Chapter 5: The Contract He Thought I Would Sign

After the sample collection, Adrian took another document from his briefcase.

“Nora, since you’re so confident, sign this.”

It was written plainly enough: If the test results showed that Owen was not Adrian’s biological child, I would voluntarily relinquish all joint marital property, repay five years of household expenses, and waive any claim to the Bellamy family trust.

I read the first page twice.

Then I laughed.

Adrian’s expression darkened. “What’s funny?”

“You prepared another agreement before the test results even existed.”

“It’s only a precaution.”

“No. It’s evidence.”

I slid the document back across the table.

“Evidence that you expected me to lose.”

His jaw tightened.

“If Owen really is my son, you have nothing to worry about.”

“And if he isn’t?”

“Then you’ll have to take responsibility.”

I looked at the signature line waiting for my name.

In my previous life, I had signed something almost identical.

I had been exhausted, humiliated, and desperate to protect Owen from another public scene. Adrian had promised that if the test proved I had cheated, he would let me keep the house if I cooperated quietly.

The test had been fake.

The agreement had been real.

And because I signed it under pressure, his lawyers later used it to strip me of almost everything I owned.

This time, I pushed the document toward him without touching the pen.

“I’m not signing anything today.”

Adrian leaned closer.

“You’re making a mistake.”

“I already made it once.”

He froze.

For a moment, something strange passed through his eyes, as though my words had reached somewhere they shouldn’t have.

Then he scoffed.

“You’re acting like you’ve suddenly become a lawyer.”

“No. I’m acting like someone who has finally learned what your promises are worth.”

Vivian Hart stepped into the room at that exact moment.

She had arrived with Officer Brooks and immediately noticed the document on the table.

“Mr. Bellamy,” she said calmly, “please don’t ask my client to sign any financial agreement while an investigation concerning coercion and suspected fraud is pending.”

Adrian straightened.

“This is a private marital matter.”

Hart picked up the agreement with a gloved hand.

“Then you won’t object to preserving the original.”

Adrian said nothing.

Officer Brooks photographed every page.

Then she looked at me.

“Ms. Bennett, did you receive this document before or after the alleged paternity report was displayed?”

“Before.”

“How long before?”

I glanced at Adrian.

“He had it prepared before tonight’s dinner. The livestream and the divorce agreement were part of the same plan.”

Adrian immediately interrupted.

“That’s speculation.”

Hart smiled faintly.

“Then the metadata will settle it.”

His face changed.

That was the first time I saw genuine fear in him.

The samples were sealed and transferred into secure processing.

Before we left, the technician handed each adult a receipt containing a unique case number.

I photographed mine and sent a copy to Hart.

Outside the facility, Graham stopped me.

“Nora.”

I turned.

He looked older than he had the night before.

“Do you honestly believe Adrian isn't Owen's father?”

I held Owen's hand.

“I believe the report shown at your birthday dinner was fake.”

“That wasn't what I asked.”

I met his eyes.

“You’ll have your answer in three days.”

Graham studied me for several seconds.

“And what about Tessa?”

I glanced toward the parking lot, where Tessa stood beside Celeste.

Tessa was arguing with her mother in a low voice.

Celeste kept looking toward me.

“I think,” I said slowly, “that you're about to learn much more about your family than you wanted to know.”

That evening, Hart called me from her office.

“Nora, we found something.”

My stomach tightened.

“What?”

“The company named on the forged report has already been contacted by someone connected to the Bellamy family.”

I sat upright.

“Who?”

There was a pause.

“The payment came from a Bellamy restaurant account.”

My fingers tightened around my phone.

“Whose authorization?”

“That's the interesting part. The account was approved by someone with access to Graham's financial system.”

I closed my eyes.

The test had not even started processing yet.

And already, the Bellamy family's secrets were beginning to surface.