Chapter 17 - The Last Forged Signature
The offshore account contained more than ninety million dollars.
Every document named Claire as the owner.
Ethan’s defense team immediately argued that Claire had secretly controlled the entire operation and framed her husband after their marriage failed.
The claim was absurd.
But the account carried valid-looking digital signatures, encrypted access records, and copies of Claire’s identification.
Federal prosecutors warned her that they had to disprove her involvement beyond doubt.
Maya examined the timestamps.
The account had been opened during a weekend when Claire and Ethan were attending a wedding in Vermont.
Hotel records placed Claire there.
That alone was not enough because the account had been opened remotely.
Then Nina remembered something.
Ethan had ordered her to send Claire’s old laptop to a company security firm for “software repair” during that same weekend.
Investigators recovered the device from storage.
The contractor had installed remote-access software and used Claire’s saved credentials.
But the strongest evidence came from the independent hallway camera.
Several weeks before the attack, it captured Ethan entering the upstairs office while Claire slept.
He held Claire’s hand against her phone to unlock it with her fingerprint.
He then photographed her identification and opened the laptop.
The video showed his face clearly.
It also recorded him calling the contractor.
“I have everything you need,” he said.
The offshore account was no longer evidence against Claire.
It became proof of premeditation against Ethan.
Prosecutors added identity theft, wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, and attempted murder charges.
Dr. Voss agreed to cooperate in exchange for consideration at sentencing.
He admitted Ethan had paid him to create false diagnoses and prepare a sedative intended to make Claire appear impaired before her staged fall.
Then he revealed one final detail.
Ethan had told him the fall was only the backup plan.
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There had been an earlier attempt.
👉 Claire learned that a mysterious car failure months before had not been an accident.
