The tip of the ballpoint pen hovered over the signature line of the medical release form.
The room held its breath. The lawyer leaned in, sweating. The doctor adjusted his glasses. Lydia Laurent stopped crying long enough to lean forward, her eyes greedy and sharp, waiting for the ink that would unlock the Vale Family Trust and save her financial life.
"Just sign it, Aria," Lydia urged, her voice trembling with faux-desperation. "Please. For your father."
Aria looked at the line. 'Authorized Representative: Aria Sinclair.'
She smiled. It was a small, private smile.
"You know," Aria said, her voice conversational. "I realized something. This form is asking for a family member to take responsibility. But I'm not really family, am I? According to Raymond, I was a 'bad investment'."
She lowered the pen.
She didn't sign her name.
