My mother had sent eleven messages.
The first demanded an apology.
The second accused David of financial intimidation.
The third threatened to remove me from the family inheritance.
By the final message, her tone had changed completely.
“Clara, darling, we need to discuss this privately before outsiders ruin everything.”
I stared at those words.
She had never called Leo darling during his illness.
She had never asked whether his fever had broken.
Yet the possibility of losing her fortune had suddenly made her remember the language of affection.
Chloe leaned over my shoulder.
“She’s doing it again.”
I looked up.
“Doing what?”
“Making you feel responsible for fixing something she caused.”
My eyes filled.
“How long have you known?”
Chloe swallowed.
“I didn’t know about the loans.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
She lowered her gaze.
“I’ve watched her do it to you my entire life.”
