Chapter 5 - The Nanny’s Signature
Ethan turned toward Mara.
Her eyes widened. “No.”
Claire gave a small, satisfied breath.
“Mara,” Ethan said carefully, “is that your signature?”
She took the paper with trembling hands.
For several seconds, she only stared.
“It looks like mine,” she whispered.
Claire folded her arms. “Because it is.”
Mara looked up sharply. “I never signed this.”
“You signed employment documents three months ago,” Claire said. “You sign things constantly.”
Mara’s face changed.
Ethan caught it. “What?”
“She asked me to sign a revised confidentiality form,” Mara said. “Last month. She said your legal team needed fresh signatures for household staff.”
Leonard swore under his breath.
Ethan looked at him. “You didn’t ask for that?”
“No.”
Claire’s voice became impatient. “This is speculation.”
“No,” Leonard said. “This is forgery if her signature was transferred or obtained under false pretenses.”
Claire glared at him. “Be very careful.”
Ethan took the packet back and flipped through the photos.
The bottle beside his desk was real. He recognized it. A client had given him the bourbon at Christmas. He had never opened it.
The pills were also real, but they were prescription migraine medication.
The bruise on Sophie’s arm made his stomach twist.
He looked at Mara. “When was this?”
She bent over the photograph. “I don’t know. I have never seen that bruise.”
Daniel stepped closer. “Could be makeup.”
Claire scoffed. “Now we’re inventing conspiracies?”
Daniel ignored her. “Or a manipulated image.”
Ethan pulled out his phone. “I want police here.”
Claire’s confidence vanished. “Ethan.”
He dialed.
She grabbed his arm. “Think about what you’re doing.”
He looked down at her hand until she removed it.
“You’re about to destroy your family in front of everyone.”
“My family is on that floor.” He glanced at Sophie. “And she cannot defend herself.”
Claire’s face went hard.
For the first time, Ethan saw something underneath the polished voice and perfect posture.
Not fear.
Anger.
Real anger.
“Fine,” she said. “Call them. But when they arrive, ask Mara why she has forty-two thousand dollars in an account she opened two weeks after Rachel died.”
Mara stopped breathing.
Ethan slowly lowered the phone.
May you like
Claire looked directly at her.
“Go ahead,” she said. “Tell him where the money came from.”
