3-thieves in my mother's house

LYNN

The gates to the mansion look the same.

White. Spotless. Fake.

I stare at them for a moment before stepping out of the car.

In my last life, I would have rushed inside, excited to see my family. I would have run into Miranda's arms and told her everything that happened at the university.

Today, I simply walk toward the entrance.

The door swings open before I reach it.

"Lynn! You made it back!" My stepmother Miranda rushes toward me with open arms.

In my last life, I ran into them.

Today, I step back.

Her arms freeze in the air.

"Mother, Lynn embarrassed herself again today!" Hellen appears behind her, already crying. "She proposed to Kai in front of the whole university, and he rejected her!"

Miranda gasps before grabbing my hand.

"Oh, Lynn, darling, don't worry. Kai will come around, You just need to be more patient with him, okay?"

Fake.

So fake.

In my last life I believed this was love.

I pull my hand away.

"No, Miranda Kai is trash and trash belongs in the bin."

Hellen's jaw drops.

"Mom did you hear her?"

"Of course I heard her!" Miranda snaps before turning to me with a forced smile. "Lynn, you're stressed. Come inside. I've prepared your favorite soup."

My favorite?

The meat gravy soup Hellen loves. Since she's allergic to several other foods, Miranda makes it almost every evening.

I haven't had my favorite meal in this house for years but somehow everyone expects me to be grateful.

"I'm not hungry."

I walk past them and enter the living room.

Then I stop.

My mother's portrait has been moved to the dusty hallway corner. In its place hangs Hellen's high school graduation photograph in an enormous golden frame.

I stare at it, my anger rising.

"Who moved my mother's portrait?"

Miranda follows my gaze.

"Oh, that? We were redecorating. Hellen's graduation was an important family achievement so we thought her picture deserved a better place."

I turn toward her.

"And my mother's picture deserves the corner?"

"Don't twist my words Lynn."

"Then explain them."

Hellen folds her arms.

"It's just a picture, Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

I look at her.

"You're right. It's just a picture. But it tells me exactly how much respect you have for the woman whose money pays for your lifestyle."

Her expression changes.

Before she can respond, I ask, "Where is Dad?"

"Your father is on a business call," Miranda answers quickly. "He's discussing your mother's monthly allowance. I was actually about to transfer it to Hellen for her internship dress."

There it is.

I almost smile.

"How much was it this month?"

Miranda relaxes.

"Just five thousand dollars. Not much, really. Hellen needs the dress, and there are other expenses to consider."

"Five thousand?" I raise an eyebrow "My mother's shares generate a little over twenty thousand dollars every month. Where is the other fifteen thousand?"

Silence.

Miranda's face turns pale.

"Your mother only left—"

"My mother left me her entire company. Not you. Not Hellen. Me."

I take the folder from my handbag.

"I went to the bank this morning. I have the statements from the last five years."

Hellen stares at me.

"You're lying!"

"Would you like to see them?"

She says nothing.

I turn toward Miranda

"From today onward, neither of you will touch my money. You will not touch my mother's belongings, and you will not make decisions concerning my inheritance without my permission."

"Lynn, you're being unreasonable!" Miranda exclaims.

"Am I? Then perhaps you can explain why I've been receiving five thousand dollars when my mother's shares generate more than twenty thousand."

She opens her mouth but doesn't answer.

I smile.

"That's what I thought."

"You ungrateful little—"

Hellen suddenly raises her hand to slap me.

I catch her wrist midair.

Her eyes widen.

"Let go of me!"

I tighten my grip until she winces.

"Touch me again, and I'll break it," I whisper.

Then I release her wrist and slap her.

Hellen stumbles backward into Miranda.

Both of them stare at me in shock.

"LYNN!" Miranda screams.

I ignore her.

"Lisa!"

The senior maid hurries over.

"Yes, Miss Lynn?"

"Go upstairs and remove Hellen's belongings from my room."

Hellen immediately steps forward.

"What did you say? That room is mine!"

"Not anymore."

"You can't do this!"

I turn toward her with a smile.

"Watch me."

I walk upstairs, leaving their furious voices behind me.

Once inside my room, I lock the door and drop my handbag onto the bed.

My hands are trembling, but not from fear.

I'm angry.

Angry that I wasted years begging these people to love me when they were busy stealing what belonged to me.

Never again.

My phone vibrates.

I pick it up.

Professor Valerian: My office. 2 PM tomorrow. Don't be late.

I stare at the message.

He saved my number.

A smile spreads across my face as I type.

Me: I will be on time, Professor.

His reply arrives almost immediately.

Professor Valerian: And Lynn, wear something appropriate. Not something you chose for Kai. Remember that you're a student.

I gasp.

Is he telling me what to wear?

I type back before I can stop myself.

Me: You notice what I wear?

The typing bubbles appear.

Then disappear.

They appear again before vanishing completely.

No reply.

I burst out laughing.

My baby is shy.

Well, he's my lecturer, and he has made his boundaries very clear. I should probably behave myself.

But teasing him a little won't hurt anyone.

I place my phone on the bed, still smiling.

Then I hear voices outside my door.

"Mom, she's not opening it!" Hellen complains.

"Keep your voice down!" Miranda hisses.

I move closer to the door.

"She knows about the money! What do we do?"

For a moment, Miranda says nothing.

Then she speaks.

"She only has the bank statements. She doesn't know about the other documents."

My smile disappears.

Other documents?

"What if she finds them?" Hellen whispers.

"She won't."

"And if she does?"

Miranda's voice turns cold.

"Then we're finished."

I step away from the door, my heart pounding.

What documents are they hiding?

Before I can think further, my phone rings.

An unknown number appears on the screen.

I hesitate before answering.

"Hello?"

"Is this Miss Lynn?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"My name is Daniel. I was your mother's lawyer."

My entire body stiffens.

"My mother's lawyer?"

"Yes. I've been trying to contact you, but your stepmother told me you weren't interested in managing your inheritance."

I grip the phone tightly.

"She told you what?"

"Miss Lynn, I believe there's something you need to know about your mother's estate. Your mother left instructions concerning a document your father was never supposed to sign."

My heart begins to race.

"What document?"

"I can't explain over the phone. Can you meet me tomorrow morning?"

I glance at the clock.

Tomorrow morning, I have a meeting with Professor Valerian at two.

But this sounds important.

"Where should I meet you?"

He gives me an address before speaking again.

"Miss Lynn, there's something else. If my suspicions are correct, your inheritance may already be in danger."

The call ends.

I stare at my phone, unable to move.

My stepmother is hiding documents.

My mother's former lawyer has just contacted me.

And my father may have signed something that could threaten my inheritance.

I look toward the locked door.

For years, I believed my biggest mistake was loving Kai.

Perhaps I was wrong.

Perhaps my real mistake was trusting the people who lived under the same roof as me.

I clench my fists.

Tomorrow, I'll meet Daniel.

And if my family has stolen more than my money, they'll regret it.

This time, they picked the wrong Lynn to betray.