“No.”
She looked at me.
“You have a condo.”
Silence.
Mom had mentioned something about it at the hotel.
Something that made no sense at first.
I had bought this home for her.
Khloe and Julian told me they needed temporary help because their apartment building was being renovated.
That was two years ago.
Apparently, six months after they moved in, they bought a condo across town.
They rented it out.
The monthly rent became part of their spending money while they continued living in my house for free.
Khloe’s eyes widened.
“Mom told you?”
“Yes.”
“That condo has tenants.”
“Then use some of the money you saved by living here free for two years and get a hotel.”
Julian finally set his glass down on the porch railing.
“You really want to do this to your own sister?”
There it was again.
Family.
I stepped closer.
“No, Julian. I wanted to surprise my mother.”
I pointed toward the house.
“I wanted to walk through that door, hug her, and see the safe life I spent six years working to give her.”
My voice began to shake despite everything I did to control it.
“I worked holidays. I missed birthdays. I missed Christmases. I missed the anniversary of my father’s death. I lived six years on the other side of the world because I wanted enough financial security to make sure my mother never scrubbed another stranger’s floor.”
Khloe looked away.
“And today, I came home and found her scrubbing yours.”
Nobody answered.
“So don’t stand there and ask whether I really want to do this.”
I took another step.
“You already did it.”
That landed.
Even Julian had nothing to say.
Then one of the guests came outside.
A tall man in a blazer.
“Julian?”
Julian turned sharply.
“Go inside, Greg.”
Greg looked at Harrison, then at the police car.
“Is everything okay?”
“Fine.”
“It doesn’t look fine.”
Khloe snapped.
“Greg, please go inside.”
Instead, Greg looked at me.
“Are you Natalie?”
I was surprised.
“Yes.”
He gave Julian a confused look.
“I thought Natalie was your investor.”
I stared at him.
“My what?”
Julian’s entire body stiffened.
Khloe whispered.
“Greg.”
But Greg had already realized he had stepped into something.
He looked embarrassed.
“Sorry. I probably misunderstood.”
“No.”
I kept my eyes on Julian.
“What did he tell you?”
Julian picked up his drink again.
“This is irrelevant.”
Greg started backing toward the door.
“I should leave.”
I looked at him.
