Chapter 9 - Martha Proves Veronica’s College Identity Was Totally Fabricated
David sat down opposite his mother, taking a sip of the hot tea before pulling the federal dossier back toward himself.
“You mentioned her college identity was fabricated... how deep does the document fraud actually go?” David asked curiously.
Martha opened a secondary manila folder containing old university records, newspaper clippings, and birth certificates.
“Veronica Sterling died of pneumonia at a private clinic in Switzerland when she was twelve years old,” Martha revealed quietly.
David dropped his teacup onto its saucer, the loud clink shattering the quiet ambiance of the sunlit kitchen.
“She stole the identity of a deceased child to secure a clean social security number and clean background checks?” David gasped.
“Precisely. Her real name is Valerie Vance, the estranged daughter of your fugitive Uncle Richard,” Martha confirmed.
“My own cousin... she married her own cousin just to bypass the corporate inheritance restrictions?” David stammered in horror.
“Incestuous corporate greed knows no moral boundaries, David; her father promised her half the empire if she succeeded,” Martha said.
David ran his hands through his hair, realizing how lucky they were that Martha had kept those vintage deeds safely locked away.
“If you hadn't tested her loyalty by playing the vulnerable, dependent mother, she would have stripped us of everything,” David realized.
“Never underestimate an old woman who built her empire with her own two hands,” Martha smiled warmly.
She pointed to a final notarized document at the bottom of the stack bearing the signature of the state attorney general.
“This document annuls her marriage rights automatically under federal fraud statutes, leaving her with zero legal claims,” Martha added.
“So our marriage legally never existed?” David asked, feeling a strange mix of relief and profound embarrassment.
“As far as the state and federal courts are concerned, you were never married to Valerie Vance,” Martha confirmed firmly.
David let out a long, heavy breath, feeling as though a mountain had been lifted off his chest for the first time in years.
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“Thank you, Mom... for saving me, for saving our family legacy, and for never giving up on me,” David said sincerely.
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