A House He Never Owned
Chapter 03 - A House He Never Owned
Ryan followed Elena into the living room.
“Let me explain.”
“You have thirty seconds.”
He put the folder on the table.
“The house costs a fortune to maintain. Taxes, repairs, insurance. We barely use it.”
“My mother died eight months ago.”
“I know.”
“She left this place to me because she knew what it meant to me.”
Ryan rubbed his forehead.
“We are married, Elena. Financial decisions affect both of us.”
Elena stared at him.
“You said ‘we.’ But you didn’t call me.”
Ryan’s patience snapped.
“Because every conversation about this house turns into a memorial service.”
The words landed harder than Elena expected.
Her mother, Margaret, had spent her final summer in that villa.
Elena had sat beside her on the terrace every morning, drinking coffee while the mountains changed color.
Ryan had visited twice.
Now he wanted to sell it.
Chloe stepped inside wearing a white robe from the guest room.
“I think I should leave.”
Elena looked at her.
“You should.”
Ryan turned sharply.
“Chloe, wait.”
That was another answer.
Chloe looked from Ryan to Elena.
Then she picked up her purse.
Before leaving, she paused beside Elena.
“For what it’s worth, he told me the property was in both your names.”
Elena watched the front door close.
Then she faced Ryan.
“It isn’t.”
He froze.
Elena walked to the desk and opened a drawer.
“The villa belongs to the Margaret Vale Family Trust.”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed.
“And you control the trust.”
“No.”
That was the part he had never bothered to learn.
Elena gave him a cold smile.
“My mother did something you never expected.”
Ryan’s face lost its color.
May you like
And Elena realized he already knew there was a secret.
He just didn’t know what it was.
