Chapter 5 - The Signature That Wasn’t Mine
Greg recovered quickly.
“This is ridiculous.”
I ignored him.
“Bring the document.”
Mr. Bennett made the call.
Ten minutes later, his security director arrived carrying a transparent evidence sleeve.
Inside was a photocopy of an authorization form.
I recognized the document.
It allowed approved expenses to be charged against the wedding account.
At the bottom was my signature.
Except I hadn’t signed it.
I looked at Greg.
“Where did this come from?”
He shrugged.
“I’ve never seen it.”
His brother, Tyler, was brought into the villa.
Tyler looked terrified.
Unlike Greg, he wasn’t good at hiding it.
“I didn’t steal anything.”
I held up the document.
“Then explain this.”
Tyler looked at Greg.
Greg stared back at him.
That glance lasted half a second.
It was enough.
“Tyler.”
I kept my voice calm.
“If you protect your brother and this becomes a criminal investigation, you could become part of it.”
Greg snapped.
“Stop threatening him.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m explaining consequences.”
Tyler swallowed.
“He told me to get it.”
Sarah turned toward Greg.
“What?”
Greg’s face went rigid.
“Shut up, Tyler.”
Tyler shook his head.
“No.”
“You said she wouldn’t notice.”
The room became completely still.
I felt my pulse slow.
“What wouldn’t I notice?”
Tyler looked at me.
“The extra charges.”
Greg moved toward him.
Security stepped between them.
Tyler continued.
“Greg said your account was basically unlimited.”
“He said you were too embarrassed to tell anyone you were paying because your family treated you like a failure.”
My stomach turned.
Greg knew exactly why I had kept quiet.
And he had exploited it.
“How much?”
I asked.
Tyler hesitated.
“More than what’s on that list.”
Mr. Bennett immediately opened his laptop.
“How much more?”
“I don’t know.”
Greg shouted.
“Don’t answer him!”
Sarah stared at her husband.
“Greg.”
He ignored her.
“Greg!”
She grabbed his sleeve.
“Did you steal from my sister?”
He pulled away.
“I borrowed money from an account she clearly doesn’t need.”
There it was.
Not denial.
Just entitlement.
Dad looked stunned.
Mom covered her mouth.
I asked the question that mattered.
“How did you access the authorization?”
Greg smiled coldly.
“Maybe you aren’t as careful as you think.”
That answer bothered me.
Then I remembered Christmas.
Six months earlier.
Greg had borrowed my laptop because his phone battery died.
He had used it for twenty minutes.
My encrypted financial documents couldn’t have been accessed.
But a temporary wedding authorization PDF had been sitting in my downloads folder.
My signature was on another page.
It would have taken minutes to copy it.
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
“Full forensic audit.”
“Every transaction.”
“Every authorization.”
“Every vendor.”
“Go back twelve months.”
Greg laughed.
“You’re being dramatic.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“I’m being an accountant.”
For the first time, he looked worried.
Then my phone rang.
It was the island clinic.
I answered immediately.
The nurse spoke quietly.
“Ms. Hart, Dr. Patel reviewed Mia’s imaging again.”
My heart stopped.
“Is something wrong?”
“There’s something he wants to discuss with you.”
May you like
I looked toward my sleeping daughter.
“What did you find?”
