Ethan insisted on staying. As her husband, he had every legal right. Tessa and her parents remained as well, along with a handful of close friends. Marissa hesitated near the doorway at first, as if debating whether she belonged there at all, but Ethan murmured something to her, and she stayed.
That decision would change everything for her.
Victor placed the envelope on the table and opened it carefully. The room was silent except for the rain tapping against the windows.
“This document was signed twelve days before Lena’s passing,” he began.
The initial details were straightforward—personal belongings distributed, charitable donations outlined, funds set aside in memory of the unborn child. There were soft reactions, quiet nods, a few tears.
Then Victor paused.
“Regarding the marital residence…”
Ethan shifted slightly in his seat, the first sign of real attention.
“…Lena Whitaker directs that her share of the property be transferred to her sister, Tessa Whitaker, and that her husband, Ethan Whitaker, be given ninety days to vacate.”
The silence that followed wasn’t empty—it was charged.
