Chapter 6 - The RecordingI didn't move.
Neither did Tyler.
The hallway behind him was empty.
For one second, none of us spoke.
Then Tyler closed the door.
“You need to give me that.”
“No.”
“Nora.”
“No.”
His jaw tightened.
“You don't understand what you're holding.”
“Then tell me.”
He stared at Daniel.
Daniel said nothing.
Tyler looked back at me.
“That recording isn't what you think.”
“What is it?”
He hesitated.
Then whispered, “It proves Grandpa changed his will.”
My heart jumped.
“How?”
“Because he recorded your father.”
“What did Dad say?”
Tyler swallowed.
“He said the estate should go to you.”
I stared at him.
“That doesn't sound bad.”
“It was.”
“Why?”
“Because Grandpa didn't trust Dad.”
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded.
Tyler continued.
“Grandpa knew Dad was stealing money.”
“How much?”
“I don't know.”
“You just told me about the recording.”
“I didn't hear all of it.”
“Who did?”
Tyler looked away.
“Dad.”
My stomach tightened.
“He knows what's on the recording?”
“Yes.”
“Then why hasn't he destroyed it?”
Tyler's expression became strange.
“Because he doesn't have it.”
I looked down at the flash drive.
“You're saying this is the only copy?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the original?”
“Grandpa gave it to Daniel.”
Daniel shook his head.
“He gave me the drive.”
“Then how did Dad know?”
“Because someone told him.”
Tyler looked at me.
“Mom.”
I stared at him.
“My mother?”
“She found the envelope months ago.”
“Then why didn't she take the drive?”
“Because she couldn't open it.”
“What?”
“It has a password.”
I almost laughed.
“What's the password?”
Tyler looked embarrassed.
“Your name.”
I stared at him.
Daniel smiled.
“Your grandfather always had a weakness for symbolism.”
I inserted the drive into my laptop.
A single folder appeared.
FOR NORA.
Inside was one video file.
Recorded eleven days before my grandfather died.
I pressed play.
The screen showed him sitting in his study.
He looked tired but sharp-eyed.
Then my father's voice appeared from behind the camera.
Dad.
“You're going to leave everything to her?”
Grandpa nodded.
“She is the only one I trust.”
“She knows nothing about the business.”
“She knows enough to recognize greed.”
Dad laughed.
“You think she's better than me?”
“No.”
Grandpa looked toward the camera.
“I think you're more dangerous than you realize.”
Dad stepped into view.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I've already changed the documents.”
My father froze.
Grandpa continued.
“The estate will go to Nora.”
“Then I'll challenge it.”
“You can try.”
Dad moved closer.
“You're protecting her from her own family.”
“I am.”
“What happens when she can't handle it?”
“She won't be alone.”
“Who will help her?”
Grandpa smiled.
“Daniel.”
My father went silent.
Then his voice changed.
“You're making a mistake.”
Grandpa leaned back.
“No.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“The mistake was trusting you.”
The video ended.
I sat perfectly still.
Tyler looked sick.
Daniel stared at the floor.
I replayed the last thirty seconds.
Then I noticed something.
The recording wasn't over.
There was another file.
Audio only.
Timestamped three days later.
I pressed play.
My grandfather's voice sounded weaker.
But the words were clear.
“If you're hearing this, I am gone.”
I froze.
“My son believes he can erase my decisions.”
A pause.
“He cannot.”
Another pause.
“But he may try to use the people around him.”
My father's voice appeared faintly in the background.
Then Grandpa said something that made my blood run cold.
“Especially Tyler.”
Tyler's eyes widened.
“What?”
The recording continued.
“Tyler is not as loyal to his father as he pretends.”
Tyler took a step backward.
I looked at him.
“Grandpa knew about you?”
Tyler whispered, “I didn't know he knew.”
The recording continued.
“If Tyler comes to Nora asking for forgiveness, she should listen carefully.”
Then silence.
The next words were barely audible.
“Because the boy helped his father forge the first document.”
Tyler's face collapsed.
I stared at him.
“You helped Dad?”
He didn't answer.
“Tyler.”
He lowered his head.
“Yes.”
The room went silent.
“How many documents?”
“I don't know.”
“How many?”
“Three.”
My chest tightened.
“The loan?”
“Yes.”
“The car?”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
He said nothing.
I stood.
“What else?”
He looked at the floor.
“The property transfer.”
I felt dizzy.
“Tell me the truth.”
“I will.”
“No more lies.”
He looked up.
“The property transfer isn't the worst one.”
My voice went quiet.
“What is?”
Tyler swallowed.
“Your house.”
I froze.
“My house is in my name.”
“I know.”
“Then what did you do?”
He stepped closer.
“We didn't transfer it.”
“Then what?”
He whispered the answer.
“We used it as collateral.”
I stared at him.
“For what?”
He didn't respond.
Daniel did.
“For the loan they used to cover the first loan.”
I closed my eyes.
It was a chain.
One loan covering another.
One forgery covering another.
My name buried beneath layers of deception.
Then my phone vibrated.
Claire.
I answered.
“Claire?”
“Where are you?”
“At my parents' house.”
“You need to leave immediately.”
“Why?”
“Because I found something in the public records.”
“What?”
She hesitated.
“The lien on your house was filed yesterday.”
My body went cold.
“But nobody can legally—”
“I know.”
“What did they file?”
Another pause.
“Foreclosure proceedings.”
I looked at Tyler.
He was crying now.
Then Claire said the words that changed everything.
“Nora, according to the filing, you personally authorized the loan.”
I looked down at the flash drive.
“My signature.”
“Yes.”
“And the date?”
“Yesterday.”
I stared at the screen.
Yesterday.
I hadn't signed anything yesterday.
Which meant one thing.
Someone had forged my name again.
May you like
While I was at the police station.
And this time, they had filed it publicly.
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