Chapter 2
“What do you mean there's more?”
I looked at my mother.
Evelyn's hands were trembling.
She stared at the folded deed in my fingers.
Then she looked toward Vanessa.
For the first time since I'd entered the kitchen, my wife seemed genuinely frightened.
Not angry.
Not embarrassed.
Frightened.
“Mom,” I said gently, “what are you talking about?”
Evelyn swallowed.
“Open the paper, son.”
I looked down.
Slowly, I unfolded the document.
The guests gathered around us.
Nobody spoke.
Vanessa stood beside the kitchen island, gravy dripping from her ruined gown.
Her eyes moved between the document and my mother's face.
I read the first line.
PROPERTY OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE.
Then the address.
Our home.
The five-bedroom house I'd spent two years renovating.
The house where Vanessa and I celebrated our wedding anniversary.
The house where my mother had lived for the past six months.
And beneath the address was a name.
EVELYN MARIE JOHNSON.
My mother.
Not me.
Not Vanessa.
Evelyn.
Vanessa stared at the paper.
Then she laughed.
A strange, nervous laugh.
“This is ridiculous.”
I looked at her.
“What's ridiculous?”
“That document.”
She pointed at it.
“This house belongs to us!”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“This house belongs to my mother.”
The room erupted.
Someone gasped.
My cousin Angela covered her mouth.
Vanessa's best friend, Brianna, stepped backward.
And my mother closed her eyes.
As if she'd been holding her breath for years.
Vanessa shook her head violently.
“No. That's impossible.”
I took a slow breath.
“It's not impossible.”
She pointed at me.
“You told me you bought this house!”
“I told you I renovated it.”
“Don't play games with me!”
I looked at the document.
Then back at her.
“Before we married, Mom inherited this property from my grandmother.”
Vanessa stared at Evelyn.
I continued.
“The house was old and needed repairs. Mom let us live here while I helped renovate it.”
Vanessa's lips parted.
“But…”
“She never transferred ownership.”
Silence.
Then Vanessa snapped.
“You mean I've been living in HER house?”
I looked at her.
“Yes.”
Her expression twisted.
“And nobody thought to tell me?”
My mother finally spoke.
“You never asked.”
Vanessa turned sharply.
“Excuse me?”
Evelyn's voice trembled.
“I told Marcus he could explain everything when he was ready.”
I looked at my mother.
She continued.
“But I didn't want the house used as a weapon in his marriage.”
My chest tightened.
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Well, congratulations. You got exactly what you wanted.”
I frowned.
“What?”
She pointed at Evelyn.
“You've been trying to turn Marcus against me since the day we got married!”
My mother flinched.
I stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Vanessa's eyes filled with furious tears.
“You've always hated me!”
Evelyn looked genuinely shocked.
“I never hated you.”
“Liar!”
I raised my voice.
“Vanessa!”
She turned toward me.
“You're choosing her over your wife!”
I stared at her.
“No.”
My voice became quiet.
“I'm choosing not to let anyone mistreat my mother.”
Vanessa looked around at the guests.
“Are you all hearing this?”
Nobody answered.
Then my cousin Angela stepped forward.
“I heard enough.”
Vanessa turned.
“What?”
Angela folded her arms.
“I watched Evelyn carrying dirty dishes while everyone else ate.”
Vanessa's face flushed.
“Stay out of this.”
Angela shook her head.
“You told her she wasn't allowed to sit down.”
My stomach tightened.
I turned toward Angela.
“What?”
She looked at me.
“Marcus, your mother tried to join us at dinner.”
I felt cold.
Angela continued.
“Vanessa told her the table was full.”
I stared at my wife.
The dining table seated sixteen.
Only twelve guests had attended.
There had been empty chairs.
I remembered seeing them when I entered.
“Vanessa,” I whispered.
She looked away.
Angela's voice broke.
“Your mother went back into the kitchen and ate standing up.”
My chest tightened.
I turned toward Evelyn.
“Mom?”
She lowered her eyes.
I felt something inside me crumble.
For years, my mother had put herself last.
Now she was doing it again.
Inside a house that legally belonged to her.
I gently took her hand.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
“Because I didn't want to ruin your marriage.”
My throat tightened.
“Mom…”
She shook her head.
“You were happy, Marcus.”
I closed my eyes.
Was I?
I'd believed I was.
I loved Vanessa.
Or at least, I loved the woman I thought she was.
She was charming when we met.
Ambitious.
Beautiful.
She talked about building a family.
She said she admired how much I loved my mother.
But over the past year, things changed.
Vanessa complained whenever Evelyn visited.
She criticized her clothes.
She called her old-fashioned.
When my mother moved in after recovering from a serious illness, Vanessa acted supportive in front of me.
But apparently, that kindness disappeared whenever I left.
I looked at Evelyn.
“How long has this been happening?”
She hesitated.
“Marcus…”
“Please.”
Her eyes filled.
“Since I moved in.”
My stomach dropped.
Six months.
Six months of humiliation.
Under my own roof.
I looked toward Vanessa.
She was standing silently.
Then she whispered, “She exaggerates.”
I stared at her.
“Does she?”
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“She acts helpless whenever you're around.”
My mother looked devastated.
I shook my head.
“Enough.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“You can't just throw me out!”
I took a breath.
“I'm not making legal decisions in the middle of a party.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“But I am ending this conversation until everyone calms down.”
I turned toward the guests.
“Thank you for coming. The evening is over.”
Nobody argued.
One by one, people collected their belongings.
Some hugged Evelyn.
Others avoided eye contact.
Within minutes, the dining room was nearly empty.
Vanessa walked toward the staircase.
“I'm changing.”
I didn't stop her.
Then my mother reached for my arm.
“Marcus.”
I turned.
“Yes?”
She looked toward the stairs.
Then whispered, “There's something in the basement office.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
She swallowed.
“Something Vanessa doesn't know I found.”
I stared at her.
My mother looked frightened.
May you like
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“Son, I think your wife has been trying to take this house from me.”
