calmly. Only if you feel safe.”
I took a breath.
And I stepped outside.
The cold hit my face like a slap. Snow crunched beneath my boots. The world felt too bright, too sharp.
I walked toward the gate.
When Dad saw me, his mouth opened slightly. “Olivia.”
“You thought I wasn’t here,” I said softly. “You thought you could take my home.”
Evan stared at the ground. “We thought you were deployed.”
“I’m not,” I said. “And even if I were, this land would still be mine.”
Linda stepped forward weakly. “We were trying to help Evan.”
“What Evan needs,” I said calmly, “is accountability.”
Dad started to speak, anger rising, but Walt cut him off.
“Enough,” Walt said sharply.
Rachel’s car pulled in behind the sheriff SUV. She stepped out in crisp uniform, posture steady, eyes sharp.
Dad blinked hard. “Who is that?”
Rachel’s voice was calm but carried authority. “Captain Rachel Monroe. Judge Advocate General’s Corps. I’m advising Ms. Carter.”
Dad scoffed. “This is a family matter.”
“No,” Rachel said. “This is a legal matter. And you’re trespassing.”
Rachel pulled a folder from her bag and held it out.
“Here is a certified copy of the deed,” she said. “We have video documentation of your arrival with a locksmith and realtor. If you continue, you will face legal consequences.”
Dad didn’t take the folder. He just glared, pride fighting reality.
Walt nodded toward the vehicles. “Mr. Carter, last warning. Leave.”
Dad looked from Walt to Rachel to me. Calculation flickered in his eyes. Then
