“The house belonged to my sister, Sarah, before she left it to me.”

“Yes, dear.”

“My children live there.”

“Which is why you should welcome a man willing to take responsibility for them.”

I stared.

She tapped the crossed-out paragraph.

“A family can’t function with separate little kingdoms.

Oliver needs to know the property arrangements are sensible.”

“It already belongs to me.”

“For now.”