Chapter 9 - Let Them Think I Was AfraidThe next morning, I changed everything.
But I changed nothing visibly.
I left the forged documents where they were.
I didn't report the vendors.
I didn't cancel the wedding website.
I didn't tell Marissa what I had found.
I did one thing.
I let my family believe I had cracked.
That afternoon, I called Dad.
He answered immediately.
“I've been thinking.”
He sounded relieved.
“Good.”
“I'll allow the wedding.”
Silence.
Then:
“You will?”
“Yes.”
“But I have conditions.”
“Of course.”
“No fireworks in the rose garden.”
He laughed.
“That can be arranged.”
“And no structural work.”
“Obviously.”
“And no one enters private rooms.”
“Of course.”
He was lying.
I could hear it.
But I wanted him comfortable.
“Send me the agreement,” I said.
“We'll have it to you tonight.”
I hung up.
Vivian stared at me.
“You just agreed.”
“No.”
I smiled.
“I just gave them rope.”
Daniel installed additional cameras.
Not in obvious places.
Hidden sensors.
Audio pickups.
Door alerts.
Motion tracking.
Every document they touched would be logged.
Every access attempt would be recorded.
Then Vivian added one more piece.
A decoy.
We created a false ledger.
Identical cover.
Identical size.
Identical markings.
But inside it was a collection of meaningless copied documents.
The real ledger stayed hidden.
In a place no one would search.
At noon, Marissa arrived alone.
She walked through the front door.
For once, she didn't act entitled.
She looked nervous.
“You're really letting us use the house?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because family matters.”
She flinched.
I almost smiled.
“That's what you wanted, right?”
She nodded.
“Claire…”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
I looked at her.
“For what?”
“For the sauce.”
“That isn't enough.”
“I know.”
She swallowed.
“I didn't know how serious this was.”
“You knew enough.”
She lowered her eyes.
“Ethan told me everything would work out.”
“Ethan?”
“He said your father had already handled the legal part.”
I watched her carefully.
“Did Ethan know about the forged signature?”
“No.”
I believed her.
“What does he think the wedding will accomplish?”
She hesitated.
“He says Thomas needs the estate valuation.”
There it was again.
The valuation.
I changed the subject.
“Your vendors will have access Friday.”
Marissa looked surprised.
“Friday?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“Dad said Wednesday.”
My heart skipped.
“What?”
“He said the contractors needed early access.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
She looked around the foyer.
“Claire, I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“The wedding website isn't the only thing online.”
She pulled out her phone.
There was another website.
A private event portal.
Invite only.
I looked at the guest list.
Several names were unfamiliar.
Bankers.
Investors.
Property analysts.
Corporate attorneys.
Not wedding guests.
Business guests.
Then I saw something worse.
A schedule titled:
POST-CEREMONY ASSET REVIEW
I stared at it.
“Who made this?”
“Ethan's family.”
I looked at Marissa.
“Does Ethan know you showed me?”
“No.”
“Good.”
I opened the schedule.
At 11:30 P.M. Saturday:
Private document transfer.
At midnight:
Trust execution.
At 12:15 A.M.:
Property security transition.
At 12:30 A.M.:
Witness certification.
My pulse raced.
They were planning the transfer during the wedding.
At midnight.
With lawyers.
With witnesses.
With security.
The wedding itself was cover.
Marissa's face went pale.
“Claire.”
“What?”
“I didn't know about the trust execution.”
“I know.”
“They were going to use me.”
I looked at her.
“How?”
She pointed at the final line.
Bride's family to provide verbal confirmation of property owner's consent.
I read it twice.
Then slowly smiled.
Marissa stared.
“What?”
“They think you'll confirm I agreed.”
She whispered,
“What are you going to do?”
May you like
I looked toward the cameras.
“I’m going to let them ask.”
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