Chapter 3 - The Architect at the Door
At nine forty-five the next morning, I returned to my house.
Not alone.
David arrived in another car.
A financial investigator came with him.
I parked across the street.
At ten o’clock, a black SUV pulled into the driveway.
A man stepped out carrying blueprints.
The architect.
Brandon opened the front door.
He looked exhausted.
Then he saw me.
His face changed.
“Charlotte.”
I walked toward the house.
“Good morning.”
“What are you doing here?”
I smiled.
“I live here.”
He looked past me.
Then noticed David.
The architect approached.
“Mrs. Miller?”
“Yes.”
“I’m here for the final approval.”
I held out my hand.
“Show me the paperwork.”
Brandon stepped forward.
“Char, wait.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
The architect handed me the folder.
My name appeared on the documents.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
I stared at it.
Then looked at Brandon.
“You signed this?”
His face turned pale.
“No.”
I turned to Gertrude.
She stood in the doorway.
“What is this?”
Gertrude folded her arms.
“You know exactly what it is.”
I smiled.
“No.”
I pointed at the signature.
“But whoever did this is about to learn something.”
Hailey appeared behind her.
“Charlotte, don’t be dramatic.”
I looked at her.
Then at David.
He opened his briefcase.
“Mrs. Miller did not authorize this agreement.”
The architect froze.
Brandon turned toward his mother.
Gertrude said nothing.
David continued.
“And the signature appears to be fraudulent.”
The silence was immediate.
I looked at Brandon.
For the first time, he seemed genuinely afraid.
But not because of me.
May you like
Because something had gone wrong.
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