Chapter 6: The Signature That Betrayed My Mother
“Dad, tell me you didn't sign away Mom's collection.””
My father stood beside the living room window, his hands buried in the pockets of his trousers. He had been silent since I showed him the documents Margaret Laurent had sent me.
Outside, rain tapped against the glass.
Inside, the silence was suffocating.
“I signed something,” he finally admitted.
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?””
“After your mother died, Vanessa brought me some paperwork. She said Claire had wanted the collection to remain within the family.””
“Which family?””
He looked at me.
“Richard and Vanessa's family,” I said bitterly.
“Not mine. Not Mom's.””
“Eleanor, please.””
“No. I want the truth.””
He sat down heavily.
“Vanessa said Brianna could use the collection to establish a fashion business. She told me Claire had discussed it with her before she became ill.””
I stared at him.
“Mom never discussed that with me.””
“You were seventeen.””
“I was her daughter!””
My voice cracked.
He rubbed his forehead.
“I know.””
“Did you read the document?””
He hesitated.
That hesitation told me everything.
“You didn't.””
“I trusted Vanessa.””
I laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“You trusted the woman who spent months telling everyone that Mom's old fabric was worthless?””
“Eleanor—”
“She stole my dress, Dad. She forged my signature. She destroyed Mom's lace. And you trusted her?””
He lowered his head.
“I never wanted this to happen.””
I picked up the photograph of my mother from the coffee table.
“She asked you to protect me.””
“I know.””
“She made you promise.””
His eyes filled.
“And I failed her.””
For a moment, I wanted to comfort him.
Then I remembered the garment bag hanging in Brianna's bedroom, the stolen dress, and the scholarship withdrawal.
I put the photograph down.
“I'm going to Margaret's office tomorrow. You're coming with me.””
He nodded.
“I'll come.””
The following morning, Margaret was waiting with a leather folder.
She had spent the night comparing the original collection records with the documents Vanessa had submitted.
“Eleanor, there's something you need to understand,” she said.
She placed two agreements on the desk.
“The first is the original agreement between Claire and Vanessa. It transferred certain embroidery rights to your mother in exchange for payment.””
I examined the document.
The signatures were clear.
My mother's name appeared at the bottom.
Vanessa's was beside it.
“What about the second document?””
Margaret placed it beside the first.
“This version was submitted to the registry several months after Claire's death.””
I read the heading.
*IRREVOCABLE TRANSFER OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.*
My father's name appeared beneath the signature line.
But something was wrong.
“This isn't Dad's signature.””
Margaret nodded.
“Richard has already confirmed that he never signed this version.””
My father leaned forward.
“Vanessa told me the paperwork was temporary.””
Margaret pointed toward a paragraph.
“Here, the document claims that Richard transferred all ownership rights to Brianna Cole.””
I stared at the page.
“Can she legally do that?””
“That's something the lawyers will need to determine. But the original records give us substantial grounds to challenge the transfer.””
She opened another folder.
“There is also a notarization record.””
I looked at the date.
Six months after my mother's death.
“Who certified this?””
Margaret turned the page.
The notary's name was unfamiliar.
But the address was not.
It belonged to an office Vanessa had used for her business.
My father went pale.
“I know that building.””
Margaret looked at him.
“Do you?””
He nodded slowly.
“Vanessa used to take me there whenever she needed paperwork prepared.””
I leaned forward.
“Did you ever meet the notary?””
“No.””
Margaret closed the folder.
“Then we need to establish whether the certification was legitimate.””
She looked at me.
“And Eleanor, there's another matter. The committee has received a formal complaint alleging that you stole the original lace from the Cole family estate.””
I felt my blood run cold.
“That's ridiculous. Mom bought it.””
“Do you have proof?””
I immediately thought of the receipt in my bedroom.
“Yes.””
“Bring it to the hearing.””
My father looked at Margaret.
“When is the hearing?””
“Monday morning.””
I glanced at the calendar.
Three days.
That evening, Sophie arrived with two coffees and her laptop.
She listened while I explained everything.
When I finished, she opened a new folder.
“Let's organize the evidence.””
We placed everything on the desk.
My original sketches.
The photographs of the gown.
The sewing footage.
The fabric receipts.
My mother's notebook.
The original collection agreement.
And the forged withdrawal authorization.
Sophie examined the digital document properties.
“Wait.””
“What?””
She rotated the laptop toward me.
“Look at the creation date.””
The file had been created three days before my scholarship application was withdrawn.
I leaned closer.
The author field contained a name.
*Vanessa Cole.*
My hands went cold.
“She prepared the document in advance.””
Sophie nodded.
“And look at the device information.””
The authorization had been submitted from my laptop.
I remembered Brianna borrowing my charger.
She had been alone in my bedroom that afternoon.
I searched the browser history.
The competition portal had been opened at 3:02 p.m.
A PDF had been downloaded shortly afterward.
The same PDF used to withdraw my application.
Sophie saved the screenshots.
“Eleanor, this is important. Don't change anything on the laptop. Keep the original files.””
I nodded.
Then my phone buzzed.
An email from the Halston committee appeared.
*FINAL HEARING CONFIRMATION — MONDAY, 10:00 A.M.*
I opened it.
The committee had invited all parties to present evidence.
Vanessa.
Brianna.
My father.
And me.
I looked at Sophie.
“It's happening.””
She nodded.
“Then let's make sure they see everything.””
At 8:45 p.m., I heard shouting downstairs.
Vanessa's voice.
“Richard, you promised me!””
My father answered quietly.
“I promised to look after everyone. I never promised to let you steal from my daughter.””
I opened my bedroom door.
Vanessa was standing in the hallway.
She turned toward me.
“You've caused enough trouble.””
I held her gaze.
“I'm not the one who forged documents.””
Her expression hardened.
“You think a few photographs and old receipts will make you a designer?””
“No. My work will.””
She laughed.
“Brianna has a future. You have a dead woman's dress.””
My father stepped between us.
“That's enough, Vanessa.””
She pointed at him.
“You're choosing her again?””
“I'm choosing the truth.””
Vanessa looked at me one last time.
“You'll regret this.””
Then she walked downstairs.
I closed my bedroom door.
My hands were shaking.
But beneath the fear, something stronger was growing.
I opened my mother's notebook.
On the final page, I found a sentence written in blue ink.
Never confuse someone else's confidence with the truth.
I read it twice.
Then my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A man's voice spoke.
“Is this Eleanor Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Daniel Cole. I was a business partner of your mother.””
I froze.
“What?””
“I've been trying to find you.””
“Why?””
There was a long silence.
May you like
Then he said:
“Because Claire left something with me before she died. Something Vanessa has spent years trying to get back.””
