“He altered the line of succession,” Nathan whispered.

His voice sounded hollow, filled with disbelief.

“He wrote Lily out before she was even born.”

“I did what was necessary for the survival of this family,” Richard said.

He straightened his coat, trying to regain his composure in the dim vault.

“The company cannot be left to a child of a commoner.”

“Lily is my daughter,” Nathan said, his voice rising in anger.

“She is a Whitmore.”

“She is a liability,” Richard snapped.

He stepped closer, his eyes locked on Nathan.

“Look at the amendment, Nathan.”

“The entire fortune, the voting shares, the real estate—it all goes to you.”

“But only if you remain the sole heir.”

“If you acknowledge a child with her, the trust splits, and the board takes control.”

I felt a cold sweat break out on the back of my neck.

“You forged the trustee signatures,” I said, my voice steadying as the truth became clear.

I pointed the flashlight at the bottom of the amendment page.

Mr. Hayes’s signature was there, but the ink was a different shade of blue than the rest of the document.