Chapter 15 - THE FUNERAL PAPER
Julian had signed twelve documents after Eleanor’s funeral.
He remembered none clearly.
Grief.
Whiskey.
Lawyers.
People telling him where to initial.
The waiver was legally questionable.
Claire had never known it existed.
Ruth said, “You benefited from it.”
“I didn’t create it.”
“No.”
“But I benefited.”
“Yes.”
Claire offered to restore Julian’s voting interest.
He refused.
At first.
Then accepted a smaller independent trust share with no operating control.
“I don’t want your chair,” he said.
“It isn’t my chair.”
“You’re learning.”
“Slowly.”
Nina finally admitted reusing Eleanor’s signature template.
But she had not acted alone.
She had given the forged proxy to Elias Voss.
Voss promised to use it to force disclosure of the Cole records and company misconduct.
Instead, he sold access to the private equity group.
Sabrina had hired the man who weaponized the fraud.
She had not ordered the forgery.
But her decision opened the door.
“I thought I could control him,” Sabrina said.
Claire stared at her.
“That sounds familiar.”
Sabrina nodded.
“Yeah.”
No defense.
The authorities arrested Voss on fraud and conspiracy charges.
Nina accepted responsibility for her part and cooperated.
Daniel’s lenders turned on him.
His career was collapsing.
Then he arrived at Whitmore House in the rain.
No lawyer.
No luggage.
“I need to tell you something before Sabrina does.”
Claire did not invite him inside.
“What?”
Daniel looked toward the windows.
May you like
“Sabrina is pregnant.”
