Chapter 2 - The Deed on the Table
Silence stretched through the open-concept dining room of the Tribeca penthouse, suffocating and vast.
Julian glared at me, his chest heaving as he tried to process the icy certainty in my voice.
"You're out of your mind, Evelyn," he sneered, though a flicker of genuine terror danced in his dark eyes.
"I transfer my salary to my mother's account, and she handles the wire payments to the property management firm!"
I didn't argue with him; instead, I reached into the oversized pocket of my sweatshirt and pulled out a thick, leather-bound folder.
I threw it down right beside the spilling bowls of instant ramen, the heavy thud sounding like a gavel dropping in a courtroom.
"Take a look, Julian," I said softly, resting my hand on my baby bump. "Page three, bottom right corner."
Eleanor scrambled forward, her manicured fingers trembling as she yanked the folder open before her son could even reach for it.
Her eyes scanned the certified legal documents, stopping at the official stamp of the New York County Clerk's Office.
"This... this says the property is held by Vanguard Holdings LLC," Eleanor stammered, her voice dropping an octave as her composure shattered.
"Vanguard Holdings is my private family trust," I revealed, leaning over the table to look her dead in the eye.
"My grandfather established it thirty years ago. I bought this entire penthouse in full with cash six months before I ever met your son."
Julian gasped, snatching the papers from his mother's hands, his face flushing crimson as he read the deed details.
May you like
"You... you told me we were renting this place from a private investor!" Julian yelled, his hands shaking violently against the parchment.
"I let you believe that so I could see what kind of man you truly were," I replied coldly. "And now I know."
