Chapter 2: The Eviction and The Phone Call
"What are you doing, Ethan?" Diane sneered, standing up. "Are you throwing a tantrum over a few dishes? We are your family. She is just a girl from a middle-class background who lucked into your money."
"This 'girl' is my wife. And this house? Itās in her name," Ethan said, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "My late grandfather left the down payment specifically to Olivia because he knew exactly what kind of vultures you all are."
The smirks instantly vanished from his sisters' faces.
"Vanessa, Courtney, Madison. Pack your bags. You have thirty minutes," Ethan announced.
"Are you insane?!" Vanessa shrieked. "My college finals are next week! I canāt move out!" "You can study on the streets," Ethan replied coldly. "And Vanessa? Hand over the iPhone. Courtney, the tablet. I pay the monthly contracts. They are being deactivated in five minutes."
"Ethan James Carter!" Diane roared, her face turning purple. "You cannot throw your own mother out! I raised you! You owe me everything! You will not disrespect me for that useless woman upstairs!"
Right then, Ethanās phone buzzed. It was an incoming FaceTime call from an unknown international number. Ethan looked at his mother, whose face suddenly went completely paleādraining of all color.
"Aren't you going to answer that, Mom?" Ethan asked, a dark, knowing smile finally appearing on his face. "Oh, wait. You don't know who it is. But I do. I hired a private investigator last month when I noticed $50,000 missing from my joint business accountāthe one you had emergency access to."
Ethan pressed accept and turned the screen toward Diane.
An older man with a tired face appeared on the screen, sitting in what looked like a modest apartment in Europe.
May you like
"Hello, Diane," the man said.
Diane collapsed back into her recliner, her hands trembling violently. "No... it can't be. You're dead."
