Paul's eyes flickered. He opened his mouth, like he wanted to say something. I didn't let him.
"Well, since you and your mom already made that decision without me," I continued, "I'll respect it. I'll transfer ownership of the land to a friend."
Paul's expression shifted in an instant.
"That land's worth a lot," he said, his voice rising. "You can't just let that fall into someone else's hands!"
I stayed calm, already pulling out my phone.
"I don't have much of a choice," I said matter-of-factly. "You're always gone for work. Your mom refuses to move anywhere near my family's place back in Montana. So this is the only real option."
I started dialing.
Instantly, Paul lunged forward and snatched the phone right out of my hands, gripping it like a lifeline.
"If it's between your sketchy friends getting it or the government seizing it," he snapped, "I'd rather see it confiscated."
"After all, your parents have been gone for years. The state raised you. You should be grateful."
In my past life, I actually bought into that manipulative nonsense about gratitude.
I was so desperate to be accepted that I handed over the ownership documents for our family's farm and more than thirteen acres of mountain land, thinking Paul would handle the paperwork properly and submit everything to the state.
I had no clue he'd double-cross me.
"It's just a patch of worthless dirt way out in the mountains. You really think it's some kind of treasure?" his mother, Eleanor, chimed in with her usual venom. "My son's right. You never learned how to be grateful. That's why your parents died young."
With a loud bang, the door flew open like it had been kicked, and Eleanor came storming into the room. She threw the still-crying baby into Aunt Clara's arms like he was a bag of laundry.
"He's been screaming nonstop. You want him? Fine. Here. Do your job. You're getting paid with my son's money, aren't you?"
Trailing behind her like a shadow was Paul's little sister, Janice, mumbling under her breath like some self-righteous parrot.
"Mom and Paul are right. You should really learn to appreciate what you've been given. Stop stressing Mom out all the time."
I looked at the three of them—shameless, soulless, and so full of their own self-importance—and felt my stomach tighten.
Perfect. The whole damn pack had arrived.