Ava’s Birthday Drawing Was Ruined While Everyone Blamed Lily — Then the Kitchen Camera Showed Who Really Scribbled Over It

Chapter 7 — The Document Matthew Hid

Matthew finally came to Claire’s house.

He brought the original photograph.

And a folder.

Before anything else, Claire made him apologize to Ava.

Matthew crouched beside her.

“I shouldn’t have ruined your picture.”

Ava looked at him.

“Why did you?”

Matthew glanced toward Claire.

“Because it reminded me of something I was scared to talk about.”

Ava frowned.

“You could’ve just gone away.”

Matthew almost smiled.

“Yeah.”

He looked ashamed.

“I should have.”

Once the girls went upstairs, Matthew opened the folder.

Inside was a photocopy of a document dated 1986.

It transferred control of Ben’s trust property from Richard to Stephen Carter.

Richard’s signature appeared at the bottom.

Matthew placed another document beside it.

An authentic Richard signature from the same year.

The difference was obvious.

“That’s not Dad’s signature,” Claire said.

Matthew nodded.

“I showed it to him.”

“What did he say?”

“He thought he signed it.”

Richard remembered attending a meeting with Stephen and an attorney.

He remembered being told the court required him to surrender control of Susan’s trust because Stephen was now Ben’s legal parent.

But he couldn’t specifically remember signing the transfer.

“So why hide this?” Claire demanded.

Matthew looked down.

Because Matthew had made another discovery.

The attorney who prepared the transfer was their late grandfather’s longtime lawyer.

Gerald Price.

And one of the witnesses was Margaret.

Claire stared at him.

“Grandma witnessed a forged signature?”

Matthew shook his head.

“That’s what I was afraid Ben would think.”

So Matthew tried to stop the reunion until he could understand what happened.

He contacted Ben.

Told him there might be evidence Margaret had participated.

Ben canceled the birthday visit immediately.

Claire looked furious.

“You told him that without asking Mom?”

Matthew whispered:

“I thought I was protecting Dad.”

Claire shook her head.

“You’re protecting everyone by keeping them from the truth. That’s not protection.”