When I went back inside, I wrote the last line of my proposal in bold.
This foundation will stand as proof that strength, not greed, defines legacy.
Then I closed the notebook, shut off the lamp, and let the cabin settle into silence, the smell of fresh paint still sharp in the air.
I woke the next morning to the sound of my phone buzzing nonstop. Text after text, missed calls stacked on the screen, all from Mom, all from Megan. Something was brewing. Before I could decide whether to answer, an email alert popped up. Attached was a legal notice. Megan had hired her own attorney and was preparing to file for equitable division of family assets.
My jaw clenched. She was making her move.
I called Robert Chen right away. He answered on the first ring.
“I’ve been expecting this,” he said calmly. “Your sister retained counsel last night. They’re alleging that your inheritance is unfair and that you coerced your father.”
“That’s insane,” I snapped. “Dad prepared everything months before he passed. It was airtight.”
Robert’s tone was steady.