Chapter 8 - The Mother Who Couldn’t Let Go
When I returned home, Amy immediately knew something had happened.
“You found something.”
I nodded.
She sat down.
“What?”
I placed the documents on the table.
She read silently.
Then looked up.
“She knew.”
“Yes.”
Amy closed her eyes.
For months, she had blamed herself.
She thought she wasn’t enough.
That she wasn’t making my mother happy.
That she was somehow causing the conflict.
But now we knew the truth.
The problem was never Amy.
The problem was control.
“My mother wanted to keep managing my life.”
Amy looked at me.
“And I ruined that.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
I took her hand.
“She was afraid because I chose you.”
Amy looked down.
“She never saw me as your wife.”
I knew she was right.
Teresa saw Amy as competition.
Not family.
Then my phone rang.
Detective Harris.
“Connor, we found something else.”
I answered immediately.
“What?”
“Your mother’s financial records.”
My stomach tightened.
“What about them?”
“She wasn’t only using your money.”
“What else?”
“She was receiving money from someone else.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
A pause.
“Your cousin Mason.”
I looked across the room.
Mason was standing there.
His face went pale.
“What?”
Detective Harris continued.
“We found transfers between Mason and your mother.”
I ended the call.
The room became silent.
I looked at him.
“You told me you didn’t know everything.”
Mason swallowed.
“I didn’t.”
“But you took money.”
He looked down.
“Yes.”
Amy stepped closer.
“Why?”
Mason looked ashamed.
“Because she promised to help me.”
“With what?”
“My business.”
I stared.
“So she bought your loyalty.”
Mason shook his head.
“No.”
But he couldn’t defend himself.
Because that was exactly what happened.
Teresa didn’t force people.
She controlled them.
She found what they needed.
Then she used it.
Mason sat down.
“I made a mistake.”
I looked at him.
“You helped my mother try to take my home.”
“I know.”
“Why tell me the truth now?”
His eyes filled with regret.
“Because after seeing Amy…”
He stopped.
“What?”
“I realized she was willing to destroy anyone.”
That was the first honest thing Mason had said.
Then he handed me his phone.
“There’s something else.”
I looked.
A conversation.
Between Mason and Teresa.
The messages were recent.
Teresa: Keep Connor distracted.
Mason: What about Amy?
Teresa: Once Connor doubts her, everything becomes easier.
My hands tightened.
May you like
They weren’t just trying to take my property.
They were trying to destroy my marriage.
