Chapter 6: The Signature I Never Gave
For a moment, I couldn't hear anything.
Not the whispers.
Not the music restarting in the distance.
Not the people moving around us.
Only one sentence repeated in my mind.
It's yours.
"My signature?""
The words barely left my mouth.
Marcus nodded.
"But you didn't sign this.""
I looked at him.
The relief came for half a second.
Then confusion replaced it.
"What does that mean?""
Julian opened the folder again.
"The documents were created to look like you approved several transfers.""
My hands went cold.
"I never approved anything.""
"We know.""
Marcus's voice was firm.
"But someone wanted it to appear that you did.""
I looked at Adrian.
And for the first time that night, I saw something different in his eyes.
Not confidence.
Not anger.
Fear.
Real fear.
"Adrian...""
He immediately shook his head.
"Don't look at me like that.""
"Like what?""
"Like I did something.""
I stared at him.
"You expect me not to?""
The crowd watched silently.
A man who had once controlled every conversation was now defending himself in front of people who no longer believed him.
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
"Adrian, you said she knew about the paperwork.""
Everyone looked at her.
She froze.
Realizing too late what she had just revealed.
I turned slowly.
"What paperwork?""
Vanessa's face went pale.
"I...""
Adrian glared at her.
"Stop talking.""
But it was too late.
I stepped closer.
"What paperwork, Vanessa?""
She looked away.
That was enough.
My heart sank.
Because I understood something.
They weren't just hiding an affair.
They were hiding a plan.
Adrian had never intended to leave me because he loved Vanessa.
He needed me gone.
Marcus noticed my expression.
"Elena, when did Adrian first ask you to sign documents?""
I thought back.
Three months earlier.
The night Adrian came home unusually gentle.
The night he made dinner.
The night he told me he was proud of everything we had built.
My stomach turned.
"He said they were updated foundation agreements.""
Julian's expression hardened.
"Did you read them?""
I looked down.
"No.""
The admission felt embarrassing.
But Marcus immediately shook his head.
"Don't blame yourself.""
I looked at him.
"He knew exactly how to make you trust him.""
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"Don't make her a victim.""
Everyone looked at him.
He continued.
"She signed them.""
My chest tightened.
"I didn't.""
"You did.""
"No.""
My voice became stronger.
"I signed a blank page because you told me the lawyer needed my signature format updated.""
The room froze.
Julian slowly looked at Marcus.
Then back at me.
"Blank page?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
A horrible silence followed.
Because now everyone understood.
Someone had used my trust against me.
Adrian looked uncomfortable.
"That was normal paperwork.""
Rachel immediately shook her head.
"No, it wasn't.""
Everyone turned.
She stepped forward.
"I remember that day.""
Adrian stared at her.
Rachel continued.
"You asked me to prepare those documents.""
The color disappeared from Adrian's face.
Vanessa whispered.
"Rachel...""
Rachel looked at her.
"You knew too.""
Vanessa stepped back.
"No.""
"You knew exactly what Adrian was planning.""
The room exploded with whispers again.
Adrian looked between them.
"Both of you need to be careful.""
It was the first time he sounded desperate.
Marcus noticed.
"Why?""
Adrian didn't answer.
"Why should they be careful?""
Caleb asked.
Adrian remained silent.
Julian closed the folder.
"Because there is something else.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
He hesitated.
Then he reached into the folder and pulled out another document.
"This wasn't just an attempt to control the foundation.""
He placed it on the table.
"This was an attempt to transfer ownership of several properties.""
My blood ran cold.
"What properties?""
Julian looked directly at Adrian.
"Yours.""
I felt the entire room disappear.
"My properties?""
Adrian's expression changed.
A small crack appeared in the perfect image he had protected for years.
Marcus picked up the document.
"There is one more problem.""
He looked at me.
"The transfer date was scheduled for tomorrow morning.""
Tomorrow.
The word echoed.
Adrian had planned everything.
The humiliation.
The apology.
The public destruction of my reputation.
It wasn't random.
It was preparation.
I looked at my husband.
The man I had loved.
The man I had trusted.
And I finally saw the truth.
He wasn't trying to punish me tonight.
He was trying to erase me.
Then Caleb's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed after only a few seconds.
"What happened?"" I asked.
He looked toward the ballroom doors.
"Someone just entered your house.""
My heart stopped.
"Who?""
Caleb slowly lowered the phone.
"The person who gave them access to your private files.""
May you like
He looked at Adrian.
"And she's not alone.""
