## CHAPTER 6
Nathan, meanwhile, had no idea how far it had gone. One day, back at his office, he found a letter on his desk, a notice to appear before an emergency partners’ meeting over misuse of company resources. Every dollar he’d spent on Sarah and Lily had come from his own pocket, but the document painted it as corporate fraud. He called his attorney. “Diane’s behind this.” “You have proof?” “Not yet, but I will.” He didn’t sleep that night, not from fear, but from rage.
The next day he requested access to company records and found it — Diane’s signature, forged, but well done, authorizing the accusatory document. That evening he got an anonymous call. “Diane’s looking into the girl. She wants to prove you’re living with her to accuse you of an illegal custody arrangement.” He called Lakeside. “Sarah, I need you to trust me. Diane’s trying to worm her way into our lives, and I won’t let her. I’m going to protect Lily like she’s mine. But I need you with me, even just a little, so the paperwork’s clean.” Sarah opened her eyes for a second, murmured something faint, but Nathan understood enough. “I trust you.”
Weeks passed. Lily settled into her routine. One afternoon, sitting outside for air, someone sat down next to him without a word. “Didn’t expect to see you like this,” Rosalind said. “The girl texted me from Marisol’s phone. Couldn’t just sit at home, took the bus, walked. Here I am.” She pulled a small flash drive from her bag. “I’ve got something that might help. A recording of Diane the night they came to evict you. I heard her on the phone in the stairwell. I like recording the sounds of the building when I can’t sleep. I got it all. Talks about forging papers, about partners she’d already bought off.” Nathan clenched his fist. “This changes everything.” “Don’t use it yet. Wait for the right moment.”
That same day he took it to his attorney, who cautioned they needed a second witness. Nathan called Miss Patty, who confirmed she’d heard something similar the same night. That afternoon, Nathan and his attorney put it all together — statements, clean bank records, and the testimony of two people with nothing to gain. Before the day ended, Nathan stopped by the hospital. Sarah had responded a little to the new treatment, moving her hands, eyes open, tracking Lily whenever she came near.
Nathan woke that morning with a single thought: today Diane falls. The office was tense when he arrived. His attorney was already waiting in the conference room with a folder full of documents and the flash drive. Rosalind was there too. “I have proof that an eviction was carried out using falsified documentation,” Nathan began, “and proof that my signature was forged on internal authorizations.” “You’re going to say that with no proof,” Diane snapped. Nathan pulled out the flash drive. “There’s a recording here. And there’s someone who was standing right there when you talked about taking me down.” His attorney stepped in with the second witness. The mood in the room shifted. Nathan handed out the forged eviction document. “This has my signature. I never signed it.” “That doesn’t prove it was me.” “Then who was it? The filing cabinet?” A few nervous laughs.
The chairman called for order. “Can you explain why you use documents without board approval?” Diane held the silence a moment. “I acted to protect this company. Somebody had to do something.” “By forging signatures?” “I’m not admitting to that. But I’m not denying it either,” Nathan replied. After a recess, a decision came. “The board has decided to suspend Diane Foster from her duties for three months while the presented materials are fully investigated.” Diane’s jaw tightened. Before leaving, she stopped by Nathan. “You didn’t win. You just bought yourself time.” “That’s enough for now,” he answered.
