Chapter 5 - The Drawer Was Empty
Eric pulled the office drawer completely out.
Receipts, pens, and old appliance manuals fell onto the kitchen floor.
The folder was gone.
Diane stood behind him in her stained satin robe.
“What exactly was in it?”
“Property papers.”
“Whose property?”
“The house.”
Diane stared.
“You told me the house became yours after the wedding.”
Eric rubbed both hands over his face.
“I said I had marital rights.”
“That means ownership.”
“It may.”
“You don’t know?”
He did not answer.
Diane moved closer.
“You let me throw coffee at a woman who can put us out?”
“I didn’t let you do anything.”
“You stood there.”
“So did you after you threw it.”
Their alliance fractured the moment consequences became real.
Diane pointed toward the broken mug.
“Clean that up before she comes back.”
Eric looked at her.
“She may call the police.”
“For coffee?”
“You burned her.”
“It wasn’t boiling.”
“You demanded five thousand while holding her card.”
Diane’s expression shifted.
“Delete the camera footage.”
Eric looked toward the small kitchen security camera.
Lena had installed it after packages began disappearing from the porch.
The device captured part of the breakfast bar.
Possibly the attack.
Eric opened the security app.
His access no longer worked.
Lena had removed him.
Diane began pacing.
“Call her again.”
“She isn’t answering.”
“Then call your attorney.”
Eric laughed bitterly.
“With what money?”
Diane looked offended.
“You have money.”
“No. Lena has money.”
The truth landed between them.
Eric’s construction-sales income had dropped months earlier.
He hid the decline by using Lena’s card for household expenses.
Then he began using it for everything.
Diane believed her son was supporting her.
In reality, Lena had been supporting them both.
Eric opened his laptop.
He searched the county property database.
The result showed an entity name rather than an individual owner:
Morrison Family Residential Trust.
Diane read it twice.
“Who is Morrison?”
“Lena’s grandmother.”
“Can Lena control the trust?”
Eric stared at the screen.
“Yes.”
Diane slowly sat down.
May you like
The house had never belonged to Eric.
It was not even part of the marriage.
