My mother laughed. “Your brother’s always been too soft. We’ll just tell him Ashley packed up and left on her own.”

My father sipped his drink. “Once we transfer the shares, he’ll lose control of the business before he knows what hit him.”

I took a slow breath. None of them knew the house was legally registered in Ashley’s name. None of them knew our security system had been recording everything since a break-in last year.

And none of them knew that the paperwork they wanted me to sign had been drafted to my own exact instructions.

Chapter 3 — Step Behind Me

I walked into the kitchen and stood beside my family. “Ashley, take Samuel and step behind me.”

Stephanie spun around, her smile gone. “Devin — you’re back early.”

I looked at the hard bread in my son’s hand. “Just in time.” My mother stood and smoothed her clothes. “Don’t make a scene over nothing. Your wife is being dramatic.”

I touched Ashley’s bruised wrist. “Who did this?”

No one answered. Stephanie crossed her arms. “She needed to learn some respect. Ever since you started making real money, she acts like she owns everything.”

“And Samuel?”

My mother didn’t blink. “That boy doesn’t share a drop of our blood. And the baby might turn out as useless as her mother.”

Ashley shut her eyes. Samuel’s bread dropped to the floor. I set my phone on the counter, the recorder running. “We’ll meet the notary tomorrow morning, as planned,” I said.