Chapter 4 - The Forged Trap
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Chloe explained that a week after their honeymoon, Damian had brought a stack of papers to the kitchen. He called them “business protection documents” required for the restaurant’s new insurance policy.
“He stood over me, tapping his watch, telling me the notary was waiting,” Chloe recalled, her breathing growing shallow. “He didn’t let me read them. But before I signed, I excused myself to the bathroom and took photos of a few pages on my phone.”
She never received copies of the final documents.
Robert immediately asked for her phone. Chloe opened a hidden cloud folder she had locked behind a password Damian didn’t know. When she pulled up the grainy photographs of the contract, Robert leaned toward the screen, his eyes scanning the legal jargon.
Suddenly, his face went deathly pale.
“Chloe,” Robert breathed out, his voice laced with shock. “This isn’t just a spousal work agreement. This is a total intellectual property surrender.”
Hidden inside the dense legal text was a clause transferring ownership of all Chloe’s past, present, and future designs, including her original independent studio brand, directly to a holding company owned by Damian.
“He owns my studio?” Chloe gasped, covering her mouth.
“There is only one problem,” Robert said, his eyes narrowing as he zoomed in on the image. “The signature page here… it has blank spaces beside clauses four and five. The version Damian filed with the state business registry last month? I’ve seen it on the public database. It contained typed additions above your signature.”
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I stared at the lawyer. “What are you saying, Robert?”
“I’m saying Damian altered the contract after she signed it,” Robert replied, slamming his notebook shut. “It’s forgery. It’s federal fraud. And if we can prove it, he’s going to prison.”
