At my father’s funeral, my brother stood up and announced, “We’re selling the house right away to cover my $340,000 gambling debt.” Then my mother turned to me and calmly added, “You’ll need to find somewhere else to live.”

“And what about the house on Brookside?” Aunt Martha asked from the back of the room. Mr. Vance took off his glasses and polished them with agonizing slowness.

“Regarding the property,” he said, “there is a significant legal distinction to be made.” He looked around the room to ensure everyone was listening.

“The house is not part of the estate,” he declared. “It is owned by a private entity called Highland Properties LLC.”

Wesley stood up so fast his chair nearly tipped over. “What on earth is that?” he demanded.

“A company your father formed years ago,” Vance replied. “The transfer was recorded properly and all taxes have been paid by the corporation.”

Wesley swallowed hard, his face turning a sickly shade of pale. “Fine, then who owns the company? Is it Mom?”

Vance turned his head and looked directly at me. “The legal documents name a single member with total control over all assets, and that person is Jada Hudson.”

The silence that followed lasted for several seconds before Wesley exploded in a fit of rage. “She manipulated him!” he screamed, his face turning bright red. “She must have tricked him while he was drugged up at the hospital!”