Chapter 3
When Gabriel and I pulled up to the old address, we found Beatrice standing directly in front of the front porch like a sentry defending a fortress from invaders. Lucas and Chloe were standing firmly at her flanks.
Positioned opposite them were our real estate agent, a representative from the escrow company, and the young married couple who had purchased the property, all looking extremely uncomfortable.
“Tell these random intruders to leave right now!” Beatrice shrieked the instant she caught sight of Gabriel walking up the driveway. “They are trying to throw me out onto the street from my own home!”
Gabriel did not raise his voice or match her screaming. He simply unzipped a thick leather binder he was carrying.
“Mom, this was never your home to begin with.”
Beatrice froze in place, her face turning pale.
“I am your biological mother!”
“Yes, you are, but that title does not grant you ownership of property you never paid for.”
Our real estate agent stepped forward and displayed official copies of the deed, the notarized sales agreement, and the property transfer certificate. Everything was executed in full compliance with the law.
Beatrice pressed both of her trembling hands against her chest.
“I sold my own house in my old neighborhood just so I could come live with you, and now you are tossing me out like trash?”
Gabriel looked directly into her eyes for several long seconds before speaking.
“You sold your house without bothering to consult me, and you gave a massive portion of those proceeds directly to Lucas when he wanted to launch his failed business venture, which was your choice to make with your money, so why should our choice regarding our own property be treated any differently?”
Lucas stepped forward aggressively, pointing an angry finger at Gabriel.
“Because Mom currently resides here!”
“Living under a roof does not make a person the legal owner of the structure, Lucas.”
Chloe crossed her arms tightly over her chest, letting out an irritated snort.
“Well, since you two have already gone ahead and bought another house, what on earth is stopping you from simply handing this house over to Mom and Lucas?”
May you like
I stepped into the center of the yard, staring Chloe down.
“What is stopping us is the fact that this house cost us years of grueling hard work to pay off, it cost us a massive mortgage loan that we are still working to clear, and it belongs to our son’s future inheritance, so we will not hand it over just because you feel entitled to divide assets that were never yours.”
