Chapter 9 - Someone Wanted Us Fighting
Julian read the filing three times.
“That isn’t my signature.”
Thomas examined it.
“It resembles yours.”
“It’s forged.”
Eleanor suddenly stopped arguing.
I watched her.
“Eleanor.”
She refused to look at me.
“Who prepared this?”
Nothing.
Julian moved toward her.
“Mom?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“FROM WHAT?”
“Her!”
She pointed at me.
Julian froze.
Eleanor claimed someone had contacted her two months earlier.
A financial consultant.
He knew about my assets.
My company.
The penthouse.
He convinced Eleanor that I was preparing to divorce Julian and leave him with nothing.
So he offered a strategy.
Move assets first.
Secure Julian’s “fair share.”
Gain leverage.
Julian looked horrified.
“You tried to steal Claire’s apartment?”
“Your apartment!”
“IT WAS NEVER MINE!”
That sentence seemed physically painful for him.
Then I asked:
“What was the consultant’s name?”
Eleanor hesitated.
“Martin Cole.”
Rebecca and I looked at each other.
I knew that name.
Martin had worked briefly for our company seven years earlier.
He had been terminated after an internal investigation.
Rebecca whispered:
“This isn’t about Julian.”
I understood.
“It’s about me.”
Eleanor looked confused.
Rebecca explained.
Martin had spent years blaming me for his dismissal.
But that still didn't explain how he knew details of my marriage.
Or why he was suddenly targeting the penthouse.
Then Thomas discovered another filing.
A lien.
Another.
Three separate attempts had been made against entities connected to me.
All within the previous month.
Somebody wasn’t merely trying to steal one property.
They were mapping my holdings.
Julian sat silently.
Then looked at me.
“Claire…”
I turned.
“Why would someone think Mom could get access?”
That was the right question.
Rebecca answered.
“Because somebody knew exactly how this family works.”
Then Julian’s face changed.
He looked at Eleanor.
“Who introduced you to Martin?”
She said nothing.
“Mom.”
Her eyes filled with fear.
May you like
Finally:
“Preston.”
