Our former housekeeper, Rosa, had seen how they treated her. Before being dismissed, Rosa connected Emily with her cousin, a financial investigator.
He uncovered at least three shell companies.
One was linked to Ashley. Another involved Michael. Large payments had been disguised as property-management charges and consulting fees.
Michael finally admitted Mother had told them the money was temporary and that I owed the family for their sacrifices.
Ashley quickly blamed Mother.
“You said he would never examine the accounts,” she cried.
Margaret’s silence confirmed everything.
Emily removed a folded document from her apron. It showed the amount taken from my accounts.
The number would not financially destroy me, but the betrayal behind it was impossible to ignore.
Mother defended herself.
She said I would have wasted the money on employees, scholarships and properties in neighbourhoods she considered unworthy. She believed Emily had no right to enjoy what I had built.
“She made you weak,” Mother said.
“She made me human,” I replied.
Within an hour, my relatives were removed from the property. Security changed the access codes.
Before leaving, Mother warned that the situation was not finished.
That night, Emily admitted she had been sleeping in an armchair because Margaret had taken over our bedroom and made the house feel unfamiliar.
She blamed herself for allowing the situation to continue.
