Chapter 14 - The Forged RefusalEvelyn opened her small evening bag and removed a folded copy of an old administrative form.
“I kept this because the signature bothered me.”
She placed it on the table.
The document stated that Jenna Hale declined the Montgomery trauma fellowship due to lack of interest.
Jenna stared at the signature.
It resembled hers.
But the final stroke curved the wrong way.
“I never signed that.”
Evelyn nodded.
“We suspected as much after reviewing your later applications.”
Richard stepped backward.
Marianne whispered his name.
Silas’s voice became dangerous.
“Who submitted it?”
Evelyn pointed toward the contact information listed at the bottom.
The response had been mailed from Richard’s townhouse.
Jenna looked at her father.
“You forged my signature?”
Richard raised both hands.
“I was trying to close the matter.”
“You signed my name.”
“The hospital kept calling.”
“Because I had been selected.”
“You were already overwhelmed.”
Jenna’s voice rose for the first time.
“You do not get to steal my decisions and call it protection.”
Guests recoiled from Richard as though shame had become physical.
Marianne began crying.
Felicity stared at the forged form.
“Dad, you told me Jenna refused.”
Richard looked at her.
“You wanted the gala invitation. I needed the other matter resolved.”
The confession exposed the agreement between them.
Felicity received the glamorous opportunity.
Richard eliminated the professional one.
Both benefited from Jenna’s silence.
Adrian looked at Felicity.
“You knew he handled the fellowship?”
“I thought she didn’t want it.”
“You never asked her.”
“She would have said no just to make me feel guilty.”
Jenna’s anger cooled.
There was no answer capable of reaching Felicity.
Every act of cruelty became self-defense in her mind.
Every theft became compensation for imagined neglect.
Silas lifted the forged refusal from the table.
“This will be investigated.”
Richard’s face tightened.
“You are threatening me?”
“No.”
Silas folded the document carefully.
May you like
“I am informing you.”
👉 Richard had finally admitted the forgery, but Felicity was about to reveal why she had needed Jenna kept away from the Montgomery family.
