Chapter 10 - The Person Behind the Signature
The forgery was perfect. The person who created it had practiced on my life.
I didn't sleep.
By sunrise, we had sent the documents to Nexus legal.
The response came within twelve minutes.
Do not access any company systems.
I stared at the message.
“Why?”
Liam read it.
“Because there may be an internal breach.”
I looked at him.
“How deep?”
“Potentially board level.”
I opened the secure emergency line.
“My CFO answered.”
“Alina?”
“Yes.”
“We've isolated twelve servers.”
“From whom?”
“We don't know.”
“Any unauthorized credentials?”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
“One set.”
“Whose?”
“My name.”
My stomach tightened.
She continued.
“Someone has been using your founder credentials for six months.”
“Where?”
“Everywhere.”
Banking.
Contracts.
Investment approvals.
Employee records.
Legal documents.
All signed with credentials that looked like mine.
I closed my eyes.
Someone wasn't trying to destroy Nexus.
They were trying to become me.
Then my CFO said,
“There's more.”
“What?”
“One transaction.”
“What kind?”
“Two hundred million dollars.”
My breath stopped.
“Where did it go?”
“Offshore.”
“Recipient?”
She hesitated.
“Bennett Family Holdings.”
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because I suddenly understood.
Gary's entire financial crisis.
The shell companies.
The stolen identity.
The complaint filed against me.
Someone had been constructing a story.
A story where I was stealing from Nexus.
And secretly funding my family.
I asked,
“Who's been approving the transfers?”
My CFO replied,
“Your private office account.”
“Who has access?”
“Three people.”
“Name them.”
“Me.”
“Second.”
“Liam.”
“Third?”
Silence.
“Tell me.”
“Your executive assistant.”
My stomach dropped.
“Mara?”
“Yes.”
I ended the call.
Liam looked at me.
“You trust her?”
“Yes.”
“Do you still?”
I didn't answer.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Mara.
We need to talk. Alone.
I asked where.
She gave an address.
An old hotel.
Twenty minutes later, I walked into the lobby alone.
Mara stood near the elevators.
She looked exhausted.
“You shouldn't have come.”
“You told me to.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
She handed me an envelope.
Inside was a copy of a medical report.
My father's.
I looked at the date.
November 13.
One day before he died.
Diagnosis:
Acute poisoning.
I stared.
“They said heart failure.”
“They lied.”
“Who?”
“Your mother.”
My blood ran cold.
“She killed him?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Mara looked at the elevator camera.
“Someone recorded the whole thing.”
“Who?”
She leaned closer.
“Evan.”
My brother.
The same brother who had entered my office.
The same brother who had given me the recording.
I stared at her.
“Where is he?”
She pointed upstairs.
“Room 607.”
I went to the elevator.
The doors opened.
Before I stepped in, Mara grabbed my arm.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Your brother isn't working against you.”
I frowned.
“Then who is he working for?”
Mara swallowed.
“Your father.”
The elevator doors closed.
I reached Room 607.
The door was unlocked.
I entered.
Evan was standing by the window.
He turned.
“You found the medical report.”
“Yes.”
“You're getting closer.”
“To what?”
He looked at me.
“Who killed Dad.”
I stepped forward.
“Who?”
He whispered,
“Mom.”
My heart stopped.
Then he added,
“But she wasn't alone.”
The bathroom door behind him opened.
A man stepped out.
Victor Hale.
May you like
Alive.
Smiling.
