Chapter 3 - The Deed Ethan Never Wanted Her To SeeSamuel brought Claire into the mansion’s home office while Ethan paced outside beneath the porch flag, calling attorneys and pretending the confrontation was a misunderstanding.
Inside a fireproof envelope was a deed showing the mansion had been purchased by Claire’s late grandmother before being transferred into an irrevocable family trust.
Every property-tax payment for eleven years had come from the Bennett trust.
Every major renovation had been paid through Bennett-controlled accounts.
Ethan had spent years allowing Claire to believe his family owned the house.
That lie was no longer the worst thing on the desk.
Samuel uncovered a residence waiver carrying Claire’s signature.
She had never signed it.
The document was dated three weeks earlier.
According to its terms, Claire had supposedly surrendered her occupancy rights voluntarily.
Samuel suspected forgery.
Claire stared at the signature because it looked frighteningly convincing.
Someone had practiced.
Someone had studied how she formed the capital B in Bennett.
Someone had known enough about her handwriting to make a stranger believe the document was authentic.
Samuel advised silence.
If Ethan realized they had discovered the waiver, records could disappear.
Claire agreed.
Outside the window, she watched Ethan type furiously on his phone.
For one second, the reflection revealed the screen.
Plan B tonight.
Claire said nothing.
But she knew they were no longer dealing with a breakup.
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They were dealing with a deadline.
And someone inside the Cole family had already prepared for the possibility that Ethan’s first plan would fail.
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