Chapter 4

"Dad."

Kairo's voice tightened. "Is… is this real?"

Richard's throat bobbed, his face shifting from red to white.

Beverly lunged forward. "You're talking nonsense! What ten million? A broke little orphan girl like you—where would you get ten million?"

"Ten million from twelve years ago and ten million today—are those the same thing?"

I ignored her and flipped open the inner flap of the account book.

An old photograph slipped out.

In the photo, my dad stood at the entrance of a run-down factory.

Beside him was a much younger Richard, his face full of eager flattery.

On the back, in my dad's handwriting: witnessed by my best buddy.

Richard stared at that photo like he'd seen a ghost.

"This account book…" His voice went hoarse. "Your dad really left it to you?"

I didn't answer.

I just laid the photo and the IOU side by side, so every guest at the table could see clearly.

A few of the wealthy wives standing beside Beverly leaned in.

When they saw the amount and the signature, their expressions changed.

"Ten million? Richard, that's no small number."

Richard suddenly snatched his hand back, forcing himself to look calm.

"That's ancient history! Your dad did help me out back then, but that was an investment! Business has ups and downs—how can you call it a loan?"

Those words were as good as admitting he'd taken the money.

Beverly caught on immediately, straightening her back again.

"Exactly! If your dad really treated it as a loan, why didn't he come collect all these years? Now that you've married into our Sinclair family, eating our food, living under our roof, you start digging up old debts?"

Tracy's phone camera nearly jabbed me in the face.

"You all hear that? This woman's just a gold digger! Bringing up a debt from over a decade ago to extort our family!"

I looked into the camera and suddenly felt how absurd it all was.

Every brick in this mansion was soaked in my dad's blood and sweat.

All I'd done was set down two memorial portraits.

And they still complained they took up space.

I closed the account book, then opened it again.

"Richard, if you've really forgotten, I can help you remember—page by page."