“Go sit in the car,” I repeated, voice firm enough that even she heard the finality.
Paige glanced at her mother for backup, but Victoria’s smile had tightened. The mask was still on, but I could see the strain at the edges.
My father stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Bonnie, what is going on?”
I turned to him. “Dad, I need you to hear me. Victoria called last night and said you approved them moving in. You didn’t. That means she lied.”
He swallowed. “She said—she said you offered the house for a family reset.”
I almost laughed at the phrase. Family reset. Like our history was a glitch you could fix by restarting the system.
“I didn’t offer,” I said. “And this is my property. They don’t have permission to enter.”
Victoria’s tone sharpened. “Gerald, tell her.”
He looked between us, trapped. “Victoria, why would you—”
“Because your daughter is being selfish,” Victoria snapped, the first real crack in her composure. “Because she’s always been resentful, and you’ve let her. This house is bigger than she needs. We’re family. We should be here together.”