I closed my eyes.
My mother hadn’t only stolen money.
She had tried to destroy my wife’s mind.
That afternoon, Emily gave a statement to investigators.
She described the tea.
The threats.
The attempts to have her declared unstable.
The pressure to surrender Sophie.
The house also reverted to the family trust.
My grandparents had placed it under strict protections.
My parents only retained occupancy rights while they remained in compliance with trust terms.
Their crimes voided those rights.
I changed every lock before sunset.
Days later, my mother appeared after posting bail.
She stood outside carrying a suitcase.
Wearing dark sunglasses.
Still arrogant.
Emily stood on the porch holding Sophie.
This time neither of them was cold.
“You can’t leave your own mother homeless,” Rebecca cried.
Emily stepped forward.
“You left a baby in a blizzard.”
I handed my mother an envelope.
Inside was a seven-day hotel reservation.
