“You must have the wrong place because this is our home,” she insisted. “We live here and we take care of everything.”
Thomas briefly glanced at his colleague before lifting his gaze and looking directly at Paige instead of them.
“Actually, this property legally belongs to Ms. Paige Miller,” he stated calmly.
A heavy silence followed, broken only by distant sounds from the neighborhood as Susan struggled to process what she had just heard.
“That is ridiculous,” Susan snapped while her voice began to shake slightly. “What nonsense are you saying right now.”
Thomas continued without reacting to her tone, maintaining his professional demeanor.
“The house was purchased twenty three years ago, and all payments were made from a bank account registered under Ms. Paige Miller,” he explained. “All financial records confirm that she is the sole legal owner.”
Kayla’s face turned pale as she struggled to keep her composure, her hands beginning to tremble.
“That cannot be true because we pay taxes and maintain this place,” she argued desperately.
“You have been living here as authorized occupants,” the woman with the briefcase clarified while adjusting her glasses. “All expenses, including taxes and renovations, were paid automatically from our client’s account.”
Thomas gestured toward Paige, making it clear who he was referring to.
Susan slowly turned to look at Paige as if seeing her for the first time, unable to reconcile the image of the desperate woman from moments earlier with this new reality.
“What is going on, Paige,” Susan demanded, panic rising in her voice. “You said you had nothing and that you lost everything.”
Paige took a slow breath, then calmly removed her worn sweater and let it fall to the ground, revealing a high quality silk blouse underneath that instantly changed how she was perceived.
“We are talking about what I have been paying for during the last twenty three years,” she said steadily, her voice no longer shaking.
Kayla shook her head in disbelief while stepping back slightly.
“You told us you were broke and had nothing left,” she said in confusion.
Paige gave a faint smile that carried more sadness than joy.
“That was part of a test,” she replied quietly.
Susan staggered back slightly, her face filled with shock.
“A test,” she repeated.
Thomas stepped forward to explain further, maintaining a formal tone.