Chapter 5: The Signature That Should Not Exist
The name beneath the agreement made Henry Bellamy stop breathing for a moment.
Not because he didn't recognize it.
Because he did.
Thomas Dalton stared at the document on his laptop screen.
“Sir…”
Henry didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the name.
Daniel Cross had not been exaggerating.
Someone really had started selling Bellamy & Cross.
But the person listed as the authorized representative was not Daniel.
Not Greg.
Not a board member.
It was someone else.
Someone inside the company.
Someone with access.
Rebecca watched from several feet away, unable to hear every word, but she could see the change in Henry's face.
The old man who had calmly handled humiliation now looked like someone who had just found a crack in the foundation of his own home.
“Who signed this?”” Henry asked.
Thomas swallowed.
“The authorization line.””
“Read it.””
Thomas hesitated.
Henry looked at him.
“Read it.””
Thomas turned the laptop slightly.
“The signature appears to belong to…”
He stopped.
Henry's voice lowered.
“Who?””
Thomas looked toward Greg Price.
“Gregory Price.””
The room went silent.
Greg immediately shook his head.
“No.””
Everyone looked at him.
“No, that isn't possible.””
Henry slowly turned.
“Why isn't it possible?””
Greg's face went pale.
“Because I would never do something like that.””
Henry walked toward him.
“You sound very certain.””
“I am.””
“Then explain why your signature is on a confidential purchase agreement.””
Greg looked at the screen.
Then back at Henry.
“I don't know.””
That answer made Dalton's expression harden.
“You don't know?””
“I swear.””
Greg stepped closer.
“Mr. Bellamy, I have worked for this company for eighteen years.””
Henry looked at him.
“Which is exactly why this is difficult.””
Greg's voice became emotional.
“I would never betray you.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Henry looked at Thomas.
“Verify the document.””
Thomas nodded.
He opened another file.
“Electronic records.””
He typed quickly.
Rebecca watched the screen reflected in his glasses.
“Created three weeks ago.””
Henry's expression changed.
“Three weeks?””
Thomas nodded.
“Accessed from a company device.””
Greg immediately spoke.
“My computer?””
Thomas didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Greg stepped backward.
“No.””
Rebecca stared at him.
For the first time all day, she wasn't thinking about herself.
She was watching someone else fall apart.
Greg looked genuinely confused.
“I don't understand.””
Henry studied him.
“Do you have a reason someone would use your credentials?””
Greg hesitated.
A second.
Just one second.
But Henry noticed.
“So you do.””
Greg looked down.
“I…”
“Greg.””
The manager looked up.
“Tell me.””
Greg rubbed his face.
“I had a meeting.””
“With who?””
Greg didn't answer.
Henry's voice sharpened.
“With who?””
“Daniel Cross.””
The store went completely still.
Rebecca felt her stomach drop.
Thomas looked furious.
“You met with the man trying to buy the company?””
“It wasn't like that.””
“Then what was it?””
Greg looked desperate.
“He approached me.””
Henry folded his arms.
“And?””
Greg looked around.
Nobody was helping him.
“I listened.””
Henry's eyes narrowed.
“You listened.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Greg looked ashamed.
“Because I was worried.””
“About what?””
Greg glanced toward the employees.
Then back at Henry.
“The company was changing.””
Henry remained silent.
Greg continued.
“Costs were rising. Stores were being compared. The board wanted bigger profits.””
“And you thought selling was the answer?””
“No.””
Greg shook his head.
“I thought Daniel had information.””
“What information?””
Greg hesitated.
Henry's expression hardened.
“What information?””
“That some investors were losing confidence.””
Thomas looked confused.
“That isn't true.””
Greg looked at him.
“That’s what he told me.””
Henry nodded slowly.
“And Daniel offered you something.””
Greg looked away.
That was enough.
Thomas stepped forward.
“What did he offer you?””
Greg whispered.
“A position.””
The silence after that was heavier than any accusation.
Rebecca looked at Greg.
“You were going to leave?””
Greg looked hurt.
“Rebecca, it wasn't like that.””
She almost laughed.
“Then what was it like?””
He looked at her.
For the first time, she saw him differently.
Not as her manager.
Not as the man who protected her.
Just as someone who had been making choices behind closed doors.
“I thought I was protecting myself.””
Henry heard that.
And his face changed.
“That's the sentence people say right before they explain betrayal.””
Greg looked down.
“I made a mistake.””
Henry nodded.
“Yes.””
Then he looked at Rebecca.
A painful realization crossed his face.
“Interesting.””
She frowned.
“What?””
Henry looked at the folder.
“Everyone in this room made decisions based on what benefited them.””
Rebecca felt that.
Because he was right.
She protected her sales.
Greg protected his career.
Daniel protected his ambition.
And somewhere along the way, people became obstacles.
Not people.
Henry closed the folder.
“Thomas.””
“Yes?””
“Find out who else knew.””
Dalton nodded.
“We'll need access logs, emails, board communications—”
“No.””
Henry interrupted.
“Not just documents.””
Thomas stopped.
“Then what?””
Henry looked around the store.
“People.””
Nobody moved.
Henry walked toward the employees.
“Companies don't betray themselves.””
His eyes moved from one person to another.
“People do.””
The next hour felt like a storm trapped inside the store.
Employees were called into the office one at a time.
Questions were asked.
Answers were recorded.
Rebecca sat alone near the front counter.
For the first time in years, she wasn't focused on selling.
She was thinking.
About every customer she had judged.
Every person she had ignored.
Every time she had mistaken confidence for value.
Mia sat beside her.
“You okay?””
Rebecca looked at her.
“No.””
Mia nodded.
“At least you're honest.””
Rebecca gave a weak smile.
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?””
“No.””
Mia looked toward the office.
“But it's a start.””
Rebecca looked down.
“Why didn't you say anything before?””
Mia was quiet.
Then she answered.
“Because people like you were powerful.””
The words hurt.
“You could have reported me.””
“I thought about it.””
Rebecca looked at her.
“What stopped you?””
Mia shrugged.
“Nothing.””
A pause.
“I just kept hoping someone would notice.””
Rebecca looked toward Henry's office.
Someone finally had.
Then the office door opened.
Thomas walked out.
His face was serious.
“Mr. Bellamy needs everyone in the showroom.””
Rebecca stood.
“What happened?””
Thomas didn't answer.
That worried everyone.
When they gathered, Henry stood beside the display case.
The forty-thousand-dollar watch was still there.
Untouched.
He looked around.
“I know who accessed the purchase agreement.””
Everyone waited.
Henry continued.
“And I know who sent Daniel Cross the video.””
Rebecca felt a chill.
Greg looked nervous.
Mia held her hands together.
Henry looked toward the back hallway.
Then he said a name.
Not Greg.
Not Daniel.
A name nobody expected.
“The person responsible is someone who has worked here longer than almost anyone.””
The employees exchanged looks.
Henry's eyes moved toward the private office.
Then back to the group.
“Someone who knew exactly how to hide their actions.””
A shadow appeared in the doorway.
Someone had been listening.
Henry looked at them.
And the entire store froze.
Because the person standing there was not an employee.
May you like
It was someone Rebecca had seen only once before.
Someone who should not have been there.
