Chapter 3 - The House of Lies
Julian tried to play the commanding husband. He adjusted his gold watch, stepping in front of my mother as if to shield her.
"Claire, you can't just walk into our home and kick our guests out," he blustered, though his eyes darted nervously toward the front door, looking for any sign of my security detail or lawyers. "This is a private residence. Emily is sick. We are caring for her. She has a medical condition."
"Caring for her?" I stood up, helping Emily to her feet. She leaned heavily against me, unable to support her own weight. "You have her sleeping on a doormat, Julian. You are hosting a party while she lies in her own filth at the entrance of the house I bought."
"You gave this house to us, Claire!" my mother snapped, her terror finally turning into venomous anger. "Twenty years ago! You signed the deed over to Emily as a wedding gift. It’s our property now. We can do whatever we want with it. And if we choose to keep Emily under supervision because of her mental instability, that is our family business!"
"We'll see about that," I said.
I didn't waste another second arguing with them. I picked Emily up in my arms—she was so light it was terrifying—and walked out the front door. Behind me, my mother screamed my name, but I didn't look back.
I carried Emily to my waiting SUV, where my assistant, Marcus, was already holding the door open, his face pale with shock as he saw my sister's condition.
"Marcus, call Dr. Sterling," I ordered as I slid into the back seat, wrapping Emily in a warm cashmere blanket. "Tell him we are coming directly to his private clinic. And call Evelyn Vance. Tell her I need her in my office in one hour."
"On it, boss," Marcus said, slamming the door and jumping into the driver's seat.
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As the SUV pulled out of the driveway, I looked back at the grand estate. Twenty years ago, I had gifted this beautiful, historic home to Emily, hoping it would be a sanctuary of love and happiness for her. I had gone to New York to build my career, trusting my mother and Julian to look after her.
Instead, they had turned it into a gilded prison. And I was going to tear it down brick by brick.
