Chapter 2 - THE MAN WHO WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HOME
Brooke’s fingers tightened around the leather folder.
For perhaps the first time since Emma had known her, Brooke Harrington had no immediate response.
Dominic looked at Noah.
“Come here.”
Noah ran to him.
Dominic crouched and wrapped one arm around his nephew.
The boy buried his face against Dominic’s coat.
“You came back.”
“I told you I would.”
Noah whispered.
“She said Mom had to leave.”
Dominic’s eyes remained on Brooke.
“I heard.”
Brooke finally found her voice.
“Dominic, this is not what it looks like.”
Emma almost laughed.
Dominic did not.
“What does it look like?”
Brooke glanced at Emma.
Then Noah.
“We shouldn’t discuss private family matters in front of employees.”
Dominic stood.
“Emma has worked for my family for seventeen years.”
Brooke stiffened.
“And Noah is my family.”
He pointed toward the folder.
“Open it.”
Brooke’s face tightened.
“Dominic.”
“Open it.”
She placed the folder on the counter.
Dominic took it before she could remove anything.
He read the first page.
Then the second.
By the third page, the atmosphere inside the pantry had changed.
Dominic Mercer was not a man known for shouting.
That was why people became more frightened when he went quiet.
“This document claims Natalie voluntarily relinquishes her occupancy rights.”
Brooke folded her arms.
“It was drafted to simplify the estate after our marriage.”
“By whom?”
“My attorney.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Which attorney?”
Brooke hesitated.
“Gerald Pike.”
Emma saw recognition flash across Dominic’s face.
Gerald Pike had once represented Catherine Mercer.
Dominic turned another page.
His eyes stopped.
The page contained a notarization block.
Natalie’s name appeared above the signature line.
The signature was already there.
Dominic looked toward the stairs.
“Did Natalie sign this?”
“No.”
Noah answered immediately.
Brooke snapped her head toward him.
Dominic lowered the papers.
“How do you know?”
Noah swallowed.
“Because Brooke practiced Mom’s name yesterday.”
Silence.
Emma looked at Brooke.
Brooke’s face became rigid.
Noah continued.
“I saw her at Grandma Catherine’s desk.”
“She had papers.”
“She kept writing Mom’s name.”
Brooke stepped toward him.
“That is enough.”
Dominic moved between them.
Brooke stopped.
Dominic’s voice was almost a whisper.
“You will never tell him when he has spoken enough.”
Brooke stared at him.
“Dominic, please.”
“You forged my sister’s signature?”
“No.”
Noah spoke again.
“She did.”
Brooke pointed toward him.
“He’s nine.”
“He misunderstands things.”
Noah flinched.
Dominic saw it.
Something darker entered his expression.
“What else has he misunderstood?”
Brooke’s face lost color.
Dominic crouched beside Noah again.
“You can tell me.”
Noah glanced at Brooke.
Then at Emma.
Then back at his uncle.
“She said Grandma Catherine left things she didn’t deserve.”
Brooke interrupted.
“Noah.”
Dominic raised one hand.
Brooke stopped speaking.
“What things?”
Noah’s lower lip trembled.
“The jewelry.”
Dominic looked at Brooke.
“She said Grandma’s jewelry was going to belong to her after the wedding.”
Dominic stood slowly.
“My mother’s jewelry is in the trust vault.”
Brooke said nothing.
Dominic stared at her.
Then he reached inside his coat.
He removed his phone.
He called someone.
“Victor.”
A pause.
“Lock the estate gates.”
Brooke’s eyes widened.
Dominic continued.
“No one leaves.”
Another pause.
“And send two men to my mother’s cottage.”
“I want every door secured.”
Brooke stepped toward him.
“Dominic, you’re overreacting.”
He ended the call.
“No.”
He looked down at the forged document.
May you like
“I think I arrived just in time.”
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