I waited until Brooks went to bed. Then I found Layton in his study, grading papers.
"We need to talk," I said.
He didn't look up. "Can it wait? I have thirty essays to finish."
"It's about Viviana."
He set his pen down. Slow. Deliberate. Like I was a student who'd asked a stupid question. "What about her?"
I stayed in the doorway. My arms were crossed. "She's spending a lot of time with Brooks."
"She's been helpful." He leaned back in his chair. "She tutors him in math. Takes him to activities. You should be grateful."
"I didn't ask her to."
"Maybe that's the problem." His voice sharpened. "You never ask for help. You just sit here and sulk."
My chest tightened. "I'm not sulking. I'm his mother."
"And she's someone who actually engages with him." He picked up his pen again. "Brooks needs role models. People who challenge him intellectually."
The words landed like a slap. I felt my face go hot. "What does that mean?"
He sighed. Long and tired. "Amelia, you're being paranoid. Viviana is my mentee. That's it. Your jealousy is frankly embarrassing."
"I'm not jealous."
"Then what are you?" He looked at me now. His eyes were cold. Clinical. "Because this insecurity—it's unbecoming of a grown woman."
I stood there. My mouth opened. Nothing came out.
He turned back to his papers. "I have work to do. Close the door on your way out."
I left. I didn't close the door. I went downstairs and sat on the couch in the dark.
My phone buzzed an hour later. A text from Viviana's Instagram. She'd posted a new photo. Brooks and Layton at a bookstore. The caption read: *My favorite guys.*
I stared at the screen until it went black.
The call came two days later.
I was folding laundry when my phone rang. The number was unfamiliar. I almost didn't answer.
"Is this Amelia Holmes?" A woman's voice. Steady. Professional.
"Yes."
"This is Dr. Patel from Mercy General. I'm calling about your mother, Evelyn Holmes."
My hands stopped moving. The towel I was holding slipped to the floor. "What happened?"
"She came in for her routine scan yesterday. I'm afraid the results show her cancer has returned."
The room tilted. I sat down hard on the edge of the bed. "How bad?"
"Stage four. Metastatic. It's aggressive." Dr. Patel paused. "There's an experimental treatment available. It's shown promise in cases like hers. But it's not covered by insurance."
"How much?"
"Three hundred thousand dollars."
I closed my eyes. The number echoed in my head. Huge. Impossible. "How long does she have without it?"
Another pause. Longer this time. "Three to six months."
I couldn't breathe. My chest felt like it was caving in. "Can I call you back?"
"Of course. But Amelia—time is critical. The sooner we start, the better her chances."
I hung up. I sat there on the bed, staring at the laundry basket. My mother was dying. And I had no idea how to save her.
Then I remembered. The cabin.
Layton had given it to me seven years ago. A surprise gift for our anniversary. A small place upstate, near the lake. We'd gone there twice. Maybe three times. But it was mine. My name was on the deed. He'd made a big deal about that. "It's yours," he'd said. "No matter what."
I grabbed my laptop and searched for the property records. Then I called a realtor.
She picked up on the second ring. "Hudson Valley Realty, this is Karen."
"Hi. My name is Amelia Holmes. I own a property on Lakeview Drive. I need to know how quickly I can sell it."
There was a pause. "Lakeview Drive? What's the address?"
I gave it to her. I heard typing on the other end.
"Mrs. Holmes," she said slowly. "That property sold six months ago."
My stomach dropped. "That's not possible. I didn't sell it."
"According to the county records, a quitclaim deed was filed transferring ownership to Layton Armstrong. He sold it in April."
I couldn't speak. My throat had closed.
"Mrs. Holmes? Are you still there?"
"Can you send me the deed?" My voice sounded far away. Like it belonged to someone else.
"Of course. I'll email it right now."
I hung up. My hands were shaking. The email came through two minutes later. I opened the attachment.
There it was. The quitclaim deed. Dated eight months ago. Transferring sole ownership of the cabin from me to Layton.
And there, at the bottom, was my signature.
Except it wasn't.
I pulled out an old birthday card I'd signed last year. I held it up next to the screen. My real signature had a loop in the 'A.' The one on the deed didn't. My 'e' always tilted right. The one on the deed was straight.
He'd forged it. He'd stolen my property. Sold it. And kept the money.
Three hundred thousand dollars.
The exact amount my mother needed.
I sat there staring at the screen. My vision blurred. My chest felt hollow. Empty.
I thought about my mother. Her voice on the phone last week, tired but trying to sound strong. I thought about the experimental treatment. The only chance she had.
And I thought about Layton. Upstairs in his study. Grading papers. Texting Viviana.
I closed the laptop. I stood up. I walked to the bathroom and locked the door.
Then, finally, I let myself cry.
