Chapter 17 - OLIVIA’S DISCOVERY
Olivia became obsessed with the forged signature.
Everyone told her to leave it to the adults.
That made her more determined.
She compared Evelyn’s letters with Hale Holdings documents from the same year.
Hundreds of pages.
Then she found something strange.
The forged statement had been notarized by Patricia Pierce.
Nathan’s older sister.
She had died six years earlier.
But Olivia found her daughter online.
Rachel Pierce lived only forty minutes away.
Olivia told Liam.
“No.”
“What?”
“You are not visiting the family of the man who threatened you.”
“I’m not going alone.”
“No.”
“Brother privilege doesn’t include giving orders.”
Liam stared at her.
Olivia stared back.
Then Sarah walked through the kitchen.
“You two really are related.”
They went with Robert and Miriam.
Rachel listened silently.
Then disappeared upstairs.
She returned carrying a box.
“My mother hated Nathan during the last years of her life.”
Inside were journals.
Patricia wrote that Nathan forced her to notarize documents for Howard.
She regretted it.
One entry described Evelyn’s forged statement specifically.
Nathan said if Liam ever returns, this document will destroy him.
Miriam photographed every page.
Rachel handed over the original journal.
“My mother spent years ashamed,” she said. “Use it.”
Outside, Olivia nudged Liam.
“Still think I should leave everything to the adults?”
He sighed.
“You found the evidence that could destroy Nathan.”
“Correct.”
“So I’m never hearing the end of this.”
“Also correct.”
Liam smiled.
May you like
It felt ordinary.
That mattered more than either of them said.
