Cooper was carrying a sandwich back to his room when he heard the sound of laughter coming from his father’s study. He stopped and stood outside the door, suddenly curious.
"Our paperwork is solid," Victor said, laughing. "No one will question it."
"To the new relationships, then," Richard toasted, laughing with him.
Cooper frowned as he took a bite of his sandwich. He didn’t understand what was so funny about paperwork but he shrugged it off and continued walking towards his room.
At breakfast the next day, Savannah was silently drinking her coffee when Cooper sat beside her.
"Good morning, Dad," Cooper said and reached for a croissant. "What were you and Victor Locke laughing about last night? Celeste was with you as well."
The coffee cup in Richard’s hand stopped halfway to his mouth.
"Laughing?" Richard asked.
"Yeah," Cooper replied, eating his croissant. "Something about the paperwork. Did you guys close a big deal or something?"
Beside Richard, Celeste’s smile disappeared for a moment. She immediately looked at Richard, panic visible on her face.
Richard cleared his throat and put his cup on the table.
"Yes. Just a business deal. Now stop asking questions and finish your breakfast."
Cooper nodded and shifted his attention to his plate. Richard too pretended to focus on his plate. But the nervousness on his face was palpable. Celeste also tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stared at her plate.
Savannah’s eyes darted between both of them.
What kind of paperwork is making both of them so nervous? Something is wrong.
Across the city, Mia was sitting at her desk, going through a pile of legal documents when her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Mia, it’s Sarah. From the city registry."
Mia put the documents on the table and smiled. Sarah was her old friend from law school who worked at the municipal archives.
"Hey, Sarah. What’s up?"
"Well...I saw something strange today at the office," Sarah murmured. "And I thought I should tell you."
"What is it?"
"Mia, someone amended a family record three days ago. It was sealed with a high level executive override, but I accidentally managed to see the summary."
"Whose file?" Mia asked, sitting up straight.
"Celeste Quinn." Sarah paused, then spoke again. "The amendment legally lists Celeste as the biological daughter of Richard and Diane Quinn."
Mia’s expression turned to ice.
"Wait. What? That’s impossible. What about Savannah?"
"That’s the thing," Sarah whispered. "Savannah’s birth record was amended too. She has been reclassified as the adopted daughter. They literally swapped their identities on paper."
"What the hell?!" Mia swore loudly, slamming her hand on her desk. "Those bastards!"
"Mia, I know Savannah is your best friend. That’s why I thought of informing you," Sarah said. "You need to warn your friend. Because legally speaking, Celeste is the true Quinn heir."
After asking Sarah for a few more details, Mia hung up. She was burning with rage, ready to kill anyone who come near her.
If this forged document is accepted by the Locke family, Grandfather Locke’s will would favor Celeste instead of Savannah. And everything Savannah worked so hard to get will be useless.
Savannah was walking in the garden, thinking about the paperwork Cooper had mentioned at breakfast when her phone rang.
"Savannah, listen to me very carefully," Mia said the second she answered.
Then she told Savannah everything Sarah had told her.
Savannah stopped walking and her fingers tightened around her phone. Anger simmered inside her, but under the anger was something much worse.
She knew her parents favoured Celeste. She knew they were greedy and cowards. She also knew they had always been willing to sacrifice her for the family.
But to legally erase her very existence? To literally stripping away her identity just to marry Celeste into the Locke family?
She had never thought they could sink this low.
"Savannah? Are you there?" Mia’s voice snapped her back to the present.
"I’m here," Savannah answered, her voice breaking. "I have to go. I’ll talk to you later."
She hung up before Mia could say anything to comfort her. But she didn’t want comfort right now. All she wanted was to go to her father, smash his favourite whiskey bottle and grab him by the collar.
And ask him how could he do to his own daughter?
She turned around and took a step towards the main door.
Victor Locke isn’t a school bully.
Ansel’s warning echoed in her mind.
You report to me. Do not try to handle it yourself.
Savannah stopped immediately.
Ansel was right. If I confronted my father now, Victor would know I have discovered the truth. Then god knows what would he do to me?
Savannah took a deep breath and pulled out the burner phone from her coat pocket. She knew her room wasn’t safe, so she had started carrying the phone with her.
She unlocked the screen and quickly typed a message.
They forged the birth records. Celeste is now the blood heir on paper. Need to meet. At Mia’s apartment. It’s safe.
After sending the message, she walked out of the mansion to hail a cab.
Mia was still at work, but luckily Savannah had a spare key to her apartment. She unlocked the door and sat on the couch in the living room.
The silence was scary. She pulled her knees towards her chest and stared at the floor.
She still couldn’t believe it. Her mind kept racing. How could her parents do this? Did they really despise her that much?
Almost an hour later, someone knocked at the door.
"Ansel!"
Savannah opened the door and saw Ansel standing outside looking completely out of place in that modest apartment building.
He stepped inside and immediately noticed Savannah’s red eyes.
"Tell me everything in detail."
Savannah told him everything Mia had told her. But to her surprise, Ansel didn’t look shocked. He was already thinking of the consequences.
"He is baiting me," Ansel said coldly.
"Baiting you?" Savannah asked, wiping a tear from her cheek. "He just stole my entire identity!"
"And he did it perfectly," Ansel replied. "A government certified birth record carries legal authority. If you challenge it... it will end up in a court battle. And a legal dispute over identity and inheritance could take months. Sometimes even years."
Savannah’s heart sank.
"My grandfather’s deadline expires in less than sixty days," Ansel continued. "If the marriage requirement is locked in court when the time runs out, the shares won’t wait for a verdict. He will win without even lifting a finger."
"If it’s so important... then why don’t you marry Celeste?" The words came out of her mouth before she could think about it.
"Because I know my uncle. After I marry Celeste, he’ll prove that the certificate was fake and you’re the real granddaughter of Rosalind Quinn. I’ll lose my inheritance right there," he smiled. "He is playing on both grounds."
Savannah gasped as she realized how far was Victor willing to go to secure Locke shares.
"So... what do we do?" Savannah asked.
"I need proof," Ansel said, taking a step closer. "I need irrefutable proof before the banquet. Something so solid that my grandmother and the board will dismiss his claim the second he opens his mouth."
"Where am I supposed to find that?!" Savannah asked. "They’ve already altered the state records! I have nothing!"
Ansel remained calm, completely unaffected by her panic.
"I don’t care how you do that. Find it."
Then without another word, he walked out, leaving Savannah alone with his impossible demand.