PART 2
Julian stepped onto the porch.
For the first time that evening, the confidence disappeared from his face.
Behind him, I could hear music and laughter.
He looked at my car, then at me.
“Natalie?”
“Good evening, Julian.”
He swallowed.
“You came back early.”
“Six years away gave me plenty of time to learn patience.”
I walked toward the house.
Julian stepped in front of the doorway.
“Wait. We need to talk.”
“No.”
He looked confused.
“No?”
“You’ve had two years to talk.”
I held up my phone.
“Tonight, we’re going to verify everything.”
His eyes dropped to the screen.
I had already received the documents from Harrison.
The deed.
The purchase agreement.
The property records.
And the most important document of all:
There was no lease.
Not one.
Julian suddenly became defensive.
“Your mother let us live here.”
“My mother doesn’t own this house.”
He went silent.
I stepped closer.
“And neither do you.”
At that moment, Harrison pulled into the driveway.
Two attorneys were with him.
A locksmith’s truck followed behind.
Julian stared at the vehicles.
“What is this?”
I smiled.
“You wanted to know what the law says by nine?”
I glanced at my watch.
“Nine o’clock.”
Exactly.
Harrison walked up the driveway carrying a thick folder.
“Mr. Julian, I’m Harrison Vance. I’m representing Natalie regarding this property.”
Julian tried to laugh.
“This is ridiculous.”
Harrison opened the folder.
“The property is registered solely in Natalie’s name. There is no lease agreement with you or your wife.”
Julian’s face tightened.
“You can’t just throw us out.”
“No one is throwing anyone anywhere tonight,” Harrison said calmly. “You are being given formal notice to vacate.”
Julian looked at me.
“But we’ve invested money into this house.”
“Show me the receipts.”
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then Khloe appeared behind him.
She had clearly heard everything.
“Julian…”
He turned toward her.
“Go pack.”
She stared at him.
“Pack what?”
“Our things.”
Her expression changed.
“You said this house was ours.”
Julian didn’t answer.
I looked at Khloe.
“He told you that?”
She nodded slowly.
I took out another document.
“Then you should know something.”
She looked at it.
“This house was purchased in cash two years ago.”
Her eyes widened.
“And every property tax payment has been made by me.”
Silence.
Then Khloe turned toward Julian.
“You told me your mother-in-law gave you the house.”
Julian looked furious.
“Not now.”
“No,” Khloe said. “Right now.”
Their argument moved inside.
I didn’t follow.
Instead, I walked back toward the backyard.
My mother was standing near the patio doors.
She looked frightened.
I took her hand.
“Mom, this is your house.”
She shook her head.
“No, sweetheart. It’s yours.”
I smiled.
“I bought it for you.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“I was afraid they’d make you sell it.”
“They can’t.”
Then she whispered:
“I should have told you sooner.”
“You were scared.”
She nodded.
“But I’m not scared anymore.”
Neither was I.
A few minutes later, Harrison called me aside.
“There is one more thing you need to know.”
“What?”
He lowered his voice.
“We found something in the financial records.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Your mother’s monthly money wasn’t only being used for household expenses.”
“Where was it going?”
Harrison handed me several pages.
I looked down.
There were repeated transfers.
Small at first.
Then larger.
All going to the same account.
Khloe’s account.
But that wasn’t what shocked me.
The most recent transfer was dated only three days earlier.
$27,000.
I looked toward the house.
Khloe was standing in the doorway.
She saw the papers in my hand.
And the color drained from her face.
Harrison whispered:
“Natalie, I think they weren’t just taking advantage of your mother.”
He pointed at the last transaction.
“They were preparing to leave.”
I looked at the amount again.
Then at the house.
Then at my mother.
And suddenly I realized…
They had been planning something much bigger than stealing her allowance.
PART 3 — TO BE CONTINUED…
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