Chapter 11

The Ashcroft family released a public statement pinning everything on Wyatt. Mom claimed she had been deceived in her old age, and Dad went on camera in tears, telling the press that their younger son had forged the evidence and misled the entire family.They even praised me, calling me devoted and capable, saying they had always been proud of me.The next day, I held a press conference of my own. The screen behind me played family recordings Grandpa had saved while he was still alive.In one, Mom sat beside his hospital bed and clearly heard the doctor say that the primary caregiver was me. In another, Dad handed one of the meals I had prepared to Wyatt and told him, "When they take the photo, just say you made it."In a separate audio clip, the two of them were discussing how to use the window when Grandpa was too disoriented to know what was happening to draft a forged amendment to his will.Wyatt asked, "Won't Emmett find out?"Mom laughed. "He cares too much about family. As

Chapter 12

Tamara didn't wake up until three days later. She had a fracture in her back, and her left leg had been injured by falling debris.I went to see her once at the hospital, not to reconcile, but because she saved my life.The moment she saw me, her face lit up. "How's your hand?""The lockbox wasn't damaged.""I was asking about you."I was quiet for a moment. "The doctor said I need one more reconstructive surgery."She let out a breath of relief. I set the paid hospital bill and a thank-you letter on the nightstand. "The bill is taken care of. I won't forget what you did."Her expression fell. "Is that all?""What do you want?""One more chance." She tried to sit up in bed, but the pain turned her face white. "Emmett, I've already cut Wyatt out of my life completely. I'm going to pay back every dollar the Kelton family owes. No one is ever going to hurt you again."I looked at her body wrapped in bandages. There was a time when I couldn't stand to see her hurt. Even a small

Chapter 13

Wyatt was formally placed under investigation for arson, document forgery, and misappropriation of property. My parents hired the best lawyers they could find, but not for him. They wanted Wyatt to take full responsibility and testify that they had no knowledge of the forged will.When Wyatt found out, he sat in the interview room in silence for a long time. Then he handed over a voice recorder.In one recording, Mom coached him on how to imitate Grandpa's tone of voice while Dad contacted a private agency to forge a signature analysis report.In another, recorded just before the cemetery incident, Dad said, "Once Emmett signs, we say he gave it up voluntarily."Mom replied, "Tamara will handle it. She'll make sure Emmett signs."In the last clip, Wyatt sounded hesitant. "What if he gets hurt?"Dad didn't care. "He's been tough since he was a kid. A little hardship won't kill him."After the recordings went public, my parents were brought in for questioning. They saw Wyatt outsi

Chapter 14

Wyatt asked to see me. Through the glass of the visitation room, he looked so worn down he was barely recognizable as the pampered, sheltered younger brother he used to be.The first thing he said when he saw me was, "Happy now?""This was your choice.""If you hadn't come back to take everything, none of this would've happened!"I didn't argue. I just stood up to leave. That was when he finally panicked. "Emmett!"I stopped.Wyatt gripped the phone so hard his knuckles went white. "Do you know why I always had to take your things? When I was little, the first time I took one of your toys, Dad said it suited me better than it suited you."You cried, but he held me and said you were the older brother and you should learn to share. That's when I figured it out. As long as I took what was yours, they'd choose me."What he really wanted was never the bedroom, the watch, or the fiancee. He was just putting me down again and again to prove that he would always be the one they picked.

Chapter 15

The Kelton Group board called an emergency session and removed Tamara from her position. Vivian tried to protect her, but the other directors confronted her on the spot."Her personal choices nearly bankrupted this company. What grounds does she have to stay?"Tamara didn't argue. She handed over her authority, sold the Kelton residence and her remaining personal assets, and put the proceeds toward the first round of debt repayment.The night before she moved out, she sat alone in the empty house until morning. The mahogany dining set, the piano, and the collectibles I had taken were all gone. The only trace left on the walls was the faint discoloration where our wedding photo used to hang.She had Morgan track down whatever belongings of mine had been left behind over the years. The old books Grandpa gave me had been sold off as junk by the staff. The ceramic mug I had made was smashed by Wyatt the day he moved in. The bedside lamp I had spent weeks picking out had been replaced

Chapter 16

Six months later, the Ashcroft Grand Hotel reopened. I kept the name Grandpa had given it when he first founded the place, and I rehired the longtime staff that Dad had let go.There was no lavish ceremony on opening day. The lobby held only white camellias, Grandpa's favorite. The original manager who had been with Grandpa since the very beginning stood by the entrance. When he saw the signboard, his eyes slowly teared up."Mr. Ashcroft Senior always said the hotel wasn't just a business. It was supposed to be a place where people could stop and rest when they were tired."He handed me a set of old keys he had kept all these years. "These are for his office. When your father took over, he wanted the room torn out. I could never bring myself to hand them in."I unlocked Grandpa's office. The desk and chairs were exactly the way he had left them, and in the drawer I found a few pieces of the candy I used to love as a kid.The wrappers had yellowed with age. I picked one up, and for