Chapter 4: The Secret She Thought Would Destroy Me
For a moment, nobody moved.
Vanessa held her phone like a weapon.
Her expression had changed from irritation to excitement.
She believed she had found something.
Something she could use.
"Go ahead," David said.
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
"You're sure?""
"Very.""
She looked at the guests.
"Well, I suppose everyone deserves to know why Mr. Morgan is so interested in a temporary waitress.""
Victoria frowned.
"Vanessa, stop.""
But Vanessa was already enjoying herself.
"Claire Bennett isn't exactly who she says she is.""
I felt David shift beside me.
Vanessa continued.
"She has a rather interesting connection to the Morgan family.""
Several guests began whispering.
One man stepped forward.
"Is she related to David?""
Vanessa smiled.
"Not exactly.""
She looked at me.
"Would you like to tell them, Claire?""
I remained silent.
Vanessa laughed.
"Of course not.""
Then she turned toward the guests.
"Her father was Michael Morgan.""
The name moved through the crowd.
I felt my throat tighten.
Michael Morgan.
My father.
The man who had built the original Morgan Holdings business with David.
The man whose photograph still sat beside my mother's bed.
The man whose death had left me and Ethan trying to rebuild our lives.
Vanessa tilted her head.
"That's right. She's his daughter.""
A few guests exchanged surprised looks.
Someone whispered, "The Morgan heiress?""
Vanessa's smile widened.
"Exactly. So perhaps this entire performance is a little convenient.""
I stared at her.
"What are you suggesting?""
"That you deliberately created a scene to interfere with the Sterling family.""
I almost laughed.
"You pushed me.""
"And you happen to be the daughter of a billionaire.""
"Those two things can both be true.""
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
She looked toward David.
"Isn't that right? You brought her here to create problems for Richard.""
David answered without hesitation.
"Claire was hired through an independent staffing agency. She had no involvement in the planning of this event.""
Vanessa scoffed.
"Convenient.""
Victoria looked horrified.
"Vanessa, why would you say such a thing?""
"Because I know how these people operate.""
David took a step forward.
"Be very careful.""
Vanessa ignored him.
"Everyone knows the Morgan family wants control of the Sterling development portfolio. Claire appearing here, getting herself injured, and calling you immediately? What a coincidence.""
I looked at her.
"You think I planned to be shoved into a swimming pool?""
"I think you wanted attention.""
I stared at her.
"Look at my knee.""
She glanced down.
For a fraction of a second, her expression faltered.
Then she shrugged.
"Accidents happen.""
I took a breath.
"Vanessa, you keep talking about my family as though that gives you permission to treat me however you want.""
She lifted her chin.
"Your father was a businessman. He understood how the world worked.""
I stepped closer.
"My father also understood the difference between being wealthy and being cruel.""
Her face reddened.
"Don't lecture me about your father.""
"Then stop using his name.""
David gently placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Claire.""
I nodded.
I knew what he was doing.
He wanted me to remain calm.
Vanessa wanted a reaction.
She wanted me to shout, cry, or threaten her.
She wanted to turn herself into the victim.
I wouldn't give her that.
Instead, I turned toward Victoria.
"May I ask you something?""
"Of course.""
"Did you authorize Vanessa to manage the foundation's financial transactions?""
Victoria shook her head.
"No. She was responsible for event coordination and donor relations.""
"Did she have access to the accounts?""
"Only through the foundation's administrative office.""
I looked at David.
"Could the money have been transferred through that office?""
David nodded.
"That's possible.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Oh, this is getting ridiculous.""
I continued.
"Then why is she so concerned about the foundation investigation?""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"Because I'm being accused of something I didn't do.""
"Nobody has accused you yet.""
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
David took out a folder from his briefcase.
"I was planning to discuss this with Richard on Monday.""
He placed it on a nearby table.
"However, given the circumstances, perhaps we should review the relevant documents now.""
Victoria opened the folder.
Inside were printed bank transfers, company records, and copies of invoices.
She turned the first page.
Then the second.
Her face gradually lost its color.
"David, what is this?""
"Payments made to a company called Silvercrest Advisory.""
Victoria frowned.
"I've never heard of it.""
"That's because it was registered nine months ago.""
"Who owns it?""
David looked at me.
I knew the answer before he spoke.
"According to the preliminary records, the registered owner is Vanessa Cole's brother, Marcus Cole.""
Vanessa's glass slipped from her fingers.
It shattered against the marble.
"That's a lie.""
David remained calm.
"Would you like to see the registration documents?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"My brother has nothing to do with your investigation.""
"Then he should have no difficulty explaining why his company received eight million dollars from a charitable foundation.""
The guests were no longer whispering.
They were staring.
Vanessa looked toward Victoria.
"You're going to believe him over me?""
Victoria held the documents tightly.
"I want an explanation.""
"It's an accounting arrangement.""
"Eight million dollars?""
Vanessa's voice rose.
"The foundation had expenses!""
"Then show me the invoices.""
Vanessa looked away.
Victoria turned another page.
"These invoices are for consulting services.""
"Yes.""
"Why is the same service listed forty-three times?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
David closed the folder.
"We can let the auditors handle the details.""
Vanessa's expression became furious.
"You can't do this to me.""
Victoria looked at her.
"Do what?""
"Destroy my reputation over paperwork.""
Victoria's voice trembled.
"Did you steal from my foundation?""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Don't be stupid.""
The words hung in the air.
Victoria stared at her.
"Excuse me?""
Vanessa realized what she had said.
She tried to recover.
"I didn't mean—"
"You called me stupid?""
"Victoria, I'm under pressure.""
"Then perhaps you should have thought about that before taking money intended for children.""
Vanessa looked around.
Her friends had moved away from her.
The guests who had laughed when I fell were now pretending they hadn't witnessed anything.
I felt no satisfaction.
Not yet.
Because something about the documents bothered me.
I looked at the dates.
Several transfers had occurred before Vanessa's involvement with the foundation.
I leaned toward David.
"Can I see that page?""
He handed it to me.
I studied the figures.
Then I noticed something.
A signature.
My father's signature.
I froze.
"David.""
He looked at me.
"What?""
I pointed to the bottom of the document.
"This signature.""
He examined it.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get this?""
Victoria answered.
"It was attached to the foundation's authorization file.""
I looked closer.
The signature was almost perfect.
But there was one detail.
My father always signed his middle initial with a small upward stroke.
This signature didn't have it.
"That's not my father's signature.""
David studied it carefully.
"You're certain?""
"Yes.""
Victoria's voice became faint.
"Then who signed it?""
I looked at the document number.
A chill moved through me.
Because the authorization wasn't merely forged.
It had been created using an old company seal from my father's estate.
A seal that only three people had ever been allowed to access.
David.
My mother.
And someone who had worked for my father before he died.
I looked up.
"David, we need to check the original estate records.""
He nodded.
"Why?""
I turned the page toward him.
"Because whoever forged this signature had access to my father's private files.""
David stared at the document.
Then he quietly said:
"Claire, there's something I haven't told you.""
Before I could ask what he meant, his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His face went pale.
It was Richard Sterling.
David answered.
"Richard?""
A frantic voice came through the speaker.
"David, don't let anyone touch those documents.""
David frowned.
"Why?""
May you like
Richard's answer made everyone around us go silent.
"Because I know who forged Michael Morgan's signature.""
