Chapter 4: The Lie Finally Cracked
Chapter 4: The Lie Finally Cracked
The apartment fell into complete silence.
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Emily's face turned pale.
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Sophia instinctively wrapped both arms around Alexander's leg.
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Another sharp knock echoed through the tiny apartment.
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"Emily."
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"I know you're in there."
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"Open the door."
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Victoria's voice sounded calm.
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Almost pleasant.
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Anyone listening from outside would have believed she was simply checking on an old friend.
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Alexander knew better.
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He had heard that voice before.
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It was the voice she used before destroying someone's life.
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Emily's hands began to shake.
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"She always finds us."
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Alexander looked at her.
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"What do you mean?"
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Emily swallowed hard.
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"Every time I move."
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"Every time I find work."
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"Somehow..."
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"...she always knows."
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Alexander felt another wave of guilt crash over him.
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For years, he had believed Emily had chosen to disappear.
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Instead...
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She had been running.
.
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The knocking became louder.
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"Emily."
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"I won't ask again."
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Alexander gently handed Sophia to Daniel.
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"Take her into the bedroom."
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Daniel nodded immediately.
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"Come on, sweetheart."
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Sophia looked frightened.
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"Daddy?"
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Alexander smiled softly.
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"I'll be right here."
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She reluctantly followed Daniel.
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The bedroom door closed quietly.
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Alexander turned toward the front door.
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Emily caught his wrist.
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"Please."
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"Don't."
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"You don't know what she's capable of."
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Alexander slowly covered her trembling hand with his own.
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"I do now."
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He gently removed her fingers.
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Then walked toward the entrance.
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Victoria knocked one final time.
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"If you refuse to answer..."
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"I'll call the police."
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Alexander unlocked the deadbolt.
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The door swung open.
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Victoria's confident smile disappeared instantly.
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For several seconds...
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Mother and son simply stared at each other.
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She had expected Emily.
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She had never imagined Alexander would be standing there.
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"What are you doing here?"
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Alexander's voice was almost emotionless.
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"I should be asking you the same question."
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Victoria recovered quickly.
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"I came to check on Emily."
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"I've been helping her."
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Alexander almost laughed.
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"Helping?"
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"You call starving my wife helping?"
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Victoria sighed dramatically.
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"Oh, Alexander."
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"She's manipulating you already."
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"You always were too emotional where Emily was concerned."
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Alexander stepped aside.
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"Come in."
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Victoria hesitated.
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"I don't think that's necessary."
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"I insist."
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For the first time in decades...
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Victoria looked uncertain.
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Still...
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She entered.
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The apartment was painfully small.
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A worn sofa.
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A cracked coffee table.
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Two folding chairs.
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A tiny kitchen with nearly empty cabinets.
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Victoria glanced around the room with visible disgust.
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"You've certainly lowered your standards."
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Emily remained silent.
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Alexander watched his mother's eyes.
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She never looked surprised.
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Not once.
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She already knew exactly how Emily lived.
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Because she had made sure of it.
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Alexander walked toward the refrigerator.
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He slowly opened the door.
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Inside...
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Half a carton of milk.
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Three eggs.
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A bottle of tap water.
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Nothing else.
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He looked back at Victoria.
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"This is what you've been helping?"
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Victoria crossed her arms.
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"Emily has always been terrible with money."
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Alexander closed the refrigerator.
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Without warning...
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He opened one cabinet after another.
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Empty.
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Another.
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Empty.
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Another.
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One small package of instant oatmeal.
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Expired two months earlier.
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Emily lowered her eyes.
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Alexander's chest tightened.
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Then he noticed something else.
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A stack of unpaid medical bills.
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He picked them up.
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Hospital visits.
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Prescription medications.
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Lung infection.
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Chronic malnutrition.
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Sophia.
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Severe iron deficiency.
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Low body weight.
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Recommended nutritional treatment.
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Never completed.
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Alexander looked at Emily.
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"You've been sick."
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She gave a faint smile.
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"It's just a cough."
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The smile fooled no one.
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Victoria immediately interrupted.
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"She's exaggerating."
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"Doctors always overreact."
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Alexander slowly turned toward his mother.
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"Be quiet."
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Victoria blinked.
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"What did you say?"
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"I said..."
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"Be quiet."
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"You've talked for six years."
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"Now it's Emily's turn."
.
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Emily quietly sat on the worn sofa.
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She looked exhausted.
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Almost embarrassed.
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"I tried finding work."
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"But every employer who hired me suddenly changed their mind."
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Alexander frowned.
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"Every one?"
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Emily nodded.
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"They'd apologize."
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"They'd say someone important had called."
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"They never explained."
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Victoria looked away.
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Alexander noticed.
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"I even cleaned offices at night."
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Emily continued softly.
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"But after two weeks..."
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"They fired me too."
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"I never understood why."
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Alexander understood perfectly.
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His mother.
.
Again.
.
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Daniel quietly walked back into the living room.
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He carried a small notebook.
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"Sir."
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"I found this in the kitchen drawer."
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Emily looked surprised.
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"Oh."
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"My notebook."
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Alexander opened it.
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Every page contained careful handwriting.
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Dates.
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Expenses.
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Groceries.
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Medicine.
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Rent.
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Every dollar accounted for.
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At the bottom of every page...
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One sentence appeared again and again.
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Maybe next month Alexander will find us.
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Another page.
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Sophia asked about her daddy today.
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Another.
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I told her he loves her.
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Another.
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I hope I'm telling the truth.
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Alexander felt his eyes burn.
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Emily had never poisoned Sophia against him.
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Never.
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Even after believing he had abandoned them...
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She protected his place in their daughter's heart.
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Victoria suddenly spoke.
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"How touching."
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Emily looked down.
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Alexander slowly closed the notebook.
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Then he looked directly at his mother.
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"Did you forge my signature?"
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Victoria smiled calmly.
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"I don't know what you're talking about."
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Alexander placed the divorce papers on the table.
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"You forged these."
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She barely glanced at them.
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"I've never seen those before."
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Alexander laid down another document.
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"The custody agreement."
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Silence.
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Then another.
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"The property settlement."
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Victoria shrugged.
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"Anyone could have made those."
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Alexander stepped closer.
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"Did you?"
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"No."
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He took another step.
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"No?"
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"No."
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Another step.
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"Look me in the eyes."
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Victoria did.
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"I didn't."
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Alexander stared at her for several long seconds.
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Then...
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He quietly reached into his pocket.
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He placed his phone on the table.
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The screen was still recording.
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A small red light blinked in the corner.
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Victoria's confident smile faded.
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Alexander spoke calmly.
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"Good."
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"Because tomorrow morning..."
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"...a forensic handwriting expert is going to compare every signature."
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He paused.
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"And if you're lying..."
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"...forgery is only the beginning of your problems."
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For the first time that night...
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Victoria's hands trembled.
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Only slightly.
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But Alexander saw it.
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The woman who had controlled his life for decades...
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Had just realized something terrifying.
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Her son no longer believed a single word she said.
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And somewhere deep inside...
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May you like
The empire she had built on lies had begun to collapse.
End of Chapter 4
