Chapter 5

Michael's tone turned serious. "In court, they can paint you however they want.

"They'll emphasize that you're big sister, the one who controlled the entire inheritance, while she's the poor sister struggling overseas with no idea what you did with the money. They'll make you look like the evil sister who took advantage of her absence and stole everything."

"What about the truth?" I asked.

Michael tapped the stack of bank statements. "The truth needs evidence to back it up. These are a start, but they're not enough. We need more. The hearing is next Wednesday, so we only have five days. You need to do a few things before then."

He pulled out a notebook from his drawer and started writing a list.

"First, go through all the recordings and mark the parts where she asks for money and promises to pay you back. Get them transcribed.

"Second, contact your relatives and get at least two of them to testify in court.

"Third, get documentation from the school, bank, and community center proving that you've been the one running the household since your parents died.

"Fourth, and this is the most important one, find a way to get Emily's spending records from abroad. We need to prove she wasn't as struggling as she claims."

"How am I supposed to do the fourth one?" I asked. "She's overseas. How can I possibly get those records?"

Michael set down his pen and looked at me. "Grace, your sister came back to the country, right?"

"She did."

"Does she have social media? Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter?"

It took me a second, but then it clicked.

By the time I left the law office, it was completely dark outside. The city night was still humid and hot, and I walked down the sidewalk clutching the folder.

I passed store after store with their lights on. A clothing boutique, a pizza place, a hair salon, a convenience store. Normal people living everyday lives on a typical night.

My phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp message from Emily.

[Grace, Henry says if you're willing to settle, we'll only ask for 160 thousand dollars back. The rest can count as money I lent you, and you can pay me back later. Everyone wins this way.]

I stopped walking and stood in front of a coffee shop. Sweet smells drifted out from inside, and a few girls who looked like high schoolers crowded around the counter ordering drinks and laughing.

I typed back my response: [No need. I'll see you in court.]

I hit send.

Almost immediately, her call came through. I stared at the screen as "Little Sister" flashed for three seconds, then declined the call.

She called again.

I declined again.

When she called the third time, I answered but didn't say anything.

Emily's voice came through with a hint of urgency. "Grace! Why do you keep hanging up on me? Can't we just talk this through?"

I kept my voice calm. "Talk about what?"

She said, "About a solution. Grace, I know things have been tough for you, but they've been tough for me, too.

"I was alone in a foreign country where I didn't speak the language and everything was different. Do you know how hard that was? I finally finished school and came back, and I want what's mine. What's wrong with that?"

I repeated her words slowly. "What's yours. How much is that?"

The other end went silent for a moment, and then she spoke. "Half of the 290 thousand dollars. That's 145 thousand. But Henry says that considering you might have contributed something over the years, we're willing to go down to 100 thousand."

I said quietly, "Might have contributed something? Emily, do you really think the only money you spent was the 290 thousand dollars Mom and Dad left?"

There was a barely noticeable panic in her voice. "What else would it be? Grace, I know you probably covered some living expenses, but that's nothing. I'll pay you back later. Right now we're talking about Mom and Dad's inheritance. This is about principle."

I repeated the phrase. "About principle." I suddenly found it laughable. "Fine. Let's talk about principle in court."

Her voice rose. "Grace! Do you really have to take this to court? Do you know how expensive lawyers are? Do you know how much time and energy a lawsuit takes? Can your little shop even handle that?"

I asked, "So you're looking out for me?"

She faltered. "I—"

I said, "Emily, do you remember the night of Mom and Dad's funeral? We were at home and you said you were scared. I told you not to be afraid because I was there for you. Do you remember that?"

The other end of the line went quiet.

I said, "I remember. I've always remembered."

Then I hung up the phone.

I stood outside the coffee shop, and the warm yellow lights hit my skin, but I felt nothing.

I pulled out my phone and opened Emily's Instagram account. I'd created it six years ago when she left for school, so I could see her photos. Later, looking at them hurt too much, so I stopped checking.

Her account was still active, but she had changed her profile picture. The new photo showed her standing in front of her university library in her graduation gown, and her smile looked radiant. Her latest post was from yesterday and included 9 photos.

I opened the first one. It was the airport photo she had sent me earlier.

The second photo showed a luxury hotel room with floor-to-ceiling windows, and I could see the Trade Center building in the distance.

The third was a close-up of dishes from a Michelin-starred restaurant.

The fourth showed her and Henry holding hands from behind, standing in front of a designer boutique.

The fifth was a massive bouquet of roses with a card that read: [Welcome home, my princess.]

The sixth was a close-up of her luggage, and several luxury brand logos were clearly visible on the bags.

The seventh showed her raising a glass with a group of people at an upscale lounge, and everyone was dressed to the nines.

The eighth was a close-up of Henry's business card, and the law firm's name gleamed in gold lettering.

The ninth was just text: [Six years of waiting were all for a better homecoming. Thank you to everyone who supported me, especially Henry. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today.]

The caption read: [Finally home, and it was all worth it. The future looks bright.] It came with hashtags "studyabroad", "lawyerboyfriend", and "blessed."

I opened each photo in full size and saved it to my phone. Then I scrolled through her posts from the past six years.

At first, she complained about academic pressure, missing home, and the terrible dining hall food. Later, the posts shifted to travel photos of famous landmarks in every country and snowy mountain ranges.

After that came pictures of parties, cocktail receptions, and upscale restaurants. This past year, almost every post showed her with Henry at some expensive venue.

I took screenshots and saved every single one.