The silence of the house usually gave Audrey a strange kind of comfort—a fragile proof that the chaos of Grant’s double life had finally been swept out the front door

The front door slammed shut behind the Vances, leaving only the sound of the rain heavy against the windowpanes.

Margaret stood alone at the end of the dining room table. Her expensive coat looked suddenly too large for her thin frame. Her posture, once unyielding and proud, was broken.

"You’ve ruined everything," Margaret whispered, her voice hollow, her eyes staring blankly at the dark wood of the table. "You’ve destroyed my son's name. You’ve destroyed this family."

"You destroyed it yourself, Margaret," Audrey replied, her voice completely calm, free of malice or anger. "The moment you decided that a child’s worth was measured by DNA instead of love, you lost your right to be part of this family."

David Miller gathered his papers into his briefcase, standing up smoothly. "Mrs. Bennett, I have already filed an emergency petition with the probate court to freeze all assets connected to the Bennett estate pending the federal audit. I have also submitted the audio recordings to the District Attorney's office. I strongly advise you to retain a criminal defense attorney before the sun sets today."

Margaret didn't answer. She picked up her designer handbag with numb fingers, turned around, and walked out the door without looking back once.

Audrey watched from the window as Margaret’s dark car pulled out of the driveway, disappearing down the rain-slicked street.

A soft pair of footsteps pattered down the stairs.

Audrey turned around. Poppy was standing at the bottom step, wearing her favorite bright yellow rain boots and holding her pink flower hair clip in her hand.

"Is Grandma gone for good now, Mommy?" Poppy asked quietly.

Audrey walked over to her daughter, kneeling down on the polished wood floor, taking the flower clip and gently sliding it into Poppy’s dark hair, securing it tightly in place.

"Yes, sweetheart," Audrey said, smiling as she kissed her daughter’s forehead. "She’s gone."

"Do I still get to keep my room?"