Chapter 10 - I CHANGED THE LOCKS
By evening, the investigator confirmed something important.
I could not legally throw Brandon out of jointly owned property without process.
But Gertrude and Hailey had no ownership rights.
Their permission to live there had always come through us.
And after consulting with Evelyn, I formally revoked mine.
Gertrude exploded.
“You cannot throw out family.”
I looked at her.
“Watch me.”
She pointed toward Skylar.
“This is her grandmother’s home too.”
“No.”
I kept my voice calm.
“It was never your home.”
Her face reddened.
“I have lived here for three years.”
“Because I allowed it.”
“You married my son.”
“Yes.”
“That makes this family property.”
“No.”
“It makes you my mother-in-law.”
I placed a written notice on the table.
“Nothing more.”
Hailey started crying again.
“Where am I supposed to go?”
I looked at her expensive handbag.
“Maybe sell one of the things you bought with my card.”
“Charlotte.”
“You are twenty-seven years old.”
She looked stunned.
“I thought I was twenty-six in your mind.”
“Not anymore.”
Gertrude called me cruel.
Brandon called me vindictive.
Neither used the word illegal.
That mattered.
By the next afternoon, Gertrude and Hailey were gone temporarily, staying with relatives while Evelyn handled the formal process.
Brandon remained.
But something had changed.
He no longer walked through the house like it belonged only to him.
He started watching me.
Carefully.
I hired a locksmith for my office.
Not the entire house.
Just the rooms containing my financial and personal documents.
I changed digital passwords.
I removed Skylar’s school records.
I transferred sensitive files.
I installed independent security.
Brandon watched from the hallway.
“You’re making me feel like a criminal.”
I turned.
“You forged a property document.”
“I didn’t.”
“My signature appeared on it.”
“Mom handled it.”
“Your company benefited.”
“She was trying to help.”
“Help you steal from me?”
His face hardened.
“You always make everything about money.”
That sentence almost made me laugh.
“This entire scheme was about money.”
“It was about protecting myself.”
“From what?”
“You.”
I stared at him.
He continued.
“You work constantly.”
“You control the accounts.”
“You make every major decision.”
“I thought you were going to leave.”
I waited.
“And instead of asking me?”
“You never listen.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You never liked my answer.”
He looked away.
I finally understood.
Brandon did not hate being ignored.
He hated not being obeyed.
That night, I slept with Skylar in the guest room.
Before she closed her eyes, she whispered.
“Are we going to lose the house?”
I kissed her forehead.
“No.”
“Promise?”
I hesitated.
Then I answered honestly.
“I promise I will do everything I can.”
She nodded.
That was enough.
May you like
For the first time, I stopped making promises I could not guarantee.
And started making decisions I could.
