“You saw the accounts I allowed you to see,” I said.

General Vale stepped forward, holding a folder. “The Langley family trust holds twenty million dollars in secured federal bonds.”

“Twenty million?” Brielle gasped, her voice high and panicked.

She looked down at her hand, where my grandmother’s diamond ring sat on her finger.

“The trust is fully active and protected under military legal review,” General Vale continued. “Any attempt to access it through forged documents is a federal offense.”

Grant’s face drained of color.

He looked at Brielle, then back to the armed guards.

“This is a lie,” Grant stammered, his eyes darting toward the door. “She signed those papers. We have a joint agreement.”

“You forged her name on the deed, Grant,” a new voice said from the doorway.

Naomi Pierce walked into the room, carrying a leather briefcase.

Her sharp eyes locked onto Grant, and she pulled a stack of certified papers from her bag.

“The notary has already confessed to taking a bribe from you,” Naomi said.

I gasped as another sharp wave of pain ripped through my abdomen, much stronger than the others.