19 Chapter 19 – A Question of Authenticity.
I nodded, unable to contradict her when she looked so earnest.
“Me?” I shot back. “You think I orchestrated this?”
Arthur’s face had hardened into an impenetrable mask. “Where exactly did these come from, Grandmother?” His voice was controlled but tight with tension.
I bristled at his tone. “I’m not claiming anything. I’m as confused as everyone else.”
Philip turned to Arthur expectantly. Instead of handing the certificate to Philip, Arthur stepped forward himself. My breath caught as he pulled out the red book and placed it directly in front of the clerk.
Genevieve’s eyes widened at his intervention. “Mr. Sterling, you don’t understand. This girl is manipulative. She’s trying to—”
“Which I was just as surprised to see as you were!” I interrupted. “I didn’t even know you existed until yesterday!”
“This is impossible,” I finally said, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over the
room.
“Excuse me,” he said, his voice surprisingly polite, “could you please check if this marriage certificate is genuine.”
Arthur’s eyes snapped to mine, cold and accusing. “May I speak with you privately?”
Relief washed over me. That proved the certificates had to be forgeries.
“Liar!” Genevieve’s voice rose. “We know you’ve somehow wormed your way into the Sterling family. Those company shares should have been Fiona’s! She’s engaged to
Caleb!”
I snorted. “She’s not my real mother. Just the woman who gave birth to me and made. my life hell.”
I examined the certificate more closely. My name–Elara Dubois–was printed neatly beside Arthur Sterling’s. The date showed we’d been married for five years. Five years! The official seal looked authentic, right down to the watermark.
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“What game are you playing?” he demanded.
Something flickered in his eyes–surprise, maybe even a hint of sympathy–but it was gone so quickly I might have imagined it.
She turned to Arthur with a simpering smile that made my skin crawl. “Mr. Sterling, I’m Genevieve Thorne, Elara’s mother. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“I understand. We’ll be there shortly.” He hung up and turned to me. “That was Philip, my assistant. He’s meeting us at the bureau.”
Philip composed himself. “I’ve confirmed with the clerk that all marriage certificates require both parties to be present for registration. There’s no way this could have happened without your knowledge, Mr. Sterling.”
“Do you remember anything else about the wedding?” I asked carefully, watching the old woman’s face.
We’d been driving for about ten minutes when Arthur’s phone rang. He answered curtly, his expression darkening as he listened.
Of course. It always came back to Fiona.
“Elara! Elara Dubois!”
“What about her?” I asked flatly.
“Done for me?” I laughed bitterly. “Like what? Treating me like dirt? Making me sleep in the attic? Taking away my college fund?”
Genevieve’s eyes narrowed. “No, you’re too selfish to care about your own sister. After everything the Dubois family has done for you—”
I stared at the marriage certificate in my hands, the gold embossing catching the light as my fingers trembled. This couldn’t be real. How could I be married to Arthur Sterling without any memory of it?
I turned to see my mother, Genevieve, hurrying across the parking lot. My stomach
twisted with dread.
“There you are, dear! I was just telling Dr. Chen about how Arthur proposed to you.”
“We gave you a roof over your head! Food! Education!” she spat. “And how do you repay
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us? By stealing what rightfully belongs to Fiona!”
“Fine by me,” I snapped. “I want this cleared up as much as you do.”
I headed back to the sitting room, where Mrs. Sterling was chatting with Dr. Chen. Her face brightened when she saw me.
“What else am I supposed to think? You show up out of nowhere, claiming to be my wife. My grandmother suddenly produces marriage certificates-”
As I straightened, her hand caught mine. “Take care of him,” she whispered. “He needs you more than he knows.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly when she reached us.
“We’ll see,” I said, not wanting to make promises I couldn’t keep. I leaned down to kiss her papery cheek, surprised by the genuine affection I felt for this frail woman who believed so firmly in a marriage that couldn’t possibly exist.
Once inside, Arthur removed his hand immediately. “Your mother seems… interesting.”
His eyes narrowed. “These certificates are forgeries. They have to be.”
“She’s devastated after what happened last night,” Genevieve hissed, dropping the pleasant facade. “Kneeling in the cold all night! She could have gotten pneumonia!”
Mrs. Sterling smiled, seemingly oblivious to our distress. “I told you, dear. They arrived by mail after your registration. I kept them safe, knowing they’d be important one day.”
“That wasn’t my decision,” I said, glancing at Arthur. “And frankly, it’s not my problem.”
“I intend to.” He pulled out his phone. “We’re going to the Civil Affairs Bureau. Right
now.”
“I have some errands to run,” I explained gently. “But I’ll come back to visit.”
Arthur merely nodded, his expression unreadable.
Philip stepped forward. “We need to verify the authenticity of a marriage certificate. We believe it’s been forged.”
As we pulled away from the Sterling estate, I gazed out the window, trying to process everything. If the certificates were real, how could neither of us remember getting married? And if they were fake, who had gone to such elaborate lengths to forge them?
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“Good,” Arthur said. “Let’s get this resolved quickly.”
He placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me toward the building entrance. The unexpected touch sent warmth radiating through me, but I tried to ignore it.
Without waiting for my response, he strode from the room. I followed him into a nearby study, my heart pounding. The moment the door closed, he rounded on me.
“This isn’t over, Elara!” Genevieve called after us. “Think about what I said! Fiona
deserves those shares!”
“How can I help you?” she asked.
“I haven’t stolen anything,” I said evenly.
Philip smirked. “Of course you are. Just happened to end up with a marriage certificate to one of the wealthiest men in the country. Pure coincidence.”
Philip’s eyebrows shot up as he assessed me from head to toe. His lip curled slightly. “Your wife? That’s… unexpected.”
I forced a smile. “Mrs. Sterling, I need to go now. Thank you for your hospitality.”
We approached the information desk, where a middle–aged woman looked up from her
computer.
“With Arthur?” she asked hopefully.
Arthur cleared his throat. “Ms. Thorne, this is neither the time nor place for family drama. Elara and I have business to attend to.”
The woman frowned. “That’s a serious accusation. Do you have the certificate in question?”
The car pulled into a parking space, and we stepped out into the bright morning sun. Before we could enter the building, a familiar shrill voice called my name.
I crossed my arms. “Then prove it.”
Her expression clouded. “I… well, there are so many details…” She trailed off, her confidence faltering.
Arthur typed a quick message, then looked up. “My driver will be out front in five minutes. I suggest you say goodbye to my grandmother for now.”
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A thin, sharp–featured man approached us, his expensive suit almost as polished as Arthur’s. “Mr. Sterling, I came as soon as you called.”
Her eyes darted between me and Arthur, calculation clear in her gaze. “I heard rumors you were seen with Arthur Sterling. I couldn’t believe it until now.”
Dr. Chen cleared his throat. “Perhaps this discussion is becoming too stressful for Mrs. Sterling.”
“Elara,” she said, returning her attention to me, “I need to speak with you. About Fiona.”
“I understand perfectly well,” he cut her off coldly. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”
Arthur was waiting by the door when I stepped outside. His sleek black car pulled up, and a driver rushed to open the doors for us. We slid into the back seat in silence.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The tension between us was suffocating.
“Philip,” Arthur warned, his voice sharp.
“Philip,” Arthur nodded. “This is Elara Dubois. She claims to be my wife.”
Her face fell. “So soon? But you’ve only just arrived.”
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