My mother met Richard’s eyes directly. “You can’t give away what you don’t own,” she said evenly. “And you can’t demand obedience from my daughter when your son has been deceiving her since the day he proposed.”
Richard’s confident smile vanished. Jason’s fingers slipped away from mine.
Mom continued, calm and measured, like someone delivering a verdict. “The apartment is in my name—purchased through a family trust for Emma. The paperwork is registered, and Jason is not the beneficiary. Tonight, in front of witnesses, you’ve confirmed exactly why you pressured her to sign ‘updated paperwork’ last week.”
The room felt like it was spinning. My knees weakened.
Richard opened his mouth, but no words came.
My mother shifted her gaze to Jason. “And since you enjoy public announcements,” she added, “here’s mine: the police are outside. They’re here regarding the fraud report, and they’re coming in now.”
The ballroom doors groaned open behind the head table.
Two officers in uniform stepped inside, their radios crackling softly. Conversations cut off mid-word. Jason’s grip tightened around my hand, then dropped away as if he’d touched fire.
“What is this?” he demanded, forcing a laugh that fell flat.
My mother lifted her chin slightly. “Officer Mendoza,” she said calmly. “Thank you for coming.”
The older officer moved toward the head table. “Jason Hale?”
