Chapter 2
No one spoke.
Rain tapped softly against the windows.
The silence inside the kitchen was unbearable.
Robert rested one hand on the stack of legal documents.
His expression remained calm.
Too calm.
Ethan forced a nervous smile.
"Dad... this isn't what it looks like."
Robert looked at him.
"Then tell me."
"What does it look like?"
Ethan glanced toward Chelsea.
Then at Marlene.
No one answered.
Finally, Marlene stepped forward.
"Robert, you've misunderstood."
"We were only trying to help."
Robert slowly turned toward her.
"Help?"
She nodded confidently.
"You and Eleanor are getting older."
"It only makes sense to transfer everything while you're still healthy."
Robert smiled.
It wasn't a warm smile.
It was the kind that made everyone in the room uncomfortable.
"So you decided that for us?"
Greg cleared his throat.
"Ethan is your only son."
"Eventually everything will belong to him anyway."
Robert folded his arms.
"Eventually."
He repeated the word quietly.
"But not today."
Ethan finally stepped forward.
"Dad, why are you making this into such a big deal?"
Robert stared at him.
"A big deal?"
"You tried to trick your mother into signing away everything we own."
Ethan rolled his eyes.
"We weren't stealing."
"We were protecting the family assets."
Robert's face remained expressionless.
Then Ethan said the sentence he would regret for the rest of his life.
"You and Mom don't even need all that money anymore."
The room became silent.
Eleanor stood in the doorway, tears filling her eyes again.
Robert looked at his son for a long moment.
"When did you decide your mother and I became a burden?"
Ethan looked away.
Chelsea finally spoke.
"We're just thinking about the future."
Robert nodded slowly.
"So am I."
He picked up one of the documents.
Then calmly tore it in half.
The sound echoed through the kitchen.
Another page.
Rip.
Another.
Rip.
Within seconds...
Every document lay in pieces across the marble island.
Marlene gasped.
"You can't do that!"
Robert looked directly at her.
"I just did."
Ethan's face turned red.
"Dad!"
"You don't understand!"
"I've already made plans!"
"What plans?"
Robert asked quietly.
Ethan hesitated.
Then Greg answered for him.
"They already put a deposit on a larger house."
"They were counting on the transfer."
Robert couldn't believe what he was hearing.
They hadn't just planned to inherit someday.
They had already spent money they didn't own.
Robert looked at his son.
"You gambled with your mother's home."
Ethan opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Robert reached into his jacket pocket.
He removed his phone.
Pressed one button.
"My attorney?"
"I need you at my house."
"Bring every estate document we've ever signed."
He ended the call.
Then looked at Ethan one final time.
May you like
"You wanted to discuss ownership."
"So did I."
