Chapter 26 - the signature that divided them
Nora turned toward her son.
Owen stared at the document as if it belonged to someone else.
“I did not sign that.”
Elias placed a second page beside it.
The electronic certificate showed the signature had been created from Owen’s corporate credentials two weeks earlier.
“My access was stolen,” Owen said.
“By whom?” Nora asked.
“Dad requested my security token during the Singapore transaction. He said the board portal was failing.”
Malcolm had used his son’s identity to create the appearance that Nora’s family supported removing her.
Owen called his father immediately.
Malcolm answered with irritation.
“This is not a good time.”
“You signed my name to Mom’s incapacity petition.”
Silence.
“Who told you that?”
“So it is true.”
“I did what was necessary to prevent a collapse.”
“You made me accuse my own mother of being mentally unfit.”
“The document was never supposed to become public.”
“That does not make it legal.”
“Owen, listen to me. Your mother has no idea what Gideon will do if she activates Northstar.”
Elias stepped closer to the phone.
“Ask Malcolm why he helped Gideon bury me.”
Malcolm heard the voice.
For the first time since Nora had known him, her husband sounded genuinely frightened.
“Elias?”
“You should have checked the car before holding the funeral.”
Malcolm disconnected.
Nora wanted answers from her brother, but Elias insisted they had only minutes before Gideon’s security team reached the warehouse.
He handed Grace a drive containing evidence collected during his years abroad. Bank records connected Gideon to the stolen licensing money, but several critical files were encrypted.
“The password is divided between three people,” Elias said. “Father gave one part to me, one to Nora and one to Maya.”
“I was never given a password,” Nora said.
“You were. You simply did not know what it was.”
A vehicle stopped outside.
Elias led them through a rear exit and onto a narrow service road. Before entering another car, he caught Nora’s arm.
“Do not trust Celeste.”
“Why would I trust Malcolm’s mistress?”
“Because she is going to offer you the missing page from the ledger.”
“How do you know?”
May you like
Elias looked toward the headlights entering the warehouse.
“Because I sent her.”
