I pressed my back against the wall, my heart pounding violently as Emily’s low whisper leaked through the gap beneath the living room door.
“The insurance settlement from his wife’s accident went directly into an unlisted trust,” she murmured into her phone. “The daughter thinks she’s the sole beneficiary, but after the wedding papers were finalized last week, I have legal control over every asset.”
My knees buckled slightly, but I caught myself against the hallway table, forcing my breathing to stay completely silent. The teacher who had spent months giving me extra essay feedback had been dissecting my family’s tragedy from the very beginning.
“He’s completely reliant on me now,” Emily continued, a cold laugh trailing off her lips. “By the time the girl leaves for college in the fall, there won’t be a single penny left in that house for her to inherit.”
I stumbled back up the stairs into my bedroom, closing the door soundlessly as tears spilled down my face. What dark truth was Emily keeping from my father? Continue reading Part 3 below to see what I discovered next.
