Chapter 3: The Unmasking
Sophia stepped out from behind the patio umbrella. Her presence was quiet, almost ghost-like. Evelyn spun around, her face twisting into a mask of irritation.
"Sophia! I told you to go to your room. What are you doing out here?"
Sophia didn't flinch. She walked toward the pool edge, phone still held high, capturing Evelyn’s panicked expression. "I was watching, Mommy. I saw you throw Grandma's cane. I heard you talk about the asylum."
Evelyn stepped forward, her hand raised, her composure snapping. "Give me that phone!"
"No," Sophia said, her voice small but steady. "It's already saved, Mommy. And Grandpa's lawyers are watching. They’ve been watching the whole time."
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Evelyn froze. The word "lawyers" hit her like a physical blow. She lunged for the phone, but she was too slow. The crunch of gravel announced the arrival of a fleet of black SUVs. Not police—not yet. The Estate Executors.
"Evelyn Vance," the lead executor announced, stepping onto the patio with a stack of documents as thick as a novel. "You are hereby served with an emergency eviction notice and a petition for the immediate freezing of all assets held in your name."
