“He hesitated because he knew how painful it would be for me to see my mother and brother prosecuted. He wanted to give you one opportunity to confess and legally dissolve the companies.”
I closed the folder.
The sound echoed through the foyer.
“But Ethan is gone now.”
I looked directly at my mother.
“And I do not share his hesitation.”
The silence that followed was absolute.
Even the old clock in the living room sounded like a countdown.
My mother’s face had turned completely white.
“Maya, you would not do this,” she said. “We are your parents. Julian is your brother. You cannot destroy your own family over a few financial adjustments.”
“You destroyed my family when you decided a tropical vacation mattered more than saying goodbye to Ethan and Chloe.”
Saying my daughter’s name brought a sharp ache to my throat, but I forced myself to continue.
