Ethan Came Home With a Box of Pastries and a Letter Only His Father Could Read — Then Claire Saw Who Had Signed It
Chapter 6 — Andrew’s Secret Company
Walter asked Claire to meet him the following afternoon.
Daniel went with her.
The original Harrison bakery looked almost exactly as Claire remembered.
Same brick walls.
Same brass bell above the door.
Same smell of butter and cinnamon.
Walter stood behind the counter.
He looked smaller than Claire remembered.
Older.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Walter said:
“I’m sorry.”
Claire didn’t move.
“Eleven years.”
Walter lowered his head.
“I know.”
“You called me a thief.”
“I know.”
“You told everyone I stole from Andrew’s future.”
Walter’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
Then he placed a folder on the counter.
Inside were corporate registration documents.
The supposedly fake Weston Food Distribution had actually existed.
But Claire hadn’t created it.
Andrew had.
Using their mother’s maiden name.
Daniel frowned.
“Why?”
Walter looked devastated.
“He was moving money out of the bakery.”
Andrew had secretly invested in a restaurant project.
He believed it would become more profitable than the family bakery.
When outside investors refused to finance him, he began taking money from Harrison & Sons.
He disguised the transfers as supplier payments.
Then used Claire’s credentials to approve some of them.
“The signature?” Claire asked.
Walter opened another folder.
A handwriting examiner had reviewed the old check.
It was not Claire’s signature.
But the examiner believed it had been copied from a holiday payroll form Claire once signed.
Claire stared at the papers.
Her own brother had framed her.
