Chapter 3 My Signature, his Fortune

Sarah's POV

Later that night, after a dinner that was barely enough for all of us, I sat on the edge of the bed in the kids' room. The room was small, and the walls were old and peeling.

Ethan and Lily crawled under their thin blankets, their bodies curling close to each other for warmth. I leaned back against the wall, and watched them settle in.

Ethan didn't pull his blanket all the way up. Instead, he turned and looked at me, his eyes too serious for a child his age. "Mom, you don't look happy," he said, reaching out a small hand. "Why?"

The question hit me like a physical blow. I felt a lump of hot coal in my throat as I gripped the edge of the old mattress so hard my fingers hurt. "Why do you say so, Eth?" I asked, forcing a calm tone.

Lily shifted closer to me, her small face tilted up as she studied me closely. "You couldn't eat at the table, Mom," she said in her tiny voice. "You just stared at your plate like you were scared of it."

I stayed silent, while Ethan nodded slowly, like he was putting pieces together and said. "And you were fumbling with your food."

He was only a child, but he saw everything.

Lily reached out and held my hand. Her fingers were warm, while mine were shaking. I pulled my hand back gently and forced a sharp, fake smile.

"You see," I said quickly, "Mommy was just meditating on something important."

I felt my eyes brim with tears. "And trust me, Mommy is really happy, okay?" I muttered, staring at the floor. But they didn't look convinced. Worry sat plainly on their little faces.

"Listen, Eth," I said slowly, my voice barely above a whisper, "I have to go now. Put Lily to sleep if you can. Be a good big brother, okay?"

He nodded, though his eyes stayed on me.

I leaned down and kissed them both on the forehead, stood up, and turned toward the door.

"Goodnight, Mom," Ethan and Lily said at the same time.

"Good night," I replied softly, switched off their light and stepped out.

The moment I shut the door behind me, my body gave up. I burst into tears, slamming my hands over my mouth so the sound would not reach them. My back hit the door and I slid down to the floor, sobbing silently. My whole body was shaking. How could I explain to these children that their home was about to break into pieces? How could I tell them their world was cracking right under their feet?

Then, Ethan's voice drifted through the door. "And the dragon said, the sky is blue in the day and dark in the night..." He was telling Lily a bedtime story, the same one I used to tell him when he was smaller.

I pressed my forehead against the door and let the last of the tears fall. Then I lifted my hands and wiped my face slowly, once, then again, until my skin felt tight and dry. I drew in a deep breath through my nose and held it there, forcing my chest to steady as I pushed myself up, and stepped away from the door.

I walked into my bedroom. Sean was already on the bed, lying on his side, his back facing me. He looked peaceful, but my mind was screaming.

Five years ago, when I was pregnant with Lily, life felt different. He used to put Ethan to sleep himself. He used to wait for me so we could fall asleep together, his hand wrapped around mine. Not until he blamed my signature for his failed contract. He said my signature wasn't found in the system, that it was my fault we were poor. No clear reason. No explanation. Just blame.

Could it all have been lies? Did he get that contract? The thought hurt so badly that I forced myself to speak.

"Sean," I called out, staring at his still back. "So tell me... what is the business trip really about?" I asked, but the room remained silent. Only the sound of the wind outside filled the room. "Sean!" I called out again, moving closer to the bed but he didn't move.

My heart started racing like a drum. I moved to the side of the bed, touched his shoulder, and realized he was deeply asleep. He was snoring lightly with his phone clutched tightly in his right hand, even in sleep.

I stared at his handsome face, pain and anger twisting inside me. Valerie Shawn's perfect smile, and the black card filled my mind. I rose slowly and went to the wardrobe.

I opened it silently, searched through the pockets of his old coats with trembling fingers until I found his debit card. My heart began to ache again. It had the same name and the same code Valerie used to pay for the dresses at the boutique. I placed it aside and began searching the lower wardrobe. I moved files and papers, but they were mostly old bills and irrelevant documents.

Then, I saw his heavy metal file box, tucked away in the back. I tried to lift the lid, but it was locked with a code I didn't even know. That was the moment I knew there might be evidence of his lies and deceit inside it.

I had been with Sean for seven years, seven years of my life, and I never imagined I would become a spy in my own home, searching for evidence of my husband's lies.

I glanced at him to be sure he was still asleep, then carried the box to the floor, sat down, and began testing codes. I tried his birthday, the kids' birthdays, and some other codes but it still wouldn't open.

Sean suddenly turned on the bed, his body shifting under the sheets. I froze and stared at him for a few seconds. I stood up slowly, my heart slamming against my ribs, reached for the light-switch and turned it off immediately.

I sat in the dark, my breath coming in short, scared gasps, waited for minutes until I heard his steady snoring again.

Then I turned on my phone, dimmed the light, and tried more codes.

Finally, I typed 7780, his debit card code and it opened. My hands trembled so badly I almost dropped the phone.

I looked at Sean again, and he was still deeply asleep.

I began going through the files. At first, they were unknown business papers. But as I kept looking, I saw papers for houses, cars, and lands worth millions of dollars, all in his name. Then, I saw hard copy photos of him in expensive hotels, drinking wine in clubs, and wearing suits that cost more than our apartment. I flipped through them until I reached the last one, and there it was. A picture of him and Valerie, the same elegant lady who came to Lumière House, standing in front of a private jet. My heartbeat dropped instantly. I increased my phone brightness just a little and looked closely at the photo.

The Sean in the picture looked like a billionaire. He looked much more real than the poor Sean laying in my bed. Tears began dropping from my eyes. They fell onto the photo, making it wet. I immediately slipped the picture into my clothes and kept looking.

At the bottom of the box was a familiar file: VANT APEX GROUP.

My hands shook as I opened it carefully. I felt like I was going to faint, the words blurring before my eyes.

It stated that I, Sarah Miller, agreed to transfer my rightful ownership and position as CEO of Vant Apex Group to Mr. Sean Miller, my husband. My signature sat neatly at the bottom. I did sign it, but I remembered that day, he had told me my signature was needed... nothing serious, just for support, because I was his wife to help him get a contract. And then told me it was a "failed contract" later that week, blaming my signature for it.

The truth hit me like a train as I continued reading through the file. I saw the name, Vesper Vant, my late mother's best friend before she traveled out.

She had sent me the invitation to become CEO of her company, Apex group, five years ago, knowing I'd be the perfect fit.

The terms were clear: a 10-year trial period, and if I did well, the position would be mine fully. But Sean had intercepted it, and tricked me into signing away my rightful place.

He'd stolen my future. He'd stolen my children's future. He'd been living as a billionaire for five years, while I slaved away at Lumière House, my feet aching from standing all day. The pain of betrayal cut deep – Vesper had trusted me with this chance, and I'd let Sean take it all away.

I felt like the room was closing in on me then the worst thing happened. I heard a sound from the bed.

"Sarah..." Sean's voice was deep and clear in the quiet room. I looked up, frozen. Sean was sitting up on the bed, staring straight at me in the dim light of my phone.