Chapter 4 - The House Threat
My house was mine.
I had bought it after my divorce with my own savings and proceeds from selling my condo. My parents gave me nothing toward the down payment.
Still, Mom’s confidence made me uneasy.
“When you refinanced,” she said, “your father helped more than you know.”
“He introduced me to a loan officer.”
“He did more.”
I pulled out my closing documents. My name was the only owner.
I called my attorney, Rachel Kim.
An hour later she called back.
“Your parents have no ownership interest,” she said. “But there’s something odd. Your father submitted a letter claiming he gifted you twenty thousand dollars toward reserves.”
“He never gave me twenty thousand dollars.”
“I figured.”
Why would Dad lie in my mortgage file?
Before I could answer that, Emma came home from school with a folded drawing.
Six stick figures stood in front of Cinderella Castle. Grandma, Grandpa, Jessica, Matthew, Sophie, Tyler.
Emma was drawn alone behind a thick black line.
THE FAMILY TRIP.
“Sophie gave this to you?” I asked.
Emma nodded. “She said Grandma told them you ruined Grandpa’s cruise because you’re jealous.”
I called Jessica.
“She didn’t draw it alone,” Jessica admitted.
My pulse jumped. “Who helped her?”
“Mom was there.”
I shut my eyes.
Mom hadn’t stopped at excluding Emma. She was teaching the other kids why Emma deserved it.
That night I changed Emma’s school pickup list and blocked Mom on her tablet.
Dad arrived carrying an envelope.
Inside was a check for $42,186.
“Reinstate the cruise,” he said.
I looked at the account name.
Jessica Mitchell.
“That money isn’t yours.”
“She offered.”
“Why?”
Dad’s expression hardened. “Because she understands what family means.”
I handed the check back.
The next morning Jessica waited outside my office.
May you like
And before she drove away, she dropped a secret I never saw coming.
“Ask Mom and Dad why they once offered Mark money to leave you.”
