Chapter 5 - THE CONFRONTATION AT STERLING'S OFFICE
Three days later, David and I drove north to Seattle. We didn't head to my parents' house. We went straight to the sleek law office of Richard Sterling in downtown Bellevue.
Sterling was a slick, sixty-something estate attorney known for helping wealthy families navigate loop-holes. He had invited "the trustees" to his office at 2:00 PM to finalize the recording of the trust documents and execute a two-million-dollar commercial loan application against my properties.
He didn't know that David and I had obtained an emergency ex-parte temporary restraining order signed by a King County Superior Court judge three hours earlier.
When David and I walked into Sterling's corner conference room at 2:15 PM, the scene was almost surreal.
My father was sitting at the glass table wearing his best suit. My mother was sitting beside him, smiling proudly as she looked at a brochure for a luxury retirement community in Arizona. Tessa was lounging in a leather chair, holding a pen, chatting animatedly with Richard Sterling about opening an escrow account for her boutique.
They looked like a happy, prosperous family celebrating a financial windfall.
The moment the door opened and I walked in, followed by David and two uniformed King County Sheriff's deputies, the laughter in the room vanished instantly.
Tessa dropped her pen onto the table. My mother gasped, her hand rushing to her throat.
"Mara?" Grant stammered, standing up so fast his chair scraped loudly against the hardwood floor. "What... what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question, Dad," I said, stepping up to the conference table.
Richard Sterling frowned, standing up and adjusting his tie. "Excuse me, who allowed you into this private meeting? I am in the middle of a confidential client conference."
David Vance stepped forward, pulling a thick blue folder from his leather briefcase and slamming it down on the table in front of Sterling.
"My name is David Vance, legal counsel for Mara Ellis and managing owner of Cascade Real Estate Capital LLC," David announced loudly. "And you, Mr. Sterling, are currently participating in the execution of a forged instrument involving five million dollars in stolen corporate equity."
Sterling's face turned pale. "Forged? What are you talking about? Mrs. Ellis signed the trust agreement on December 26th in front of a certified notary!"
"I was in Portland, Oregon on December 26th," I said, looking directly at my sister. "I have highway toll records, security camera footage from my townhouse garage, and credit card receipts proving I never set foot in King County that day."
Tessa's face drained of all color. She looked wildly toward our father, her hands beginning to tremble.
"Furthermore," David continued, turning to the two sheriff's deputies standing at the door, "we have a certified forensic handwriting report confirming that the signature on the document is a fraudulent tracing. Deputies, here is the Superior Court Restraining Order freezing all activities related to this trust immediately."
My mother burst into tears. "Mara! How could you bring the police here?! We are your family!"
"You forged my signature, Mom!" I yelled, the anger exploding out of me for the first time. "You tried to steal my company! You hired an attorney to strip me of everything I spent twelve years building!"
"We were doing it for the family!" Grant shouted, his face turning beet red. "You refused to help us! You were hoarding millions while your sister was struggling! We took what was rightfully ours to protect this family's future!"
"It was never yours, Dad!" I screamed back, tears of fury stinging my eyes. "None of it was yours! You didn't lay a single brick! You didn't pay a single mortgage! You lied, you cheated, and you stole!"
One of the sheriff's deputies stepped forward, pulling out a notepad. "Mr. Grant Ellis, Ms. Tessa Ellis, Mrs. Elaine Ellis, you are all currently named as primary suspects in a criminal investigation regarding felony forgery and grand theft. Do not leave the state, do not attempt to alter any financial records, and prepare to be contacted by detectives from the Fraud Division."
Tessa began to sob loudly, covering her face. "Dad, you said she wouldn't check! You said she wouldn't hire a lawyer against us!"
Grant collapsed back into his chair, looking aged by twenty years in a single minute.
May you like
I looked at the three of them—the people who were supposed to love me, protect me, and celebrate my success—and felt nothing left inside me except a quiet, profound emptiness.
"I am suing all three of you," I said softly. "And I am pressing full criminal charges. Goodbye."
