Eli’s voice was small yet clear, cutting through the tension thick enough to drown in. “You forgot about the video he left,” he said, lifting his chin with a quiet confidence that belied his ten years. His words hung in the air, a lifeline thrown into the suffocating silence.
Karen’s eyes narrowed, and Uncle Rick’s smirk faltered for the briefest moment. The lawyer, Mr. Connor, paused, surprise flickering across his face as he adjusted his glasses. “A video?” he asked, glancing between Eli and me.
I nodded, confusion mingling with hope. It was the first I’d heard of it, but Eli’s certainty was a buoy in a storm I thought would drown me. “Yes,” Eli confirmed, pulling a small flash drive from his pocket. “Grandpa gave this to me. He said it was important.”
