"Exactly! That's why we have to find it!" Her voice pitched higher, a screech now. "Whoever holds it, owns it! Go check the bedroom again!"

I watched, frozen. Ice spread through my veins.

I'd always known the Fletchers were mercenary. But this—

His sister tore apart Rosemary's toys, tossing them aside with a huff of impatience. "There's nothing here!"

"Keep looking!" My mother-in-law commanded like a general on a battlefield. "Flip the mattress! Take the drawers out completely!"

They moved through my home like locusts. Like thieves.

Two hours. They searched for two hours before finally leaving, empty-handed and seething.

I saved the footage.

Every second of it.

Evidence, I thought coldly. For later.

My mother walked over with a plate of sliced fruit, her brow furrowed.

"What are you looking at? You've gone pale."

She wasn't in the best health, and I didn't want anything to upset her.

"It's nothing," I said. "Let's just watch the New Year's Gala."

As midnight approached, a commotion erupted outside.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Someone was pounding on the door.

I glanced out the window. Abner's SUV was parked right at the entrance.

This isn't good.

I immediately opened my phone's video recording.

The moment my father cracked the door open, Abner barged in, followed by his parents and his younger brother.

"Where's the ticket? Hand it over!"

Beth didn't waste a second.

I met her glare head-on.

"It's my ticket. Why would I give it to you?"

"It's marital property!" She jabbed a finger at me. "Abner's entitled to half!"

I lowered myself into a chair, taking my time.

"Then we'll settle that during the divorce proceedings. For now, I'd like you to leave. This is my home."

Beth shoved Abner forward. "Say something!"

His gaze flickered over me, conflicted.

"Cass, just... bring out the ticket. We can talk this through."

"Talk?" I stared at him. "You call rigging the dumpling so I'd find the coin, then announcing how to split the money before I could blink—talking? Ransacking my house—talking?"

"If you keep being this stubborn, you'll only hurt yourself!"

Abner's brow furrowed. "You spend money like water anyway. It'll be gone before you know it. Better to let Mom manage it."

I laughed—a cold, hollow sound.

Finally. Crystal clear.

In his mind, there was only the Fletcher family. Our little family—Rosemary and me—didn't even register.

I looked him dead in the eyes, enunciating every word.