Chapter 7 - The Forged Signature
The next morning, Marcus strolled into my hospital room holding a fresh stack of manila folders.
He looked incredibly smug, convinced that my silence meant I had surrendered to his authority.
"Mom, I hate to bring business into this, but we have a huge problem," he began, adopting a fake sympathetic tone.
"The hospital administration says your insurance won't cover this extended stay or the rehab facility."
He placed the documents on my lap, handing me a sleek black pen.
"If you sign the house over to me now, I can take out a line of credit and pay for your medical bills."
It was a blatant, disgusting lie, designed to prey on an elderly woman's fear of medical debt.
I knew my premium insurance covered absolutely everything, but I played along beautifully.
"Are you sure this is the only way, Marcus?" I asked, letting my lower lip tremble slightly.
"I promise, Mom, I am just trying to protect you," he lied effortlessly, not breaking eye contact.
I looked at the deed, seeing where they had already tabbed the signature lines with sticky notes.
I slowly took the pen, my hand shaking just enough to make the performance believable.
I knew that signing this piece of paper under duress was legally meaningless, especially with Arthur's plan in motion.
May you like
I signed the document using my non-dominant hand, ensuring the signature looked entirely wrong and sloppy.
Marcus snatched the paper away the second the ink dried, a wicked smile spreading across his face.
