The property taxes were overwhelming.

Her personal credit cards were maxed out.

And on top of all of it, she now faced secondary liability for the fraudulent loans Lauren had taken out in her name.

Aaron demanded a full accounting from his wife, and Lauren’s entire web of lies unraveled under the scrutiny; her designer bags had been financed, her lavish dinners charged to credit she could not repay, and even the expensive catering for the very birthday party where I had been handed an empty plate had been ordered on credit that would never be paid back.

The feast at which they had starved me had itself been a lie, purchased on borrowed money by a fraud.