Chapter 3: The Money Behind the Smile
I spent the entire drive home staring at the words on my phone.
House preparation fees.
Those three words kept repeating in my mind.
Not groceries.
Not baby supplies.
Not emergencies.
House preparation.
Amy sat quietly beside me while Frederick slept in his car seat.
The silence between us felt heavier than any argument.
Finally, she spoke.
“Connor?””
I looked over.
“Yeah?””
“Are you okay?””
I almost laughed.
It was a strange question.
My wife had been humiliated in our home.
Our son had been sick.
My mother had apparently been trying to take control of my property.
And somehow Amy was still asking if I was okay.
I reached over and held her hand.
“No.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“But I’m going to fix this.””
When we arrived home, I carried Frederick inside and checked his temperature again.
Thankfully, it had started coming down.
Amy sat on the couch while I made tea.
For the first time in months, she looked like she could breathe.
Then she said something that made me stop.
“Your mother told me the house would never really belong to me.””
I turned around.
“What?””
She looked at the floor.
“She said I was only here because you allowed me to be.””
My jaw tightened.
“When did she say that?””
“About two weeks after Frederick was born.””
I sat down slowly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I thought I was being sensitive.””
She looked embarrassed.
“She always made it sound like I was misunderstanding her.””
I remembered every time Amy had seemed distant around my mother.
Every time she avoided family dinners.
Every time she said she was tired.
I had assumed motherhood was overwhelming her.
I never considered that someone was making her feel unwelcome.
My phone rang.
It was Mason.
I answered immediately.
“What happened?””
His voice was quiet.
“Connor, I need to explain.””
“Start talking.””
There was a long pause.
“I didn’t know everything.””
“That’s not an answer.””
“I knew your mom was trying to change ownership documents.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why?””
“She said she was protecting the family.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Protecting it from who?””
Mason didn’t answer.
I heard him breathing.
Then he said:
“From Amy.””
I stood up.
“What?””
“She thinks Amy will take everything if something happens to you.””
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“My wife?””
Mason lowered his voice.
“She’s been saying Amy is manipulating you.””
I looked at Amy sitting across the room.
The woman who spent every day caring for our son.
The woman who had been eating dry bread while serving guests.
“I want the truth, Mason.””
“You won’t like it.””
“Tell me anyway.””
Another pause.
Then:
“Your mother has been preparing documents for months. She wanted you to sign over partial control of the house.””
“Why?””
“She said if you ever divorced, she needed to make sure Amy couldn’t take the property.””
I closed my eyes.
I had no plans to divorce my wife.
My mother was creating a war against someone who loved me.
But Mason wasn’t finished.
“There’s more.””
“What?””
“She wasn’t only trying to change the house documents.””
My grip tightened.
“What else?””
“I found something in her office.””
“Where?””
“In a folder labeled with your name.””
I looked toward the window.
Outside, the backyard was still decorated with balloons from the party.
The same place where my mother had laughed while my wife worked.
“What was inside?””
Mason hesitated.
Then he whispered:
“Connor, I think your mother has been planning to sell your house.””
My blood ran cold.
“She can’t sell my house.””
“I know.””
“Then why?””
“Because the paperwork she created says she has authority.””
I looked at Amy.
She saw my expression change.
“Connor?””
I didn’t answer.
Because at that moment, my phone received another message.
This time, it was a photo.
A photo of a document sitting on my mother’s desk.
The top line read:
*PROPERTY TRANSFER AGREEMENT.*
And below it was a date.
A date that was only three days away.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*Your mother already found a buyer.*
