Chapter 4 - Hidden Treasures
As I settled into a new, quiet routine, I found myself helping Ethan with his college applications. He was brilliant—a gifted student despite his chaotic home life. We sat at my kitchen table, going through his essays.
"I never told anyone, Aunt Claire," Ethan said, looking down at his hands. "I was so ashamed. I thought if I just worked hard enough, things would get better."
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"You did work hard, Ethan," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And that hard work is going to be your ticket out. You aren't your father."
While sorting through some of my old family boxes in the attic, I found something unexpected: an old deed to a piece of property my grandfather had left to Brian and me jointly. Brian had hidden it for years, likely planning to sell it off without my knowledge. With the current legal mess he was in, the property was vulnerable. I had to move fast to protect it.
