the trust dissolved?"
"Control," Luca said.
Richard looked at him.
Luca continued.
"If Norah controlled Eleanor's interest, Richard couldn't leverage the Hian land without her."
Exactly.
Richard had spent years telling Norah the company belonged to the family while secretly ensuring she never knew what the family actually owned.
Norah turned to her father.
"Did you forge my signature?"
Richard said nothing.
"Did you?"
"I authorized it."
"That isn't what I asked."
"I was your legal guardian for years."
"I was twenty-five when Mom died."
Richard looked away.
Norah felt something colder than anger.
"You forged it."
"I saved Bennett Construction."
"From what?"
"Your mother."
The words hit harder than she expected.
Richard continued.
"Eleanor was prepared to split the company. She would've destroyed everything we'd built."
"She built it too."
"She lost perspective."
"Because she discovered you were stealing?"
Richard's face hardened.
"I moved money where it was needed."
"Into Daniel's accounts?"
"Into projects."
Daniel laughed again.
Richard rounded on him.
"You took more than anyone."
"And you taught me."
Grant stood.
"Stop."
Nobody listened.
Grant shouted.
"STOP!"
The room fell silent.
He looked at Norah.
"I made Hian Consulting."
"I know."
"Dad asked me to create it four years ago."
Richard said, "Grant."
"No."
For once, Grant didn't look at him.
"I thought it was tax planning. Then Daniel contacted me six months ago. He had copies of the trust documents."
"And blackmailed you."
"Us."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Grant laughed bitterly.
"Because Dad said you'd take the company."
Norah stared.
"And you believed him."
"I spent my entire life being told the company would be mine."
There it was.
Not innocence.
But truth.
Richard had built both children around different lies.
Norah had been told sacrifice proved love.
Grant had been told inheritance proved worth.
Each had been useful.
Norah opened the copied dissolution.
"Where did this come from?"
Daniel smiled.
"A lawyer."
"Margaret Sloan?"
His smile disappeared.
That answered her question.
Norah picked up her bag.
"We're done."
Richard blocked her.
"Norah, if you take this public, Bennett Construction collapses."
"If the truth collapses it, it was already broken."
"Five hundred employees."
She stopped.
He knew exactly where to aim.
"You'll destroy their livelihoods."
Luca spoke behind her.
"No."
Richard turned.
"What?"
"The company can survive Richard Bennett."
Luca's gaze moved to Norah.
"Probably better than it survives fraud."
Richard understood.
"You'd still invest?"
"Not under you."
Grant looked at Luca.
"Under who?"
Luca didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
Everyone looked at Norah.
She felt suddenly exhausted.
"I don't want your company."
Richard's face softened.
For one second she saw hope.
Then she added:
"I want my mother's."
They left.
Outside, Luca's car waited.
Norah had barely reached it when her phone rang.
Margaret Sloan.
Norah answered.
"Margaret?"
The elderly attorney sounded frightened.
"Norah, thank God."
"We were coming to see you."
"No. Don't come here."
"Why?"
"Someone broke into my house."
Norah stopped.
"Are you safe?"
"For now."
"What were they looking for?"
"The original trust."
Norah gripped the phone.
"I thought it was destroyed."
"Richard thinks it was."
"You have it?"
Margaret whispered.
"Eleanor made me promise."
"Where is it?"
A floorboard creaked through the phone.
Margaret stopped breathing.
"Margaret?"
No answer.
Then a man's voice spoke somewhere near her.
Margaret whispered one final sentence.
May you like
"Norah, he's inside."
The line went dead.
