charged me rent.”
“We had expenses.”
“I paid the expenses!”
Mom started crying.
Real tears this time.
“Claire, please understand—”
“No. I’ve been understanding my entire life.”
Mr. Hale cleared his throat.
“There is more.”
Of course there was.
There was always more.
He explained that Grandma Evelyn had created the trust after becoming suspicious of Dad’s financial habits.
When I turned eighteen, he had been granted limited access to the funds strictly for my education, healthcare, and housing.
But according to the records Mr. Hale had recently reviewed, hundreds
