The same place Ryan’s family had tried to transform into a symbol of their wealth.
Then Patricia marched toward me.
“Open the gate, Madison.”
I adjusted my blazer.
“Good afternoon, Patricia.”
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you’re better than us!”
I glanced at the moving trucks.
“Why are you moving furniture onto my property?”
She laughed sharply.
“Your property? Ryan lived here for five years!”
“That doesn’t make him the owner.”
“He’s entitled to what belongs to this family!”
“No,” I said evenly. “He isn’t.”
Behind her, Ryan shifted his weight.
He wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Vanessa stepped forward, holding her phone inches from my face.
“Everyone watching this,” she announced, “my former sister-in-law is trying to throw an entire family onto the street after taking everything from my brother!”
I looked directly into the camera.
I didn’t argue.
I didn’t explain.
I smiled.
Because they didn’t know what Victoria had discovered.
And because I could see a familiar black sedan turning onto our street.
Patricia was still shouting when the vehicle pulled up behind the moving trucks.
The driver’s door opened.
Victoria Hayes stepped out in a charcoal-gray suit, carrying a thick leather document case.
She surveyed the trucks.
The boxes.
