My mother’s lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s not fair. She’s under a lot of pressure, handling the estate.”

“She inherited a penthouse, Mom, so she isn’t exactly struggling,” I replied. My mother sighed and sat down in one of my kitchen chairs.

“You know what I mean. She has responsibilities now,” she said. “That condo is an investment she can manage for the future of this family.”

There was that word again. Family, used as if it only ever applied to Skylar’s interests.

“And what about the cabin in the Ozarks?” I asked. My mother hesitated a moment before she finally spoke.

“It’s very out of the way and difficult to maintain,” she admitted. “Maybe it would make more sense if Skylar handled that property as well.”