Chapter 2

Grace's face went pale. She bolted upright, her voice hitting a shrill pitch. "You... what on earth are you talking about? How could you suggest we'd touch your money?"

Ethan frowned as he barked at me, "Stella, what's gotten into you? You just walked through the door, and you're already pointing fingers at your own parents? Did you lose your conscience or something?"

Only Lila stayed quiet, biting her lip hard until her eyes reddened. She looked like the victim of a grave injustice, tears trembling on the brink of falling. "Stella, how could you think so poorly of Mom and Dad?

"They've spent years searching for you, praying for your return... How can you think the absolute worst of them?"

Lila put on a real waterworks show. Grace immediately pulled her into an embrace, cooing softly, "Don't cry, Lila, honey. It's my fault. I didn't handle things properly and made you suffer."

She cooed over Lila while shooting me a look full of biting disappointment and rage. "Stella, I'm so disappointed in you.

"We... we thought you might never be found. We only thought to invest that money so that if you ever did come back, we'd have even more to give you. We did it all for your own good. How can you be so ungrateful?"

For my own good? That had to be the most ridiculous excuse in the book.

I watched them stand there, a united front, while I was cast as the sole villain of the piece. I let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Dad, Mom, I think you've got wires crossed here."

My voice wasn't loud, but everyone heard them clearly. "That trust fund was left to 'Stella Moon' by Grandpa. Whether I ever set foot in this house again or not, that money belongs to Stella, not Lila.

"You used my inheritance to buy someone else real estate and stocks, and now you expect to wipe the slate clean with an 'it was for your own good'?"

I paused, my gaze sweeping over each of their faces. "Do you honestly think the law recognizes 'for your own good' as a valid defense for embezzlement?"

"You!" Richard was livid. He slammed on the table. "How dare you? Are you threatening us? We're family. Why are you talking about money? Why are you bringing up the law? Is money all you care about now?"

"You're absolutely right, Dad." I nodded, the smile fading from my face until only a bone-chilling calm remained. "Family shouldn't have to talk about money."

I turned on my heel and began the long climb up the stairs. At the landing, I stopped and looked down at them one last time. "Which is exactly why we aren't family. With you, I only talk business."

With that, I walked into that dismal guest room without looking back and slammed the door shut. The world went blissfully silent.

In that moment, the last trace of false warmth between me and this house was ripped away, and I was glad. I didn't need it anyway.

That night, I slept like a log.

The next morning, I woke up as usual. When I came downstairs, Richard, Grace, and Ethan were already at the dining table. The atmosphere was heavy, and everyone's face looked grim.

Lila was the only one missing.

Grace's eyes were bloodshot; she'd clearly been crying. The moment she saw me, she slammed her milk glass onto the table with a jarring clink. "Is this what you wanted? Your sister spent the whole night crying, and now she's running a fever.

"She's always been delicate and gets upset easily. Did you really have to go and say all that to her? Is it so hard for you to accept her?"