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Pause
00:00
00:25
01:31
Mute
The document Jennifer placed on the conference table carried my sister Clare’s name beneath the instructions that had released $400,000 from the developer.
For several seconds, I simply stared at it.
My mother had signed a contract to sell land she did not own.
Someone had forged my signature on a statement claiming she had authority to represent my grandmother’s estate.
Now I was looking at evidence that my younger sister had been connected directly to the money.
The family messages from that morning suddenly made sense.
Clare is really scared, Sarah.
She wouldn’t ask if she had another option.
Family means showing up before it’s too late.
They had not been preparing me to help Clare.
They had been preparing me to accept what they had already done.
Daniel Mercer, the senior attorney representing the purchaser, leaned closer to the document.
“Is this your sister?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know this account?”
“No.”
Jennifer was already making notes.
Daniel looked at her.
“Contact the title company.
Tell them the closing is suspended because ownership is disputed and we have evidence of possible forged authorization.
Ask whether any portion of the deposit can still be restrained.”
My phone rang again.
Mom.
I watched her name glow on the screen until the call stopped.
Then the law firm’s receptionist called Jennifer’s extension.
“Linda Chin is on line two,” Jennifer said after listening.
“She says it’s urgent.”
Daniel glanced at me.
I nodded.
