Charles skimmed the page—and then burst out laughing.
A loud, dismissive laugh that echoed through the lobby.
“This is ridiculous,” he said, shaking his head. “Another scam.”
He looked down at Noah with thinly veiled contempt.
“Let me guess. Someone told you my brother was your father and sent you here hoping we’d hand over money.”
Noah gripped his suitcase handle tighter.
“I’m not lying,” he said quietly.
Charles scoffed. “Do you know how many people try this trick every year? My brother had no children.”
Noah’s voice trembled, but he stood his ground.
“My mom never asked for anything. She just said if something happened to her… I should come here.”
The room had grown completely silent.
Something in the boy’s voice made even the skeptical employees uneasy.
Finally, one of the board members who had followed Charles downstairs spoke up.
“Why not run a DNA test?” she suggested. “If it’s nonsense, we’ll know in a day.”
Charles sighed impatiently.
“Fine,” he said. “Let’s settle this once and for all.”
Two days later, Noah sat nervously in a polished conference room at the top floor of Harrington Global.
The board of directors sat around the long table.