“Actually, it can’t.”
She lowered her voice.
“Rachel has worked very hard to build relationships with these people. You have no idea how embarrassing your behavior can be.”
There it was.
Not even five minutes.
Patricia looked past me at Marcus.
“And who is this?”
“My attorney.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“For what?”
Before I answered, Daniel rushed through the front doors.
“Mom?”
He looked terrified.
Not angry.
Terrified.
That told me he already knew why Marcus was there.
“Mom, can we talk inside?”
“You asked me not to come inside.”
“Please.”
Rachel appeared behind him.
She wore an expensive cream-colored dress and held a champagne glass.
Her face hardened when she saw me.
“Daniel, handle this.”
I almost laughed.
Rachel turned to me.
“Evelyn, today is about our son. You were specifically asked to respect our boundaries.”
“Our boundaries?”
“Yes.”
Marcus glanced down at the documents in his hand.
I said, “That’s an interesting phrase to use when standing on someone else’s property.”
Rachel froze.
Patricia scoffed.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. We are not doing this again. Daniel and Rachel have lived here for six years. This is their home.”
“No,” Marcus said.
Everyone turned toward him.
He opened his leather portfolio.
“This property is owned entirely by Caldwell Property Group. Mrs. Evelyn Caldwell is the controlling owner of that company.”
A nearby conversation stopped.
Then another.
Within seconds, the terrace became strangely quiet.
Patricia stared at me.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Marcus produced a certified copy of the deed.
“It’s public record.”
Rachel’s fingers tightened around her glass.
Daniel looked at the ground.
That was when Patricia finally looked at him.
“Daniel?”
He said nothing.
“Daniel, tell him he’s lying.”
Still nothing.
Her face slowly changed.
“You knew?”
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
“Mom, please.”
Patricia took one step backward.
“You told us this house was protected after your business failed.”
“It was.”
“By whom?”
Daniel looked at me.
Patricia followed his eyes.
For the first time in six years, she understood.
The woman she had treated like a poor relation had paid for the roof above her head.
