Chapter 9 - The Signature That Looked Perfect
Claire stared at the signature.
The loops were right.
The pressure points were right.
Even the small upward hook she made on the final letter of her last name was there.
It looked more like her signature than some signatures she had written herself.
"I never signed this."
Matthew folded his hands.
"You signed it yesterday afternoon."
"Where?"
"At home."
"Who witnessed it?"
Matthew looked toward Julian.
Claire followed his gaze.
Her chest tightened.
"Julian?"
Julian's face remained neutral.
"I witnessed the execution."
Naomi stood.
"You understand that false testimony before a corporate board can become evidence in a criminal proceeding."
Julian looked at her.
"I understand the law better than you think."
"That has never been your problem."
Matthew tapped the document.
"The proxy is valid until challenged in court."
Claire looked at the board secretary.
"Can he vote my shares right now?"
The secretary hesitated.
"If the document is facially valid, possibly."
Matthew smiled faintly.
"Then call the vote."
Richid stood.
"You forged her name."
Matthew looked at him.
"Sit down."
Richid stepped around the table.
Two security officers entered the boardroom at once.
Matthew had arranged that too.
Claire saw the calculation everywhere now.
He had planned the flowers.
The argument.
The settlement papers.
The board vote.
The backup proxy.
Maybe even her discovery of the missing estate documents.
She suddenly wondered how long he had been planning to make her look unstable.
"Dad," Claire said.
Richid stopped.
"Sit down."
He looked at her.
"Claire."
"I said sit down."
Something in her voice made him obey.
Matthew watched with satisfaction.
Claire picked up the proxy document.
"Yesterday at 4:22, where exactly was I?"
Matthew answered immediately.
"At the apartment."
"Doing what?"
"Reviewing estate papers with me."
Claire nodded slowly.
"And Julian was there?"
"Yes."
Claire looked at Julian.
"You saw me sign this?"
"I did."
"With what pen?"
Julian frowned.
"What?"
"What pen did I use?"
"A black pen."
"What kind?"
Matthew interrupted.
"This is absurd."
Claire ignored him.
"Ballpoint? Fountain? Rollerball?"
Julian's eyes narrowed.
"Ballpoint."
Claire looked at Naomi.
Naomi understood immediately.
She opened the apartment footage from the orchid camera.
The video timestamp showed 4:19 p.m.
Matthew entered the living room carrying the flowers.
He was alone.
4:22 p.m.
No Claire.
No Julian.
The footage continued.
At 4:31, Claire entered the apartment carrying a grocery bag.
At 4:36, Julian arrived.
Claire looked at the board.
"According to the camera Matthew planted himself, I wasn't even home at 4:22."
Victor Sloan shifted uncomfortably.
Matthew's face changed.
Just slightly.
Claire saw it.
"Wrong timestamp?" she asked.
Matthew said nothing.
Naomi zoomed in on the notarization block.
"The notary is Gerald Moss."
Karen Whitmore frowned.
"I know that name."
Naomi nodded.
"He notarizes corporate filings for Cross Legal Group."
Julian spoke quickly.
"He's independent."
Naomi tapped the tablet.
"He died three weeks ago."
The boardroom went completely silent.
Claire looked at Matthew.
His eyes shifted toward Julian.
That single glance changed everything.
Matthew had not known.
Julian had.
Claire saw the realization hit him.
The proxy was not merely forged.
It had been forged carelessly enough to expose whoever prepared it.
And Matthew had just presented it publicly.
Julian stood.
"I advise that this meeting adjourn immediately."
Matthew turned on him.
"Sit down."
"Matthew."
"You told me it was clean."
Julian's face tightened.
Claire leaned back.
For the first time, the alliance across the table cracked.
Naomi quietly took a photograph of the document.
Matthew noticed.
"Stop."
Naomi did not.
"That is evidence."
"It is privileged material."
"Not when used to commit fraud."
Julian picked up his briefcase.
"I am leaving."
Matthew stepped into his path.
"No, you're not."
The board watched them.
Julian's voice dropped.
"Move."
Matthew did not.
Julian leaned closer.
"You have no idea what I protected you from."
Claire heard it.
So did Richid.
Matthew's face went still.
"What does that mean?"
Julian looked at Claire.
Then at the cane.
"Ask her mother."
Claire felt a chill.
Matthew laughed once.
"Her mother is dead."
Julian's expression did not change.
"Her mother left more than one recording."
Naomi went pale.
Claire turned toward her.
"What recording?"
Naomi whispered.
"I don't know."
Julian smiled grimly.
"That's because Eleanor didn't trust you as much as you thought."
Claire's mother's name struck the room like a bell.
Richid stood again.
"Julian."
"No."
Julian looked at him with years of anger behind his eyes.
"You all want honesty now?"
He pointed at the cane.
"Open the drive."
Claire stared at him.
"You told us not to."
"That was before Matthew decided to hand the board a dead man's notarization."
Matthew's face darkened.
"You made that proxy."
Julian looked at him.
"I made the document you asked for."
"You forged it."
"You asked me to make it enforceable."
"Not with a dead notary."
Julian smiled coldly.
"Then perhaps you should have read what you were using to steal your wife's company."
Security moved closer.
Claire raised her voice.
"Nobody leaves."
Everyone turned toward her.
"I am calling the police."
Matthew's expression sharpened.
"Claire, don't."
She looked at him.
"You already used that line once tonight."
She reached for her phone.
Before she could dial, the boardroom lights went out.
The display screen died.
The electronic door lock clicked.
May you like
Someone screamed near the windows.
Then Claire heard the sound of glass breaking in the dark.
