Chapter 2 - The Signature I Never Wrote
Aiden led us into the cathedral’s private vestry.
My father.
Tommy.
My father’s attorney, Malcolm Price.
And me.
The priest wisely remained outside.
I threw the contract onto the table.
“Start talking.”
My father rubbed both hands over his face.
“Claire, everything I did was to protect you.”
“Try again.”
“Your mother left debts.”
“My mother died eight years ago.”
“Business debts.”
Aiden leaned against the far wall.
He had barely spoken since leaving the altar.
That made him more intimidating.
My father pointed toward him.
“You don’t understand these people.”
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
“These people?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I’d love to hear you explain it.”
Malcolm Price cleared his throat.
“Perhaps everyone should calm down.”
I looked at him.
“You witnessed this contract.”
Malcolm froze.
His signature appeared directly beneath mine.
“Claire—”
“Did you watch me sign it?”
Silence.
“Malcolm.”
“No.”
My father snapped, “Enough.”
Aiden pushed away from the wall.
“No, Richard. We’re just getting started.”
He picked up the contract.
“When you came to me eleven weeks ago, what did you say?”
My father said nothing.
Aiden answered for him.
“You said Claire knew about the financial situation.”
My father looked away.
“You said she proposed the marriage herself.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
Aiden continued.
“You said she wanted control of the Bennett shipping interests preserved instead of watching creditors tear them apart.”
“That’s insane.”
“I know that now.”
My father turned toward me.
“I was desperate.”
“So you forged my signature?”
“I was saving our family.”
“By selling me?”
“I never sold you!”
Aiden slammed his palm against the table.
Everyone stopped.
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“You lied to both of us.”
My father’s face reddened.
“You wanted the port contracts.”
“I wanted the legitimate assets your company was liquidating.”
“You wanted the marriage.”
“Because you told me Claire proposed it.”
I looked at Aiden.
“Why would you believe that?”
He met my eyes.
“Because you’d already rejected three offers from companies trying to buy your father out.”
That stopped me.
“How do you know that?”
“I investigated you.”
“Comforting.”
“I wasn’t planning to marry a stranger without knowing who she was.”
“And apparently you missed the part where I didn’t want to marry you.”
His jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
For the first time, I saw embarrassment behind his controlled expression.
My father tried to move toward the door.
Tommy blocked him.
“Move.”
Tommy smiled politely.
“No.”
Aiden looked at Malcolm.
“Who prepared the signature page?”
Malcolm’s forehead shone with sweat.
“I received it already executed.”
“From whom?”
Malcolm glanced at my father.
That was enough.
I stepped toward him.
“Dad.”
“Claire, listen to me.”
“Did you forge it?”
“I had no choice.”
The room went silent.
There it was.
Not an accusation.
Not a suspicion.
A confession.
I felt strangely calm.
“You always have a choice.”
“You don’t understand what was happening.”
“Then explain.”
My father looked toward Aiden.
“They were going to take everything.”
“Who?”
He hesitated.
Aiden noticed.
“Richard.”
My father sat slowly.
“The Russo group.”
Tommy’s expression changed.
Aiden straightened.
“What did you just say?”
My father looked defeated.
“Victor Russo.”
Aiden walked toward him.
“Your debt wasn’t six million dollars.”
My father said nothing.
“How much?”
“Twelve.”
I stared at him.
“Twelve million?”
“And growing.”
Aiden’s face hardened.
“You used my name to make Russo back off.”
My father nodded.
“I thought if Claire became a Sullivan—”
“You thought Russo wouldn’t touch you.”
“Yes.”
I stepped backward.
This wedding had never been about saving our company.
I was camouflage.
A human shield wearing white lace.
Aiden looked at Tommy.
“Get the accounting records from Bennett Shipping.”
Tommy nodded.
My father stood.
“You can’t.”
“I can.”
“You have no authority.”
Aiden looked at me.
“No.”
Then he did something nobody expected.
He placed the contract in my hands.
“But she does.”
I stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving you a choice.”
He pointed to the forged agreement.
“Call the police.”
My father went white.
Aiden continued.
“Call your attorney. Call the FBI. Burn the contract. Hand it to a reporter. Whatever happens next is yours.”
My eyes searched his.
“And you?”
“I’m going home.”
He walked toward the door.
I stopped him.
“Aiden.”
He turned.
“What happens to the six million?”
“There is no six million.”
“What?”
“Your father owes me nothing.”
My father looked down.
Aiden opened the door.
“The money was an investment.”
May you like
Then he looked directly at Richard.
“The debt was another lie.”
