PART 2 — THE FIRST WORDS

The first words written on the card were:

“This key belongs to the house you thought was yours.”

Beatrice stopped breathing.

She looked at Caleb.

Then at me.

Then back at the key.

“What is this?”

Chloe stood perfectly still.

Caleb stepped forward.

“It’s the key to the lake house.”

Beatrice’s face changed.

Everyone at the table knew about the lake house.

It had belonged to Caleb’s grandfather. For decades, Beatrice had treated it as her private retreat. She spent summers there, hosted friends there, and repeatedly told everyone that one day it would belong to her.

“What does Chloe have to do with that property?” Beatrice demanded.

Caleb smiled faintly.

“Everything.”

Beatrice unfolded the second page.

Her eyes moved across the words.

Then her hands began to shake.

I watched the color disappear from her face.

“What did you do?” she whispered.

Caleb looked at his mother.

“I corrected something you did three years ago.”

PART 3 — THE SECRET CLAUSE

See more on the next page