“The court will decide that,” Patricia said, her eyes gleaming with malice.

“If you proceed with these charges, I will leak this to the press,” she said.

“Your entire software empire will be tied up in litigation for the next ten years,” she added.

Elena reached into her folder, her fingers moving quickly.

“That document is a fabrication,” Elena said, her voice tight.

“Prove it,” Patricia said, leaning back in her chair.

“If this goes public, your investors will pull out by tomorrow morning,” she added.

Harrison looked up, his eyes darting between his mother and me.

“Mother, what did you do?” Harrison whispered.

Patricia ignored him, keeping her gaze fixed on me.

“You thought you were the only one who knew how to play this game, Claire,” Patricia said.

“But I have been protecting this family since before you were born,” she added.

The room went entirely silent again, the board members waiting for my reaction.

I looked at the signature on the cream-colored paper.

It looked exactly like mine.

The looping ‘C’, the sharp ‘l’, the way the final letter faded.