Chapter 3
I pulled out a chair, sat down, and reached for a slice of toast. "First, she's not my sister. Technically, I'm three days older than her. Second, if she has a fever, she needs a doctor, not a lecture directed at me.
"Third, if a few home truths are enough to land her in bed, then she's clearly far too fragile in both mind and body. I'd suggest a sanatorium. The fresh air might do her some good."
My words were like a cold blade, slicing straight through Grace's performative motherly love.
"You... you've crossed the line!" she shrieked, trembling as she pointed at me.
"Enough!" Richard's voice boomed, cutting her off. But the look he gave me was dripping with loathing. "Stella, your sister... Lila has lived in this house for 18 years. We've always seen her as our own flesh and blood.
"We understand that you've just come back and there's a rift between us, but that gives you no right to hurt her."
"Dad." I looked up and met his eyes. "I'll say it one more time. I didn't hurt anyone. I simply stated a fact.
"You tampered with my money. If anyone hurt her, it was you by giving her things that didn't belong to her and fueling her delusions of grandeur.
"Now that the bubble has burst, you're trying to pin the blame on me, the rightful owner? Don't you think that's a bit rich?"
Ethan bolted upright. He snatched the toast right out of my hand and threw it back onto the plate. "How can you even think of eating? Lila is sick in bed, and you don't feel a shred of guilt? Do you even have a heart?"
I watched him seethe, and for a second, I actually found it funny. "Ethan, are you this worked up because you're worried about her or because you've got a guilty conscience?
"If memory serves, you were the one who went with Lila to buy that downtown condo, weren't you? And the funds for that little splurge... well, they came straight out of my trust."
Ethan's face went pale. He probably hadn't expected me to know this much.
In my previous life, it had taken me ten long years to painstakingly unearth those old, messy accounts. But this time, I came back with all the answers.
The atmosphere at the table bottomed out.
Finally, Richard broke the silence, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "That's enough. This matter ends here. We'll find a way to pay you back.
"But Stella, I want you to remember one thing. Lila is just as much our daughter as you are. I won't have you treating her like this ever again."
"Deal." I nodded. "As long as you pay me back, I promise to steer clear of her whenever our paths cross."
With that, I set down my fork and stood up. "I'm finished. Enjoy your meal."
As I headed upstairs, the sounds of Grace's stifled sobbing and Richard's furious yelling drifted up behind me. But none of it made me feel a thing.
Back in my room, I took out an old notebook I'd found in the desk drawer. I flipped to a fresh page and began to write: [Day 2 at Home]
[Incident one: Lila caught a fever. Cause: Her little scheme to grab my inheritance got busted, and she had a total meltdown.]
[Family Reaction: Mother (Grace) blamed me, accusing me of "provoking" and "hurting" her. Father (Richard) demanded I drop the matter and validate Lila's status in the family. Brother (Ethan) was projecting his guilt through physical aggression (snatching food) and verbal abuse.]
[Conclusion: These family members lack basic logic and a moral compass. Communication is a dead end. Next Step: Wait for the legal notice.]
Once I finished jotting everything down, I snapped the diary shut.
In this life, I don't hold grudges. I just keep score.