Chapter 3
My son's confession made the room spin.
"What did you sign?"
Marcus stared at the folder.
"I thought it was a wedding document."
I looked at him.
"Did you read it?"
He hesitated.
My heart sank.
"Marcus."
"No."
I closed my eyes.
For thirty-three years, I had tried to teach my son to think carefully before making important decisions.
Now he had signed something without reading it.
Something connected to my company.
"Why?"
He rubbed his forehead.
"Vanessa said it was urgent."
I stared at him.
"And that's all it took?"
He looked ashamed.
"She said you already approved everything."
Nathaniel quietly stepped away to give us privacy.
I sat down.
"Marcus, I need you to tell me exactly what happened."
He took a shaky breath.
"Last night, Vanessa came to my suite with some papers. She said the event company needed final authorization."
"What papers?"
"She showed me a page with my name on it."
I leaned forward.
"Did you see my signature?"
He nodded.
"I thought you'd already signed."
My throat tightened.
"Did you ask me?"
"No."
"Why not?"
He looked away.
"Vanessa said you were making everything difficult."
I felt as though someone had punched me.
"So you believed her."
He didn't answer.
I continued.
"After everything I've done for you, you believed I was deliberately ruining your wedding?"
His eyes filled.
"Mom, I didn't think—"
"That's the problem, Marcus."
He lowered his head.
"You didn't think."
I stood and walked toward the window.
Outside, guests were moving around the garden.
Some held champagne glasses.
Others looked confused.
The wedding ceremony had not begun.
The music had stopped.
I could see Celeste speaking urgently with several vendors.
I turned back.
"Marcus, what exactly did Vanessa promise you?"
He looked startled.
"What?"
"Did she tell you you'd be running Bennett Property Group?"
He shook his head.
"She said we were launching a real estate brand together."
I stared at him.
"Using whose money?"
He hesitated.
"She said you wanted to help."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Marcus, I never agreed to finance a company for Vanessa."
He looked devastated.
"She told me it was a wedding gift."
I almost laughed.
A wedding gift.
Four hundred thousand dollars.
A new executive position.
My company's reputation.
And apparently, the right to announce that my son was replacing me.
"Did you ever wonder why I hadn't told you about this gift?"
Marcus stared at the floor.
"I thought you wanted it to be a surprise."
I shook my head.
"Surprises don't require forged signatures."
His face went pale.
"Forged?"
I pointed toward the document.
"That's not my signature."
He picked it up again.
His hands began shaking.
"Vanessa said she got it from your office."
I felt a sudden chill.
"From my office?"
Marcus nodded.
"She said your assistant sent the paperwork."
My assistant, Grace, had worked for me for fifteen years.
She was loyal.
Careful.
And extremely protective of company records.
I immediately called her.
Grace answered.
"Mrs. Bennett?"
"Grace, did you send Vanessa any company documents?"
There was a pause.
"No, ma'am."
"Did you authorize anyone to use my signature?"
"Absolutely not."
I looked at Marcus.
He was listening.
Grace continued.
"Mrs. Bennett, is something wrong?"
I took a breath.
"Someone has prepared an agreement using Bennett Property Group's letterhead."
Her voice sharpened.
"Who?"
"Vanessa."
Grace went silent.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Ma'am, I need to tell you something."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"Vanessa visited the office last week."
I stared at the phone.
"Why?"
"She said you sent her to collect documents for the wedding."
I looked at Marcus.
His face was turning pale.
Grace continued.
"I refused to give her access to your executive files."
Relief washed through me.
"But she became angry."
I closed my eyes.
"What did she say?"
"She told me I'd be looking for another job once Marcus took over."
The room went silent.
I looked at my son.
He stared at me.
Grace added, "I reported the incident to our legal department. I was going to discuss it with you after the wedding."
I thanked her.
Then I ended the call.
Marcus slowly sat down.
"Mom, I didn't know."
I looked at him.
"But you were willing to believe she had more authority than the people who've worked beside me for years."
He covered his face.
"I know."
I sat across from him.
"Marcus, love doesn't mean surrendering your judgment."
His eyes filled.
"I thought she loved me."
I softened slightly.
"Maybe she does."
He looked up.
"But loving someone doesn't give them permission to lie."
He nodded.
Then my phone rang.
Celeste.
I answered.
"Mrs. Bennett, there's a problem."
I closed my eyes.
"What now?"
"Vanessa is telling the guests you canceled the wedding because you're jealous of her."
I felt my jaw tighten.
Celeste continued.
"She's demanding that the vendors continue working and says she'll sue everyone."
I looked toward Nathaniel.
He shook his head.
I asked Celeste to document everything and avoid arguments.
Then Marcus stood.
"I'm going to talk to her."
I blocked his path.
"Not until we decide what to do about these documents."
He looked frustrated.
"Mom, she's standing out there alone."
I stared at him.
"And I was standing out there alone ten minutes ago."
He froze.
My voice broke.
"Did you notice?"
Tears filled his eyes.
"Mom..."
"No, Marcus. Answer me."
He swallowed.
"No."
I nodded.
"That's what hurts."
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Nathaniel's office phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
"Send her in."
He looked toward me.
"Someone from the investor group wants to speak with you."
I frowned.
"Who?"
"A woman named Olivia Grant."
The door opened.
A tall Black woman in a navy business suit stepped inside.
She looked serious.
"Mrs. Bennett, I'm sorry to interrupt."
I stood.
"How can I help you?"
She opened a folder.
"I was invited here to discuss an investment in Bennett Luxury Residences."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"That company doesn't exist."
Olivia nodded slowly.
"That's what I was afraid of."
She placed a document on the desk.
"It appears your future daughter-in-law has been collecting investment commitments."
I stared at her.
"How much?"
Olivia hesitated.
"Approximately two million dollars."
Marcus made a choking sound.
I gripped the edge of the desk.
Then Olivia added:
"And Mrs. Bennett, several investors believe the money is guaranteed by your personal assets."
I stared at the contract.
For the first time that day, I was no longer thinking about the wedding.
May you like
I was thinking about the possibility that Vanessa had been building a financial scheme behind my back.
And that my son had been too blinded by love to recognize it.
