I nearly laughed. The way she said it sounded as if motherhood gave her ownership rights.
“Back to you?” I asked. “You never wanted it.”
“You manipulated your father,” she snapped. “This was always family property.”
“It was family property when it was falling apart,” I replied. “Now that it’s profitable, suddenly it belongs to Adrian?”
Her voice sharpened. “Don’t be selfish, Claire.”
The next morning, Adrian showed up, already acting like he was there to claim what he believed was rightfully his—something he had dismissed until it gained value.
But the moment he saw the sign at the entrance, his confidence faded.
Willow Hart Retreat — Founder: Claire Bennett
Private Property. No Unauthorized Management Access.
He stepped forward, clearly expecting to intimidate me and walk away with control of a business he had never helped build.
My mother stood beside him, no longer admiring—she was calculating.
“This is bigger than you said,” Adrian muttered.
