Daniel turned toward it. Patricia frowned.
I stayed sitting on the couch.
“It’s open,” I called.
The door swung open. Margaret Hayes walked in. In her navy suit, carrying her leather briefcase.
And behind her was a tall man in a gray suit I’d never seen before.
“Good afternoon,” Margaret said pleasantly. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was Claire’s father’s attorney. I’m Claire’s attorney.” Margaret nodded toward the man beside her. “And this is Thomas Reed. He represents the family who purchased this house.”
Daniel’s face went completely blank.
“Purchased?”
Thomas Reed stepped forward. He was polite. Calm. Very serious.
“Mr. Bennett. My clients, Dr. and Mrs. Alvarez, closed on this property sixteen days ago. On October fourth. The deed was recorded with Fulton County on October fifth. My clients graciously allowed Mrs. Bennett to remain in the home for sixty days after closing. Because she was expecting.”
He opened a folder. He laid it out on the coffee table, right on top of the two hundred dollars.
A copy of the recorded deed. The settlement statement. The wire confirmation.
“Yesterday,” Thomas Reed said, “my office was contacted by a title company in Marietta. They informed us that you, Mr. Bennett, and your mother signed a purchase agreement to sell my clients’ home. To a third party. For eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
The room went completely silent.
Patricia picked up the deed. Her eyes moved down the page.
Then she looked at me.
“You sold the house?”
“Yes.”
“Two weeks ago?”
“Sixteen days ago,” I said.
Her mouth opened. Nothing came out.
Daniel grabbed the papers out of his mother’s hands.
“You sold my house without telling me?”
“I sold my house,” I said. “Without telling you. Yes.”
“You’re my wife!”
“And you’re my husband,” I said quietly. “And you tried to sell it too. Without telling me. While I was in the hospital giving birth to your daughter.”
Ethan Blake is a skilled Creative Content Specialist with a talent for crafting engaging and thought-provoking narratives. With a strong background in storytelling and digital content creation, Ethan brings a unique perspective to his role at TheArchivists, where he curates and produces captivating content for a global audience.
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