The screen flickered to life.
There was a recording from the previous night.
I pressed play.
Static.
Then Mom’s kitchen chair scraping across the floor.
Her voice followed.
“I am not eating that, Nolan. And you cannot buy my silence with baked goods. I saw the statements. I saw the signature on the mortgage. You have stolen Blair’s future.”
My knees nearly gave out.
Then Nolan spoke.
“Corinne, let’s not make this ugly. It was a bad investment. I’m fixing it.”
“If you tell her, it’ll break her heart.”
Mom answered immediately.
“You ruined the marriage the moment you forged her name.”
A pause.
Then:
“I am giving you until tomorrow morning to tell her, pack your bags, and leave. Otherwise, I am taking this file to the police.”
Silence.
Nolan’s next words sounded different.
Cold.
Flat.
“I really didn’t want to do this, Corinne.”
For illustration purposes only
Another pause.
“But you just can’t mind your own business.”
Then came the crash.
Mom screamed.
Something heavy struck the floor.
Glass shattered.
Another impact.
