Chapter 4 - George Foster

Police found George Foster at his country club.

He was having dinner.

Perfectly calm.

Until Detective Brooks placed the forged waiver beside his plate.

He requested counsel.

By midnight, they had a warrant for his home office.

The search uncovered seventeen drafts.

Different versions of Maya’s waiver.

Different dates.

Different signature pages.

One document described Maya as “financially unstable.”

Another claimed she planned to leave Nathan.

Another alleged she had stolen from the estate.

All false.

Then investigators found invoices.

George Foster had been paid $180,000 in consulting fees.

By Victoria Hartman Holdings.

Nathan stared at the transfer history.

“She paid him.”

Brooks nodded.

“Looks like.”

But the money came from somewhere else first.

A Vale family investment account.

Maya leaned closer.

“Whose authorization?”

The answer:

Evelyn Vale.

Nathan’s mother.

Evelyn looked sick.

“I approved a consulting retainer.”

“To Foster?”

“Yes.”

“For what?”

“Estate planning.”

“You funded Victoria’s lawyer?”

“I didn’t know she was paying him.”

Nathan’s voice rose.

“You approved the money.”

“I thought it was legitimate.”

Again.

Not knowing as a lifestyle.

Then Foster’s computer revealed something worse.

He had been altering the family trust structure for months.

Not legally effective yet.

Drafts only.

But the plan was clear.

Remove Maya from beneficial rights.

Move control back to Evelyn.

Then create a management position for Victoria.

Why Victoria?

Because she was Nathan’s father’s goddaughter.

Raised near the Vales.

Treated like family.

And, according to old documents, once considered as a future match for Nathan.

Maya had never known.

Nathan had barely remembered.

Evelyn remembered very well.

Maya looked at her.

“You wanted him to marry Victoria.”

Evelyn did not answer.

Nathan did.

“She did.”

Silence.

Maya’s stomach twisted.

Suddenly years of coldness had a shape.

Victoria had not simply wanted the estate.

She had wanted Maya’s place.

Wife.

Beneficiary.

Hostess.

Name.

Everything.

Then Brooks found one message from Foster to Victoria.

Once Maya is out, the board vote becomes easy.

Nathan frowned.

“What board vote?”

The Vale estate included Vale Ridge Holdings.

A private investment company controlling commercial properties, hotels, and farmland.

Nathan had voting control.

But his spouse held a protective veto over sale of the original family estate.

Maya had never used it.

Barely understood it.

Victoria needed her to disclaim.

Then the estate could be sold.

Why sell?

Brooks traced a pending offer.

$310 million.

Buyer:

Redspire Capital.

Nathan knew the name.

Aggressive private equity.

They had tried to buy the estate two years earlier.

He refused.

Now a new offer existed.

Higher.

Secret.

Signed by Foster as “authorized representative.”

Nathan’s face went white.

“Who gave him authority?”

No one.

Not legally.

Then Maya saw one final attachment.

A draft payout schedule.

George Foster: $5 million.

Victoria Hartman: $28 million.

Evelyn Vale: $40 million trust distribution.

Caleb: $3 million.

Nathan: listed as “expected to consent after spousal issue resolved.”

Maya stared.

“He didn’t know.”

Brooks nodded.

“Looks like they planned to pressure him after removing you.”

Nathan looked at his mother.

Evelyn whispered:

“I never saw that document.”

Maybe true.

Maybe not.

Then Caleb said:

“I did.”

Everyone turned.

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His face crumpled.

“And I took a picture.”