Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn't Mine
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what I was looking at.
My name appeared across the bottom of the document.
Eleanor Bennett Hale.
My signature.
My handwriting.
Even the small flourish beneath the final letter was identical to the way I signed every legal document.
But I had never signed those papers.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Dominic paused the recording.
He looked at me carefully.
"Did you ever sign anything concerning Marcus's guardianship?""
"No.""
"Think carefully, Eleanor.""
"I am thinking carefully!""
My voice cracked.
"I have never agreed to give anyone guardianship over our son.""
Dominic turned back to the laptop.
The document displayed a date from eleven months earlier.
I remembered that week.
Marcus had been sick with a severe respiratory infection. I had spent three nights sleeping beside his hospital bed while Dominic traveled to New York for a corporate meeting.
My father had visited us.
He'd brought food, flowers, and a thick folder of documents.
He'd said they were routine insurance updates.
I remembered signing something.
But not this.
"Oh, my God.""
Dominic turned toward me.
"What?""
"My father visited Marcus in the hospital last year. He brought paperwork. He said it was for the medical insurance.""
Dominic's expression hardened.
"Did you read it?""
"I was exhausted. Marcus had a fever. My father said everything was standard.""
"Did you sign it?""
I closed my eyes.
"I don't remember.""
Dominic stood abruptly.
"Find the original documents.""
The security chief, James Carter, stepped forward.
"Sir, we can access the hospital's archived files.""
"Do it.""
James nodded.
Dominic pointed toward the laptop.
"And freeze every account Victor could access. Company accounts, household accounts, medical accounts. Everything.""
"Understood.""
I grabbed Dominic's arm.
"Wait. What does this mean?""
He looked down at my hand.
"It means someone has been preparing to take Marcus away from us.""
"Why would they need guardianship?""
"Because if something happens to me, they want control of my son.""
I shook my head.
"Nothing is going to happen to you.""
Dominic didn't answer.
He looked toward Marcus, who was still sleeping on the sofa.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Three years ago, I was worth nearly six billion dollars. My company controlled shipping terminals, logistics networks, and several private security contracts. Your father helped finance the original expansion.""
"I know.""
"But I changed the company's ownership structure before the accident.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
Dominic walked toward the glass doors.
"The controlling shares were placed into a trust. The beneficiary was Marcus.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because it was supposed to protect him.""
He turned.
"Your father wanted those shares. He couldn't take them while I was alive and competent. But if I became permanently incapacitated, the guardianship arrangement could give him influence over Marcus's trust.""
My knees weakened.
"So he made you deaf?""
"Apparently.""
"But why not kill you?""
Dominic looked at the tiny device on the table.
"Perhaps he needed me alive.""
The security chief returned with a tablet.
"Mr. Hale, we found something.""
Dominic took it.
James opened a scanned document.
It was a guardianship agreement filed with a private family court.
My name appeared beneath the signature.
So did my father's.
And another name.
Victor Strand.
I leaned closer.
"What's that?""
James enlarged the document.
"Mr. Strand was named temporary custodian of the trust's administrative records.""
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"Who notarized this?""
James hesitated.
"A woman named Olivia Grant.""
I recognized the name.
"She's my father's personal attorney.""
Dominic stared at the document.
"Get me her address.""
"Sir, there's something else.""
James opened another file.
A bank transfer.
Then another.
And another.
Over three years, nearly eighteen million dollars had been transferred from a medical research account into companies registered overseas.
The recipient names were different.
But every payment had the same authorization code.
RICHARD BENNETT.
I felt nauseated.
"How could he do this?""
Dominic closed the tablet.
"Money makes people creative.""
A soft voice came from the sofa.
"Mommy?""
Marcus was awake.
I immediately crossed the room and knelt beside him.
"Hi, sweetheart.""
He rubbed his eyes.
"Is Daddy still talking?""
I smiled through my tears.
"Yes.""
Marcus looked toward Dominic.
"Daddy, can you hear me?""
Dominic crouched in front of him.
"Every word.""
Marcus grinned.
"Can you hear my tummy?""
Dominic blinked.
"Your tummy?""
Marcus placed both hands over his stomach.
"It makes noises when I'm hungry.""
For the first time that night, Dominic laughed.
A real laugh.
A little rough, a little unfamiliar, but unmistakably his.
"Then I think we should get you something to eat.""
Marcus threw his arms around his father's neck.
I watched them embrace.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice whispered.
"Mrs. Hale? My name is Olivia Grant.""
I froze.
Dominic noticed immediately.
"Who is this?""
The woman spoke faster.
"Please don't say my name aloud. Your father has people monitoring your household communications.""
I glanced at Dominic.
"Why are you calling me?""
"Because the guardianship document is real, but your signature isn't.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"I know.""
"No, Mrs. Hale. You don't understand. The document you saw is only the second version.""
"What does that mean?""
There was a pause.
Then Olivia whispered:
"The first version named Richard Bennett as Marcus's legal guardian.""
Dominic moved closer.
"Why was it changed?""
"Because your father discovered something about the trust that made him nervous.""
"What?""
Olivia's breathing became uneven.
"He wasn't the only person trying to get control of Marcus's inheritance.""
I stared at the phone.
"Who else?""
A faint sound came through the line.
A door closing.
Then Olivia whispered:
"Someone inside your house.""
The call ended.
Dominic slowly lowered the phone from my hand.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he looked at James.
"Lock down the estate.""
James reached for his radio.
"All exits?""
"All exits. Nobody leaves without my authorization.""
A security alarm sounded in the distance.
James looked toward the hallway.
His radio crackled.
"Security to main entrance. We have an unidentified visitor.""
Dominic stepped forward.
"Who?""
The guard's response made the blood drain from my face.
"Mr. Hale, it's your mother.""
Dominic went completely still.
May you like
His mother had been dead for seven years.
Or so we'd been told.
