Derek was worse.
He came to the hospital carrying flowers for Clara.
The same man who had laughed when she said she hadn’t eaten.
He sat beside me and said:
“Once the money comes, we should expand my auto shop. You could own half.”
I almost smiled.
“Maybe.”
His eyes lit up.
I started telling them what they wanted to hear.
That I might buy a larger family home.
That I wanted everyone to benefit.
That after four years apart, maybe we should “start fresh.”
Greed did the rest.
Vivian began sending me messages listing everything she had supposedly done with my money.
Derek sent receipts from the auto shop because he wanted to prove it was “a family investment.”
Neither realized they were documenting exactly where the money had gone.
Then Vivian made the mistake that finished everything.
She brought me a folder.
“I’ve organized all the family expenses,” she said proudly. “So when your million comes, we can handle everything properly.”
I opened it.
Inside were copies of transfers.
Renovation bills.
The SUV purchase.
Payments connected to Derek’s shop.
And several pages showing withdrawals from the same account where I had sent Clara’s care money.
I looked at my mother.
