Chapter 4

「Aunt Tracey, I bought all of this myself. Not a cent of your son's money went into any of it.」

Tracey scoffed. 「Talk all you want. It won't help you.」

She started trying on my jewelry and clothes right alongside Abigail.

「Abigail, take whatever you like. It was all bought with your brother's money anyway.」

「Go ahead and take it. It's all fake anyway.」

Abigail shot me a glare. 「See that? Too stingy to give it to me, so she says it's fake.」

Abigail put on my dress and heels, wore my jewelry, and kept turning in front of the mirror.

Meanwhile I was in the kitchen, cooking for the two of them.

The commentary kept drifting across my eyes.

「I can't even be bothered to curse Harper anymore. The pitiable always have something in them that earns contempt. She brought all of this on herself. Nobody forced her.」

「Here she is cooking for Lewis's mother and sister, while Lewis is off at his class reunion reminiscing with his first love.」

「The two of them got so into it they already ducked out early and went to a hotel to get a room!」

I ignored it and carried the finished dishes to the table.

All through the meal Abigail complained. This dish was too salty. That one had too much oil.

I hummed and nodded along, my eyes fixed only on the commentary.

「After Lewis slept with Susannah, he spilled everything about himself to her. Once Susannah found out he'd signed the shares over to Harper, she handed him a vicious little plan on the spot: burn Harper to death and take the shares back!」

「Right now the two of them are lying in bed, wrapped around each other, working out how to pull it off.」

「On the day the company officially launches and they throw the celebration party, they'll hire someone to set a fire and burn Harper alive. That's the day after tomorrow!」

A chill ran through me. The day was coming even faster than I'd expected.

Tracey rapped her chopsticks against my bowl. 「I'm talking to you. Didn't you hear me? What, you don't like listening to me?」

「Aunt Tracey, I was thinking about work. What did you say?」

「I said put together an itinerary for us, so I can take your sister around the sights tomorrow. I know you're busy with work, so you don't need to come along. Just cover our expenses and we're fine.」

I pulled out my credit card and pushed it straight across to Tracey.

「Aunt Tracey, here's the card. Swipe it for whatever you want.」

Tracey smiled. 「At least you know how to behave.」

Of course I did. That money was buying your lives.

「Aunt Tracey, I've been swamped lately. I have to put in overtime at the office. I'm worried I'll come home late and disturb your rest, so I'll stay at the company for the next few days.」

Abigail jumped in right away. 「Fine, don't come back. I'm a light sleeper. If you come in the middle of the night and wake me, I won't be able to fall back asleep.」

That same night, I packed my things and left for the company.

I went to work as usual, and at night I stayed at the hotel next to the office.

When the day Lewis had chosen for the fire arrived, I dressed to the nines and, following the commentary's directions, went to the hotel where he was holding the celebration party.

I pushed open the doors to the banquet hall. Lewis had his arm around Susannah, clinking glasses with the crowd, grinning ear to ear.

「The company throws a celebration party, and nobody thinks to invite me, the largest shareholder?」

Every head in the room turned toward me.

Lewis and Susannah looked at me like they were seeing a ghost.

「How are you here?!」

「Why shouldn't I be here?」

Lewis muttered to himself. 「That's not right. I had someone confirm you were at the house.」

I smiled. 「And?」

Terror flooded his face, and the color drained out of it all at once.

「If you're here, then who's at your house?」