Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn’t Mine
We reached Bennett Bridal before the reception flowers had begun to wilt.
Vivian stood inside with a lawyer, while workers carried boxes toward a waiting truck.
“Stop!” I called.
“Nothing else leaves this building.”
Vivian looked from my uneven hair to my wedding dress.
“Martha told me you were unstable.”
“Martha cut my hair in front of a room full of witnesses.”
“That was a private family dispute.”
Rose held up the partnership agreement.
“This property contains records belonging to Hannah’s mother.”
The lawyer stepped forward.
“My client purchased the company legally.
Hannah Bennett surrendered any inherited interest yesterday.”
I stared at him.
“I signed nothing yesterday.”
He opened a folder and showed me a notarized document.
My name curved across the last page in handwriting that looked almost exactly like mine.
Nick leaned over my shoulder.
“That isn’t her signature.”
“It matches the signature on her marriage license,” the lawyer replied.
“Our license was signed this morning.”
Martha entered through the rear door, still wearing her reception dress.
“How convenient,” Rose said.
“You arrived before anyone called you.”
“I own a key.”
“You claimed Vivian owned the shop.”
“Not until the transfer is completed.”
I held the page toward Martha.
“You forged my name.”
“Be careful, Hannah.
That accusation could cost you more than a bad haircut.”
“You knew I had inherited my mother’s share.”
“You inherited nothing.
Eleanor forfeited it when she ran away.”
“Then why did you need my signature?”
Martha glanced at the lawyer.
“You see?
She’s confused.”
I stepped closer.
“No.
I finally understand why you wanted Nick to marry Vivian’s daughter.
If Celia became his wife, you could move the business between two families and keep me away from it.”
Vivian’s face hardened.
“Martha, you said Eleanor had no heirs.”
“She had no legitimate claim.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Martha seized Vivian’s arm.
“We have a signed agreement.
Do not lose your nerve because this girl arrived in tears.”
Vivian pulled free.
“Don’t touch me.”
The workers stopped moving.
One of them slowly lowered a box to the floor.
Martha pointed toward the entrance.
“Everyone out.
This sale is complete.”
Rose blocked her path.
“Not until we inspect the fitting-room mirror.”
“You have no authority.”
“I have thirty percent ownership that you never legally purchased.”
The lawyer examined Rose’s document again.
“If this is authentic, the sale may have to be paused.”
“It isn’t authentic,” Martha said.
“Rose was removed from the business.”
“By whom?” I asked.
“By all three partners.”
“My mother signed that too?”
“Yes.”
“And you have that paper?”
Martha looked at the rows of boxes.
“It’s somewhere in the company archive.”
“Which you’re clearing out tonight.”
Martha came close enough for me to smell her perfume.
“Take Nick and go home.
I’ll give you fifty thousand dollars to sign a new release tomorrow.”
Nick laughed once.
“You humiliated my wife, threatened me, and forged her name.
Now you’re offering money?”
“I am giving you one final chance to save your marriage.”
“My marriage doesn’t need saving from Hannah.”
“It will when she learns what her mother did.”
The front bell rang.
A woman in a blue evening dress entered and locked the door behind her.
I recognized Celia from old family parties—the wealthy daughter Martha had wanted Nick to marry.
Vivian stared at her.
“What are you doing here?”
Celia placed her phone on the counter.
“Stopping you from buying a company with a false document.”
Martha took one step backward.
Celia tapped the screen, and Martha’s voice filled the shop.
“If Hannah won’t sign away Eleanor’s share,” the recording said, “I’ll copy the signature from her wedding paperwork and make sure she never knows.”
May you like
Celia looked directly at Martha.
“You should have checked whether my phone was still recording.”
