part2

part1

 

Guests pressed against the windows watching us now.

Carter noticed and instantly softened his voice into fake concern.

“Helen,” he said smoothly, “let’s not make this uglier. Give me the keys, apologize to Emily, and I won’t press charges for disrupting the wedding.”

I almost laughed.

“You slapped me.”

“You lost your balance.”

Emily flinched visibly.

I turned toward her slowly.

“Sweetheart… is that what he tells you love sounds like?”

Her lips parted.

But Carter snapped instantly.

“Don’t manipulate her.”

Then headlights swept across the gravel driveway.

One sheriff’s cruiser turned in.

Then another.

Behind them came a black sedan.

Carter’s smile disappeared.

Sheriff Roy Dalton stepped out first.

Seventy years old.
Broad shoulders.
Face carved from stone.

He had known my husband since they were boys.

Then the woman from the sedan stepped out holding a leather folder.

Dark suit.
Sharp eyes.

Carter frowned.

“Who the hell is that?”

I wiped the blood from my lip.

“My attorney,” I said calmly.

“And the reason you’re about to regret touching me.”

The guests flooded outside behind us in stunned silence as Sheriff Dalton walked straight toward Carter.

“Keep your hands where I can see them, son.”

Carter forced a nervous laugh.

“Sheriff, this is just a family misunderstanding.”

Dalton glanced at my bruised cheek.

“That’s a pretty loud misunderstanding.”

My attorney, Rebecca Sloan, calmly opened her folder.

“Earlier today,” she announced, “my office filed an emergency injunction blocking any sale, transfer, or development agreement involving Hollow Creek Farm.”

Vanessa stepped forward furiously.

“You can’t do that!”

Rebecca barely looked at her.

“We already did.”

Carter’s expression darkened.

“On what grounds?”

Rebecca flipped open the file.

“Forgery. Financial exploitation. Fraud conspiracy. Coercion. And assault.”

The words hit the crowd like thunder.

Emily stared at Carter in horror.

“Forgery?”

He turned toward her instantly.

“Don’t start falling for your mother’s lies.”

Rebecca calmly lifted several documents.

“The development agreement includes Helen Carter’s forged signature. We had handwriting experts review it this morning. We also subpoenaed the notary records.”

Vanessa went completely pale.