Chapter 3 - THE SIGNATURE THEY NEEDED
Elodie was escorted back to the mansion.
No one touched her.
No one raised a voice.
That made everything more frightening.
Two guards simply walked on either side of her, maintaining the careful distance of men who had been trained to make imprisonment look like hospitality.
Catherine waited in the morning room.
A fire burned in the marble fireplace.
Tea had been arranged on a silver tray.
"Sit down, Elodie."
"I want to speak to my father."
"Of course."
"Now."
Catherine poured tea.
"Your father is receiving excellent care."
"Where?"
"At a private medical facility."
"Why was he moved?"
Catherine placed the teapot down.
"Because his condition deteriorated."
Elodie remained standing.
"He called me."
Catherine's hand paused.
Only for a second.
Then she smiled.
"Illness can make people confused."
"He told me about a woman named Marie."
The room fell silent.
Catherine looked toward the fireplace.
"Did he?"
"Who was she?"
"A former employee."
"Was she buried alive?"
Catherine's expression hardened.
"Your father has always possessed an unfortunate imagination."
Elodie stepped forward.
"Tell me the truth."
"The truth is that your family owes nearly four hundred thousand euros. Your father's business has been insolvent for years. Without my intervention, your family home would already belong to the bank."
"I know what you paid."
"Then you know what walking away will cost."
Elodie felt the trap closing.
Catherine opened a leather folder.
"Fortunately, none of this needs to become unpleasant."
Inside were several documents.
A marriage application.
A prenuptial agreement.
A confidentiality agreement.
And a separate instrument titled:
SPOUSAL CONSENT AND BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION — VALMONT FAMILY SETTLEMENT.
Elodie read the heading.
"What is this?"
"A standard family document."
"No. It isn't."
Catherine sighed.
"The Valmont family settlement was created twenty years ago to preserve our holdings. It owns controlling interests in several companies and a significant charitable endowment."
"And you want my signature."
"Eventually."
"Why?"
Catherine folded her hands.
"Because Henri's late wife established restrictions on certain protected assets. Under the settlement, Henri's current lawful spouse may participate in specific decisions affecting those assets."
Elodie looked down at the pages.
The language was complicated, but she noticed one phrase repeated throughout.
Independent spousal consent.
"Why would Henri's wife have authority over money that belongs to the trust?"
"Because his first wife insisted upon it."
Catherine's voice turned bitter.
"She believed family members should never be allowed to make certain decisions alone."
Elodie studied the document more carefully.
The instrument referred to a protected holding company called Aurelia Holdings.
It also mentioned a proposed restructuring.
"You're trying to transfer shares."
"You're not qualified to interpret these papers."
"Then let me hire someone who is."
Catherine closed the folder.
"Your father signed an acknowledgment of his obligations when I rescued his business. If he defaults, the creditors may pursue every lawful remedy available."
Elodie looked up.
"You bought his debts."
Catherine did not deny it.
"You used the money to control him."
"I used my money to give him time."
"And now you're using him to control me."
Catherine rose.
"You should be grateful."
Elodie laughed once.
It was a small, bitter sound.
"Grateful for what? Being deceived? Being threatened? Being told I have to marry a man I've never met?"
Catherine's face turned cold.
"Careful."
"No."
Elodie pushed the folder away.
"I'm finished being careful."
Catherine approached her slowly.
"Your father once made the same mistake."
Elodie's anger vanished.
"What does that mean?"
Catherine opened a drawer and removed a second photograph.
This one showed a young woman standing beside Luc Martin.
She had dark hair, gentle eyes, and a small scar near her left eyebrow.
Elodie stared.
The woman looked familiar.
Terrifyingly familiar.
"Who is she?"
Catherine studied her face.
"Her name was Marie Laurent."
Elodie felt something shift inside her.
"My mother was named Anne."
"Yes."
"She died when I was six."
Catherine smiled without warmth.
"That's what your father told you."
Elodie stepped backward.
"No."
Catherine placed the photograph on the table.
"Marie Laurent was your father's first wife."
Elodie stared at the woman's face.
The same dark eyes.
The same curve of the mouth.
The same scar Elodie had noticed in her own childhood photographs.
May you like
Catherine leaned closer.
"And if you want to know what really happened to your mother, you'll sign the documents tomorrow."
