She refused it.
Instead she remained standing.
Caleb smiled.
“Furniture can be unforgiving.”
Lara looked at him.
“So can forged signatures.”
Silence.
Caleb’s face changed.
Elias almost smiled.
Caleb recovered.
“I have no idea what—”
“My brother witnessed your fraudulent survey transcription.”
Caleb stopped.
Lara continued:
“My father lent your company eighteen thousand dollars.”
“Thomas now controls that debt.”
“You forged Elias’s marriage agreement.”
“And whichever of you decided I was too stupid to inspect records made the first serious mistake.”
Caleb leaned back.
His expression became different.
No more amusement.
Calculation.
“You’re sharper than Thomas described.”
That hurt more than Lara expected.
Not because Caleb insulted her.
Because Thomas had discussed her.
“What exactly did he describe?”
Caleb lifted one shoulder.
“Dependent.”
“Emotional.”
“Difficult.”
“Unmarriageable.”
Elias’s hand tightened.
Lara noticed.
She said:
“Sit.”
He looked at her.
“I am sitting.”
“Emotionally.”
Despite himself, Elias smiled.
Caleb did not.
Lara continued:
“What did Thomas pay you?”
Caleb laughed.
“You think your brother paid me?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Caleb leaned forward.
“I paid him.”
Lara’s stomach tightened.
“How much?”
“Five thousand.”
Elias swore.
“For what?”
Caleb looked toward him.
“To deliver Miss Higgins.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Lara’s face went numb.
“Deliver.”
Caleb realized the word.
Too late.
He continued anyway.
“Thomas needed her married.”
“I needed you distracted.”
“The plan was efficient.”
Elias stood.
Caleb’s guards shifted.
Lara grabbed Elias’s coat.
“Sit.”
He looked down.
Her eyes were fierce.
He sat.
Caleb smiled.
“Good woman.”
Lara turned.
“Do not speak about me like livestock.”
The smile vanished.
“What happens to my trust if I marry?”
Caleb looked at her.
“You don't know?”
“I'm asking you.”
He considered lying.
Then decided truth would hurt more.
“Remaining assets revert to Thomas.”
Lara’s heart clenched.
“How much?”
“Cash?”
“About twenty-two thousand.”
Her face went white.
She had been told twelve originally.
Thomas had controlled it.
Caleb continued:
“And the Ryland note.”
“So Thomas would own your debt.”
“Yes.”
“And you planned to repay him with disputed land.”
Caleb smiled.
“Land you don't own.”
Elias said.
“Depends which survey a judge believes.”
“We have original.”
Caleb’s eyes flickered.
First true alarm.
Lara saw.
“You didn't know.”
Caleb said nothing.
She leaned slightly forward.
“You thought the original was gone.”
Still nothing.
Elias understood.
“How?”
Caleb looked toward his whiskey.
Lara whispered:
“Thomas told you.”
Caleb’s silence confirmed.
Maybe Thomas had been involved in altering or destroying copies.
This went deeper.
Lara’s voice became cold.
“What happens if Elias refuses to marry me?”
Caleb smiled again.
“Thomas terminates support.”
“Leaves you stranded.”
“Perhaps you reconsider.”