Chapter 3 - The Sweet Brother
I spent my first night in the new apartment staring at the ceiling.
It was small, modern, and completely empty of my family's toxic energy.
The next morning, the buzzer on my intercom rang loudly.
"Miss Kingsley?" the doorman's voice crackled. "Your brother is here. Should I send him away?"
I frowned. How did Grant find me?
"Send him up," I said, wanting to know what they were planning.
Grant knocked softly a minute later. I opened the door, leaving the chain on.
"Evie," he said, looking tired. "Can I come in?"
I undid the chain and let him step into the small living room.
He looked around, his nose wrinkling slightly at the plain IKEA furniture.
"Cozy," he lied.
"What do you want, Grant?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Dad is furious," he started, pacing the floor. "Mom is barely keeping it together. You really blew up the family, Evie."
"I protected myself," I corrected him. "You know exactly why Dad wanted that money."
Grant stopped pacing. He looked at me, panic flashing in his eyes.
"You don't understand," he said, his voice cracking. "It's not just Dad. It's me."
I stared at him. "What did you do, Grant?"
"I borrowed some money," he confessed, staring at the floor. "From some very bad people. To keep up appearances. To buy Paige's engagement ring."
"You bought a ring with loan shark money?" I gasped.
"Just unlock the trust, Evie," he begged, grabbing my hands. "Just give me two hundred thousand. Dad will figure out his own mess, but I have a deadline. Friday."
I pulled my hands away. "I can't. The trust is locked. And even if I could, I wouldn't."
Grant's face hardened instantly. The sweet, desperate brother vanished.
"You're a selfish little brat," he spat. "You're going to let this family burn."
"You lit the match, Grant," I said quietly. "Now get out of my apartment."
He stormed to the door, yanking it open.
"Don't think this is over," he threatened. "Dad is talking to the lawyers. We'll prove you aren't mentally competent to manage that trust."
May you like
The door slammed behind him.
I locked the deadbolt, my hands shaking. Julian and Nora were right.
