“Sign them!” my husband sneered, one arm wrapped around my sister’s waist as she rubbed her stomach and smiled at me like she’d already won. I swallowed the hum:iliation, picked up the pen, and signed every page without shedding a tear. “That’s more like it,” he laughed. But when his mother opened the final folder, the color drained from her face. She looked at me, trembling—and finally realized what I had actually signed.

“Give me that!” Daniel barked, snatching the blue folder out of his mother’s trembling hands.

“Daniel, no—don't look—” Margaret choked out, reaching for his arm, but he pushed her hand away impatiently.

Daniel slammed the folder flat on the table and began reading aloud, his tone aggressive and dismissive.

“‘Addendum C: Acknowledgment of Personal Indemnification and Corporate Restitution...’ What the hell is this legal jargon?”

He skimmed down to paragraph four, his eyes moving rapidly across the lines.

Suddenly, his voice cut off.

The smug grin froze on his face.

“‘I, Daniel Mercer, hereby acknowledge the unauthorized extraction of fourteen million two hundred thousand dollars from Mercer Development trust accounts... and hereby agree to liquidate all personal equity, vehicles, and private holdings to satisfy the outstanding balance within seven days...’”

His breath caught in his throat. He flipped the page frantically, his thumb tearing the edge of the paper.

“‘Furthermore, I acknowledge that the residential property known as Vance Manor remains exclusive trust property, and agree to immediate vacation of the premises upon signing...’”

Daniel stared at the bottom of the page.

There, in dark blue ink, was his own bold signature, alongside mine.

He hadn't just watched me sign the papers—in his haste to seal my surrender, he had greedily signed the executioner's copy first, eager to show me that he had already approved the terms.

“This... this isn't the settlement my lawyer drafted,” Daniel whispered, his face turning an ash-grey color. He looked at me, his eyes wide with sudden, sickening realization. “You... you swapped the folders.”

Vanessa sat up, her gloating smile instantly vanishing as she looked between Daniel and the papers. “Daniel? What is he talking about? What did you sign?”