Marco arrived with the leather ledger and addressed Mrs. Ashford by name, astonishing Trevor and the others. Thirty-one years earlier, she and her late husband had opened the restaurant, and she still owned sixty percent of the business. Her membership number, 000213, belonged to the founder’s house account, which required her personal approval for every charge. Trevor knew his mother had invested in a restaurant but had never bothered to learn which establishment she owned.
Mrs. Ashford exposed the forged signature in front of everyone, leaving Vivian visibly pale. She later learned that Malcolm’s expensive-looking watch was a replica and that the family was three months behind on its mortgage. Vivian had copied Mrs. Ashford’s signature from a birthday card sent to Chelsea, while Trevor had obtained the membership number from an old receipt in his mother’s kitchen. Chelsea had told him that his mother signed the authorization during lunch, and he had chosen to believe her.
Marco canceled the reception and arranged for security to escort the Reed family out. After Gianna thanked Mrs. Ashford for intervening, she filed a police report that evening. Vivian was subsequently charged with forgery. Mrs. Ashford chose not to press charges against Trevor, instead sitting beside him outside and asking when she had stopped being considered his family. He was unable to answer.
