Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO STOPPED CRYING
Claire stopped sleeping.
Every night, she sat in the study surrounded by documents.
Margaret often found her there at three in the morning.
"You need rest."
"I can't."
"You haven't eaten."
"I'm not hungry."
Margaret sat beside her.
"You can't bring Noah back by destroying yourself."
Claire looked at her.
"I'm not trying to bring him back."
"Then what are you doing?"
Claire pushed a folder across the desk.
"I'm finding out why my husband abandoned our son."
Margaret looked at the papers.
"And if you find out?"
Claire's eyes hardened.
"Then I'll decide what he loses."
The next morning, Claire met the attorney.
He brought a second folder.
Inside were corporate records.
"These were hidden from the regular board files."
"By whom?"
"We don't know."
Claire turned a page.
A signature.
Evan Bennett.
Another signature.
A name she recognized.
Sabrina Cole.
Then another.
Claire stopped.
"What is this?"
The attorney looked at the page.
"That is a transfer authorization."
"Transfer of what?"
"Voting rights."
"To whom?"
He looked at her.
"Someone called the Northstar Trustee."
Claire frowned.
"Who is that?"
"We don't know."
"Then why is it connected to my company?"
"We're still investigating."
Claire closed the folder.
"Find out."
The attorney hesitated.
"There's one more thing."
"What?"
"The Northstar Trustee activated the trust this morning."
Claire's fingers tightened around the document.
"Why today?"
The attorney looked toward her.
"Because someone died."
Claire's heart stopped.
"Who?"
The attorney slowly answered.
"Your father-in-law."
Claire stared at him.
May you like
"My husband's father died twelve years ago."
"Exactly."
