Chapter 4 - THE BAKERY THEY TRIED TO STEAL
Nora didn't cry when she saw the forged signature.
She went silent.
Not the silence of someone defeated.
The silence of someone deciding what she was willing to lose.
"My grandfather left me that building," she said.
Margaret nodded.
"I know."
"He taught me how to make biscuits in the kitchen upstairs."
"I remember."
"He said one day I could turn it into anything I wanted."
Her voice broke.
"And Mom used it to secure a loan?"
Margaret looked devastated.
"Yes."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Nora looked at me.
"What would you do?"
I studied the document.
"First, I'd have an independent attorney review it."
She nodded.
"Then?"
"I'd preserve evidence of the apparent forgery and challenge any unauthorized pledge."
Miles had made a serious mistake.
He'd assumed Nora would accept humiliation rather than challenge her family.
And he'd chosen a financial arrangement I understood far too well.
I handed the document back to Margaret.
"Do you have copies of the original property deeds?"
"Yes."
"Keep them safe."
Nora looked toward the door.
"I need to talk to Mom."
"Then talk to her."
She took a breath.
"Will you come?"
I nodded.
"Of course."
We returned to the dining room.
The party had resumed, although the guests were pretending not to stare.
Diane approached immediately.
"Nora, darling—"
"Did you sign away my bakery building?"
Her mother's face drained.
"What?"
"Answer me."
Diane glanced toward Miles.
He stood several feet away.
Watching.
I recognized the expression.
He was waiting for her to follow a script.
"Nora," Diane whispered, "you don't understand."
"Then explain."
"The company needed financing."
"With my property?"
"I was going to tell you."
"When?"
Diane began crying.
"We were trying to protect the family."
Nora looked at Miles.
"Was the proposal part of the loan agreement?"
He laughed nervously.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Then why did you choose today?"
His smile vanished.
I stepped forward.
"Miles, you'd be wise to answer."
He stared at me.
For the first time, fear entered his eyes.
Then he said something that surprised everyone.
"Your grandmother knows why."
Margaret straightened.
"Don't you dare."
Miles smiled coldly.
"Nora deserves to know what her grandfather really left her."
Nora frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Miles reached into his jacket.
He removed another document.
A photograph of an old warehouse beside Charleston Harbor.
I recognized it immediately.
Not because it belonged to my company.
Because I'd spent five years trying to acquire the neighboring waterfront parcel.
Miles placed the photograph on the table.
"Your bakery building isn't worth a million dollars, Nora."
He smiled.
"It's sitting above something worth fifty million."
May you like
Then he leaned closer.
"And your mother has already promised it to us."
