Chapter 4 - The Digital Witness
A tall, stern-looking man in a sharp suit stepped out of the black sedan.
He carried a leather briefcase and adjusted his glasses as he surveyed the tense scene on the lawn.
Jason's confident posture faltered, his eyes darting toward the stranger.
"Can I help you?" Jason asked, his voice pitching higher than usual.
The man ignored him, walking directly over to me with a respectful nod.
"Good morning, Eleanor," he said warmly.
"Good morning, Arthur," I replied, feeling a surge of relief.
Arthur was not just an old friend of my late husband; he was one of the most ruthless real estate attorneys in the state.
"Who the hell is this?" Melissa demanded, crossing her arms defensively.
"This is my lawyer," I announced.
"And he is here to finalize the eviction process."
Jason burst into nervous laughter, pointing a finger at Arthur.
"You can't evict us!"
"I told her already, the house is in my name, and the paperwork is filed."
Arthur calmly opened his briefcase and pulled out a tablet.
"Yes, Jason, we are aware of the quitclaim deed you filed," Arthur said smoothly.
"However, the notary public whose stamp is on that document happens to be under federal investigation."
Jason's face turned the color of ash.
"When questioned yesterday, the notary confessed to stamping dozens of forged documents for cash," Arthur continued.
"He specifically remembered a young man paying him five hundred dollars to stamp a deed without the co-signer present."
Melissa backed away from Jason, her eyes wide with panic.
"You idiot!" she hissed at him.
"You told me it was handled legally!"
Jason was sweating profusely now, completely trapped in his own web of lies.
"It's a mistake, I can explain everything," Jason stammered, looking frantically between me and Arthur.
"There is nothing to explain, Jason," I said, feeling a heavy sorrow mixed with justice.
"You have thirty days to vacate my property."
Melissa's panic suddenly vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating glare.
May you like
"Fine, take the stupid house," she spat venomously.
"But if you do this, you will never see your grandchildren again."
