Cynthia was speechless for the first time in her life, while Douglas quickly lowered his eyes to the concrete path.

Daphne appeared right behind me, holding the official property deeds tightly in her hand.

“This property belongs exclusively and entirely to Cora,” Daphne informed them in a strict, professional tone. “You have absolutely no legal right to enter this house.”

Then Cynthia, growing desperate as reality set in, uttered the exact phrase that changed everything.

“Well, you’d better take a very good look at your precious company, because Douglas wasn’t the only one who knew how to keep lucrative secrets around here,” she hissed.

And right there, standing on my own porch, I suddenly realized that the very worst of their betrayal was still to come to light.