Chapter 8 - The Forged Signature
The signature looked perfect.
Almost too perfect.
Julian stared at it.
His wife stared longer.
“I never signed this.”
Marcus nodded.
“We know.”
“How?”
“The notary record.”
Marcus pulled out another page.
“The notary was never present.”
Her eyes lifted.
“Then who filed it?”
Marcus looked toward Julian.
Julian said nothing.
The answer seemed obvious.
But his wife refused to believe it without proof.
She turned toward Julian.
“Did you forge my signature?”
“No.”
“Did you order someone to forge it?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Julian remained silent.
Leo watched his father.
The boy lowered his phone.
“Dad.”
Julian looked at him.
“Tell Mom.”
Julian’s eyes softened for a moment.
“I never wanted this to happen.”
His wife shook her head.
“That isn't an answer.”
Julian finally looked toward Marcus.
“Who handled the paperwork?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Your personal attorney.”
Julian’s face changed.
“Richard?”
“Yes.”
The name meant something.
His wife remembered Richard Cole.
He had handled Julian’s private financial matters for years.
Julian had always told her Richard was trustworthy.
Now that trust was collapsing.
Marcus opened another folder.
“There are emails.”
Julian stepped toward him.
Marcus backed away.
One email had been sent from Richard to Julian.
The subject line read:
THE TRANSFER WILL BE READY BEFORE THE DIVORCE.
Julian stared at it.
His wife whispered:
“You planned the divorce before you told me you wanted one.”
Julian shook his head.
“No.”
“Then explain the email.”
He couldn't.
Chloe looked at Julian.
“You told me you wanted a clean start.”
Julian looked at her.
“I did.”
“You wanted a clean start with her money.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Leo stepped closer.
He looked tired now.
Not frightened.
Just disappointed.
His mother knelt beside him.
“You did enough.”
Leo nodded.
But before he put away the phone, he looked at the screen again.
“There’s another folder.”
Julian opened his eyes.
“What folder?”
Leo read the title.
MOM — ORIGINAL FILES.
Julian went pale.
May you like
👉 The original files contained the one piece of evidence Julian had spent years trying to erase.
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