Chapter 4 - The Letter That Never Existed.
Grant drove to Arthur's house with Savannah's copied letter on the passenger seat.
He had read it five times before leaving the cemetery.
Each reading removed another excuse he had used for seven years.
Vanessa was already waiting inside the library.
She stood beside Arthur's desk with a glass of water untouched in her hand.
“You embarrassed me at Dad's funeral.”
Grant shut the door.
“Where is the letter?”
Vanessa stared at him.
“What letter?”
“The one Savannah supposedly wrote.”
Vanessa set down the glass.
“This again?”
“You gave it to me.”
“You were falling apart.”
“You said it came from her lawyer.”
“It did.”
“Then show me the file.”
Vanessa's mouth tightened.
“Grant, that was seven years ago.”
“Show me.”
She walked to the window.
“You were working eighteen-hour days.”
“Show me.”
“Dad was pressuring you to take over the company.”
“Show me.”
Vanessa spun around.
“She was going to destroy your future.”
The sentence landed in the room before either of them could pull it back.
Grant's voice became very quiet.
“What did you just say?”
Vanessa's face changed.
“I meant the custody fight.”
“There was no custody fight.”
“You didn't know that then.”
Grant stared at his sister.
The past began rearranging itself in his memory.
Vanessa had been the one who told him Savannah had moved.
Vanessa had been the one who brought the legal papers.
Vanessa had been the one who said Savannah refused to accept his checks.
Vanessa had even driven him to Martin Keene's office.
At the time, her help had felt like loyalty.
Now it looked like control.
“Why?”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“You were about to become president of Hale Development.”
“What does that have to do with my wife?”
“Dad was going to divide voting shares among you, Savannah, and the children.”
Grant stepped back.
“What?”
Vanessa's eyes flickered.
“You didn't know.”
“No.”
She looked toward Arthur's desk.
“Of course he never told you.”
Grant's mind raced.
Arthur had adored Savannah because she never asked him for anything.
He admired her service record and her refusal to use the Hale name for influence.
When Ethan was born, Arthur had opened a trust.
Grant had assumed it was small.
Apparently, Vanessa had not.
“You thought Savannah would control the company?”
“I thought she would control you.”
“So you forged a letter?”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“I protected this family.”
Grant's hand hit the desk before he realized he had moved.
Not violently.
Just hard enough to rattle the framed photographs.
“You erased my family.”
Vanessa flinched.
“You left, Grant.”
He froze.
The truth of that sentence cut deeper than her excuses.
She had manipulated him.
But he had still chosen to believe paper over Savannah.
He had still boarded a plane.
He had still allowed months to become years.
The library door opened.
Savannah stood there with the manila envelope in her hand.
Behind her was Martin Keene.
The retired attorney looked twenty years older than Grant remembered.
He carried a thick red folder.
Vanessa's face went white.
Martin looked at her and sighed.
“It's time.”
Vanessa backed away from the desk.
“No.”
Martin placed the folder beside Grant.
“Your father gave me instructions if she denied it.”
Grant looked down.
The first page contained a photocopy of the separation letter.
May you like
Across the bottom, in red ink, Arthur had written three words.
SIGNATURE IS FORGED.
