Chapter 7 - THE NAME ON THE DEED
Arthur opened the property folder.
The first page contained the chain of ownership.
Sterling Strategic Properties.
Managing principal: Colonel Elena Sterling.
His eyes stopped on my name.
“You bought the estate?”
“I preserved it.”
“With money you hid from me?”
“My inheritance was disclosed in our prenuptial agreement.”
“I never read it.”
“I know.”
Charles moved forward.
“You purchased debt. You did not purchase my home.”
Jonathan handed him the default notices.
“Vance Capital failed to meet the restructuring conditions. Ownership legally transferred three weeks ago.”
Victoria turned toward Charles.
“You said Brooke’s investor returned the house.”
Charles looked at Brooke.
She lifted her chin.
“I arranged the transaction.”
Jonathan removed a forged authorization letter from the case.
“No. You intercepted privileged correspondence and falsely claimed authority to represent the purchaser.”
Arthur turned toward her.
“You said the investor was your client.”
“It was complicated.”
“You said you personally guaranteed the estate.”
“I saved your family.”
“You never paid anything.”
Brooke looked at me.
“She would have let you lose everything.”
I answered calmly.
“I paid twenty-three million dollars to protect the property, its workers and their pension accounts.”
Every face changed.
Arthur stared at me.
“Twenty-three million?”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I was waiting for an independent audit.”
Brooke stepped backward.
May you like
Arthur finally understood why she had been desperate to stop him from opening the folder.
The house she claimed to save belonged to the woman she had helped him discard.
