My Stepmother Said The House Was Never Mine Until Court Changed Everything

I nodded once. Victoria blinked, visibly surprised by the absence of the scene she had prepared for. Julian lowered his phone a fraction, uncertain.

“Enjoy the house, Victoria,” I said. Her eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” I said, stepping back into the rain, “you should open Dad’s final gift.”

Something crossed her face very quickly, too fast to name fully, but it was real and it was fear.

Then the mask came back down and she slammed the door. The sound carried across the quiet grounds like a shot. I stood in the rain for twelve seconds, letting the cold move through me, letting the reality of the day settle.