Then she delivered the sentence that forced me to rewrite my entire battle plan. “Anyway, when I finally get into Golden Pines, the house naturally passes to Derek. It’s his only real chance at securing a future.”
I gripped the steering wheel, the leather groaning under my knuckles. She genuinely believed the deed was already flowing toward her son. She was actively preparing to erase herself to fund his redemption arc.
“Mom,” I said, my voice vibrating with intensity. “The house was never yours to leave him. My name is the only name on the warranty deed. And by 9:00 p.m. tonight, it will belong to you in a way that no one on earth can ever touch.”
