Chapter 4 - THE FIRST SIGNATURE
Three weeks passed.
Norah learned Arthur's routines.
He preferred his coffee strong.
He hated being interrupted during calls.
He remembered voices with astonishing precision.
And he could identify employees by their footsteps.
He also had an extraordinary memory for numbers.
Contracts.
Dates.
Account balances.
Warehouse locations.
He carried an entire empire inside his head.
But there was one thing he could no longer do.
Read the documents placed in front of him.
That dependence infuriated him.
One afternoon, Norah noticed a signature page attached to a contract she hadn't read aloud.
She stopped.
“Arthur.”
He looked up.
“What?”
“Did you approve the Westbridge transfer?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Who read it to you?”
“Adrian.”
Norah frowned.
“Did he read the signature page?”
Arthur's expression changed.
“Why?”
She looked at the document.
“Because it contains an authorization that wasn't in the summary.”
Silence.
Arthur leaned forward.
“Read it.”
Norah did.
The clause authorized the transfer of voting rights in three Cornero subsidiaries.
Arthur went completely still.
Then whispered, “That's not what I agreed to.”
Norah looked at him.
“No?”
“No.”
His hands tightened.
“Who prepared this?”
She checked the footer.
“Adrian Bell.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then whispered, “Get Vincent.”
Norah reached for the phone.
Arthur stopped her.
“Wait.”
She looked up.
His expression was different.
Not angry.
Afraid.
“Norah.”
“Yes?”
“Don't tell anyone what you found.”
Her heart began pounding.
“Why?”
Arthur turned toward the dark windows.
May you like
Then answered.
“Because I think someone has been stealing my company while I sit here pretending I still control it.”
