Chapter 10 - Maureen Had Forged Marisol’s Statement TooMarisol stared at the declaration.
Her face went completely blank.
"I never said this."
Conrad stood across from her in Nina's kitchen.
"You've never spoken to Maureen's attorney?"
"No."
"Leonard Pike?"
"No."
"Anyone from the board?"
"No."
The declaration contained Marisol's name.
Her address.
Her employee identification number.
Even a signature.
It stated that three years earlier, Marisol overheard Elise tell Nathan Cole that Wren was "his daughter in every way that mattered."
Conrad recognized the manipulation instantly.
A real phrase twisted into a false meaning.
Marisol shook her head.
"I didn't hear that."
"Is the signature yours?"
She looked closer.
"It looks like mine."
"Could Maureen have access?"
Marisol laughed bitterly.
"She has signed birthday cards for staff using scanned signatures before."
Nina stared.
"That's insane."
"No."
Conrad shook his head.
"It's organized."
His mother wasn't improvising.
She had built tools.
Files.
Access.
Signatures.
Stories.
Marisol sat.
"I need a lawyer."
"I'll pay for one."
"No."
She looked at Conrad.
"I appreciate it, but I want someone who doesn't work for your family."
That hurt.
Because it was sensible.
"You're right."
Marisol contacted an employment attorney through a friend.
Conrad preserved the declaration.
Then he asked:
"Did Elise ever speak to you about Maureen?"
Marisol hesitated.
"Once."
"When?"
"Near the end."
"Tell me."
"She asked me to watch Wren."
His throat tightened.
"After she died?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"She didn't say your mother would hurt her."
"What did she say?"
Marisol remembered.
"She said, 'If Maureen ever starts asking Wren questions about adult things, don't let her answer alone.'"
Conrad closed his eyes.
Elise had known.
Not exactly what would happen.
But enough.
Marisol continued:
"I thought she meant family arguments."
"Did she mention money?"
"No."
"A key?"
"No."
"The necklace?"
"She told me never to throw away Wren's stuffed rabbit."
Conrad stared.
"She knew the key was inside."
"Apparently."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know why it mattered."
Reasonable.
Painful.
Reasonable.
The emergency board meeting began the next morning at ten.
Conrad attended in person.
Henry sat beside him.
Maureen entered wearing navy blue.
Perfect makeup.
Perfect posture.
Not a trace of the woman from the bathroom video.
Several directors greeted her warmly.
She had known some for thirty years.
Conrad understood her advantage.
People believed the version of Maureen they'd experienced.
Generous donor.
Founder’s widow.
Elegant grandmother.
They hadn't seen her pour water over a crying child.
Not yet.
Board chairman Stuart Lang opened.
"These are extraordinary circumstances."
Maureen nodded sadly.
"I wish we weren't here."
Conrad almost admired the performance.
She continued.
"My son has suffered tremendously since Elise died."
Conrad stared.
"He has become increasingly impulsive."
Henry whispered:
"Don't react."
Maureen continued.
"Now staff members have encouraged him to believe absurd accusations about his own family."
Conrad remained silent.
She presented the DNA report.
The photograph of Elise and Nathan.
Marisol's forged declaration.
Then she said:
"I believe Conrad is attempting to invalidate the grandchildren's trust rules to protect a child he knows may not qualify."
Conrad finally spoke.
"Wren is my biological daughter."
Maureen looked wounded.
"Then produce proof."
Henry placed Everett's independent test on the table.
Maureen froze.
Only for a second.
The board chairman read it.
Probability of paternity: greater than 99.99 percent.
Maureen recovered.
"I've never seen that."
"I know."
Conrad's voice remained calm.
"Dad didn't trust you enough to show it to you."
The room changed.
Maureen's jaw tightened.
Henry produced documentation from the real laboratory.
Chain of custody.
Physician verification.
Archived records.
Then the forensic analysis of Maureen's report.
Likely fabricated.
Director after director began looking at her differently.
Maureen's voice sharpened.
"Everett was sick."
"He wasn't."
"He was manipulated by Elise."
Conrad placed the foundation records down.
"Let's discuss what Elise found."
For the first time, Maureen looked genuinely afraid.
Seven point eight million dollars.
Leonard Pike entities.
Unexplained consulting.
Questionable authorizations.
Maureen laughed.
"This is retaliation."
"Then explain the transfers."
"I don't have to explain foundation accounting to you."
"You're chair."
"I was."
"Exactly."
Henry added:
"An independent audit has been requested."
Maureen stood.
"This meeting is about Conrad."
The chairman shook his head.
"Not anymore."
Silence.
Then Maureen looked at her son.
The mask slipped.
"You ungrateful little fool."
The room froze.
Conrad didn't.
There she was.
The woman Wren knew.
"You think Elise loved you?"
Henry touched Conrad's arm.
Don't engage.
Maureen continued anyway.
"She spent years turning you against your own blood."
Conrad answered:
"No."
"What?"
"She spent years asking me to set boundaries."
Maureen laughed.
"And now she's dead."
The cruelty of the sentence shocked even the board.
Conrad stared.
Then the meeting-room door opened.
A security officer entered and whispered to Henry.
Henry's expression changed.
"What?"
Conrad asked.
Henry leaned closer.
"Police searched Leonard Pike's office."
Conrad's heartbeat accelerated.
"And?"
"They found copies of the fake DNA report."
Maureen stopped moving.
May you like
Henry continued quietly:
"And a file labeled WREN."
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