Of course he knew.
The packet wasn’t an accident.
It wasn’t something forgotten.
It was something hidden.
Protected.
And now—
Exposed.
“Give it to me,” Arthur said quickly, too quickly.
Dr. Hale didn’t move.
Instead, he carefully opened the seal.
Inside was a document.
Old, but preserved.
Official.
Stamped.
Signed.
His eyes scanned the first lines.
Then widened.
“This is…” He looked up, voice unsteady. “This is a property transfer agreement.”
Dr. Grant stepped closer. “What property?”
Dr. Hale swallowed.
“A land acquisition… dated twenty-two years ago.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Arthur’s breathing grew louder.
“Stop reading,” he snapped.
But the doctor kept going.
“…transfer of ownership from Daniel Carter to Whitmore Holdings… under medical duress.”
The words landed like blows.
The boy’s expression didn’t change.
But something behind his eyes hardened.
“Keep reading,” he said.
Dr. Hale hesitated.
Then continued.
“…signed while the original owner was declared mentally unfit following a head injury… witnessed by attending physician Arthur Whitmore.”
Silence.
Absolute.
Total.
The kind of silence that doesn’t just fill a room—it exposes it.
Dr. Grant looked at Arthur in disbelief.
“You were the physician?” she asked.