Chapter 3 - Claire’s Trust
Claire Mercer came from money.
She rarely behaved like it.
When she died, most people knew she left Noah something.
Almost nobody knew how much.
Grant did.
Twenty-four million dollars.
The inheritance was protected inside a trust until Noah reached adulthood.
Grant couldn't simply spend it.
Neither could any future spouse.
That was exactly how Claire wanted it.
Grant's attorney, Melissa Hart, examined the suspicious authorization.
“Someone used your credentials.”
Grant frowned.
“Vivienne knows my passwords?”
“Did she ever use your laptop?”
Constantly.
Grant felt sick.
Then Melissa found another request.
A draft petition had been prepared asking the court to appoint an additional “family welfare representative” for Noah if Grant became unable to provide care.
The proposed representative:
Vivienne Cross.
Grant stared at the name.
“Who prepared this?”
Melissa hesitated.
“Someone at our own firm.”
That landed harder than expected.
Grant had trusted the firm for twelve years.
Melissa started an internal investigation.
Meanwhile, Tessa remembered a strange conversation.
Two months earlier, Vivienne had asked:
“Does Grant ever leave Noah with you overnight?”
“Sometimes.”
“How often?”
“Why?”
Vivienne smiled.
“Just wondering.”
Now the question sounded different.
Then Grant reviewed the house camera archive.
Several dates were missing.
Not corrupted.
Deleted.
Someone with administrator access had removed them.
Grant had given that password to exactly two people.
Tessa.
And Vivienne.
Tessa handed over her devices voluntarily.
Her login history showed no deletions.
Vivienne refused.
Then Melissa called.
“We found who requested the trust documents.”
“Who?”
“Attorney Jonathan Pierce.”
Grant knew the name.
Vivienne's former fiancé.
Grant stared at the wall.
“She told me he was an accountant.”
“He's an estate lawyer.”
Melissa paused.
“And Grant?”
“Yeah?”
“He represented Vivienne three years ago in another guardianship matter.”
Grant's pulse quickened.
“For whose child?”
Melissa answered:
May you like
“Her sister's.”
👉 Vivienne had been involved in another fight over a child's money years before—and the same lawyer was now quietly reaching for Noah's trust.
