Chapter 3

3 Leaving Oakhaven, I stared at my remaining $22,000. How could I make $1,880,000 so fast? My phone rang. Jenny.

Speak of the devil. I estimated they’d swindled me out of at least that much over the years.

"Ashley! Mom said you're buying us a house!" Jenny squealed.

"Of course," I said warmly. "You’re carrying our family's heir! You deserve the best."

"Oh, you shouldn't have! But for the baby… thank you!"

I could practically hear her preening through the phone. We arranged to meet at the realtor’s office.

Mom, David, and Jenny were waiting, beaming. They piled into my car.

"Ashley, I must have been a saint in my past life to deserve such a daughter!" Mom declared.

"Nah, Mom, I was the saint," David chuckled. "Look how much Ashley loves her nephew!"

Jenny simpered. "I'm so lucky. Ashley's not just my sister-in-law, she's my best friend! From college, remember?"

Mom beamed at them, the picture of familial bliss. I smiled, a chill behind my eyes. “Family.” I’d risked my life for them. And they’d tied me up and offered me as a sacrifice. Their faces, twisted with greed and fear, would forever haunt my nightmares.

We arrived at the realtor's.

"Ashley, is this… Meadowbrook Estates? These houses are a fortune!" David gasped.

"Only the best for my nephew," I said smoothly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw their faces light up with avarice.

"Two houses," I told the realtor. "Side-by-side. Price is no object."

The realtor’s eyes gleamed. She presented two brochures. "These fit the bill perfectly. Just over a million each, a steal!"

"Perfect," I said.

Jenny whispered, "Two houses?"

I smiled at Mom. "One for my nephew, and one for my wonderful mother. I can't leave her out, can I?"

Mom fluttered her eyelashes. "Oh, honey, such a grand house for an old woman like me…"

"Don't be silly, Mom!" Jenny scolded. "Accept Ashley's gift! You'll hurt her feelings."

Mom sighed dramatically. "Ashley, you're too good to me."

David eyed me. "Where did you get this kind of money, Ash?"

Mom and Jenny looked at me expectantly.

I hesitated. "It's… confidential. We signed NDAs."

"Aw, come on, Ash. We're family," David wheedled.

"Yeah, honey, family," Mom echoed. "Share the wealth."

I bit my lip. "Okay, but swear you'll keep it quiet. A friend got me into this investment opportunity. Triple your money."

David's jaw dropped. "Triple? Holy moly!"

Mom practically vibrated with greed.

Jenny frowned. "Are you sure this is legit? Sounds like a scam."

The realtor returned with the paperwork and a card reader. "Ms. Davis, I've reserved the properties. $10,000 deposit on each, and the balance due in two weeks." She paused. "Whose names go on the deeds?"

I swiped my card for $20,000. "One for my mother, and one for my brother and his wife."

Jenny’s eyes bulged.

On the drive back, David and Jenny whispered conspiratorially. As I parked, Jenny spoke.

"Ashley, David and I want in on that investment."

I frowned. "It's closed, Jenny. No more investors."

"Put it in your name then!" David insisted.

"The allocations are fixed," I protested.

Jenny transferred $100,000 to my account. "Please, Ashley?"

Mom chimed in, transferring another $100,000. "Make me rich, honey!"

I sighed. "Fine."

They erupted in cheers, already spending their imagined windfall. I lowered my gaze, my eyes burning with hatred. Their joy wouldn't last long.