Chapter 3 - What Comes OutOn the screen, Rhett clutched the blue folder and yelled something at Callum I couldn't hear.
"Marcus, please," Renata's voice broke behind me. "If he gets arrested, everything comes out."
I turned around slowly. "What comes out?"
She glanced at our mother. Mom stared at the floor.
And I realized my sister hadn't built this lie alone.
For a moment, nobody moved. Mom kept staring at the floor, one hand gripping her necklace like she could trap the truth inside her own throat. Renata stood by the table with tears in her eyes — tears of panic, of being caught.
"Did you know?" I asked my father.
"Know what?"
"Harold, don't," my mother whispered.
He turned toward her. "Evelyn."
The sirens grew louder outside, but my eyes stayed fixed on the live feed. Callum had gotten out of his truck, hands visible, keeping his distance. Rhett waved the blue folder like a weapon, tried slipping around the truck. Callum kept blocking the alley.
I called him, put it on speaker. "Police are nearly there."
"He says the folder belongs to him," Callum said.
"It doesn't."
Rhett's voice came through, rough and furious. "Tell Marcus to call them off! This is family business!"
"Family business?" I said, staring at Renata.
She sobbed. "Please. You don't understand."
"Then explain it."
I glanced toward the living room, where Desmond, Piper, and Sienna were watching from the doorway. I told them to sit by the fireplace where I could see them. Piper grabbed Desmond's hand. Sienna followed, pale and quiet.
Once they were out of earshot, I turned back to Renata. "Start talking."
She wiped her face. "Rhett came back in September."
My father stepped forward. "Back? You said he left the state."
"He was staying two towns away."
"You told us he ruined your credit and left you with nothing."
"He did," she snapped.
Mom's voice broke. "Not all of it."
Dad turned toward her. "What does that mean?"
She looked ten years older under the chandelier. "After the divorce, Renata called me. Rhett had debts, yes, but some were hers. Credit cards. Vacations. The Mercedes down payment. She begged me not to tell anybody because she was embarrassed."
"So you let me buy her a house based on half the truth," I said.
"I thought you could afford it," Mom whispered.
That sentence nearly knocked the breath out of me. Not I'm sorry. Not I was wrong. I thought you could afford it.
Renata jumped in. "Rhett said if we got temporary control of the property, we could refinance, clear everything, and repay you."
"Temporary control of a house under my name?"
"He knew a paralegal. He said if we got copies of your signature and insurance records, we could prepare a transfer for you to sign afterward."
My father's face went gray. "A transfer?"
"I wasn't stealing it," Renata cried. "I needed leverage. You were threatening to kick me out."
"I gave you the option to pay rent."
"You embarrassed me in front of everybody."
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I pointed at the dining table. "You served my children cat food in front of everybody."
She flinched.
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