Chapter 2: The Envelope She Didn't Expect
Sarah's fist hjt the glass.
"Beth.
Open this door right now."
I took a slow sip of my tea.
She hjt it again, harder.
"I mean it.
This is not funny."
I set my cup down, walked to the door, and unlocked it calmly.
Sarah pushed inside before I could step back.
"Where is my car?"
"My car," I said.
"The title is in my name.
The payments were in my name.
Every single one of them."
Her mouth opened.
Then closed.
"You can't just—"
"And your key doesn't work," I continued, "because you are no longer the manager here.
As of this morning, your position has been terminated."
The color drained from her face.
"Greg will hear about this."
"Greg has been calling since nine fifteen," I said.
"I haven't answered."
She pulled out her phone with shaking hands.
I watched her dial.
He picked up immediately.
"She changed the locks," Sarah snapped.
"She t0ok the car.
Greg, she fired me—"
I heard his voice rise through the speaker.
Then Sarah looked up at me with something close to triumph.
"He says you have no right.
He says his lawyer—"
I reached beneath the counter and placed a folder on the glass surface between us.
Sarah stopped talking.
She stared at it.
"What is that?"
"Three years of receipts," I said quietly.
"Every payment.
Every grocery run.
Every personal lunch you charged to my business account."
Her hand didn't move toward the folder.
"There's also a letter," I added.
"From my attorney.
Drafted last night."
The phone was still in her hand.
Greg's voice was still coming through.
But Sarah had gone completely still.
Because on top of the folder sat something she hadn't expected.
May you like
A second envelope.
With her mother's name on it.
