He scanned the documents quickly, his face expressionless.

“Is this the original?” Richard asked.

“Yes,” Vale said, nodding quickly. “It has Arthur’s signature and the notary stamp from the bank in Hartford.”

“I kept it in a private safety deposit box that Margaret didn’t know about.”

“I knew I would need leverage eventually.”

Outside, the distant sound of sirens began to echo through the quiet Greenwich night.

The red and blue lights soon flashed against the bedroom walls, cutting through the curtains.

Two uniform officers came up the stairs, guided by the security guard from the front gate.

They escorted Vale out of the room without any struggle.

He looked back at me once before they led him down the stairs.

“I’m sorry, Emily,” he said quietly.

I did not answer him.

I just held my daughters tighter.

The next day, Nora Singh arrived at Richard’s estate before the sun was fully up.

We sat in the morning room, the smell of fresh coffee filling the air.

Nora spread the papers from the manila envelope across the glass-topped table.

Her eyes were bright with a professional intensity.