But we deliberately allowed pieces of information to circulate suggesting that it controlled the house, several investment accounts, and some of Ethan’s private equity.
It controlled none of them.
Every document connected to that trust had been digitally tracked and watermarked.
If Richard attempted to forge authority over it, he would identify himself.
And that night, he had done far more than that.
He had entered my house using fabricated documents.
Tried to force me out.
And apparently moved quickly on several financial accounts.
One of the investigators stepped forward.
“Mr. Vale, did you contact Caldwell Private Bank this afternoon requesting the liquidation of three accounts?”
Richard looked toward Vanessa.
That glance was all the investigators needed to notice.
Vanessa looked terrified.
Maya gave a humorless smile.
“Those accounts were decoys too.”
“Richard…” Vanessa whispered.
Another contraction hit.
A paramedic reached my side.
“We need to move you.”
But I stayed long enough to see my father finally understand how badly he had miscalculated.
“You set me up,” he said.
“No.”
I looked directly at him.
“I gave you a locked door.”
I paused.
“You forged the key.”
His face twisted.
“I’m your father.”
“You stopped behaving like one when you dragged your pregnant daughterthrough her own house.”
