“What do you mean?” my stepmother snapped, her voice tinged with panic.

The lawyer adjusted his glasses, looking directly at them. “The house wasn’t included because it had already been transferred to Sheila.”

The room fell silent. My stepmother’s smug expression melted into one of shock. Emma’s eyes widened, and a murmur of disbelief swept through the relatives.

“Yes,” I confirmed, breaking my silence. “Dad sold the house to me months before he passed.”