Chapter 51

“With this, the Ratcliff family won’t ever look down on you.”
Reese felt a wave of emotion rise in her chest. Dylon must have heard the rumors going around. She didn’t argue anymore. She picked up the pen and signed her
name.
Dylon smiled, satisfied, and put the documents away.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get the Eastside project for sure. I won’t let your grandfather and your mom’s hard work go to waste.”
Knowing Dylon had everything under control, Reese finally relaxed. She left his house, went home, and fell straight into bed. Read full story at.net
But as the days dragged on, unease started to creep in.
If Reese knew anything about Sebastian, it was that he always got what he wanted, no matter what. This time, Sofia had her eye on the old courtyard house. If Reese said no, Sebastian would just find another way. Still, he hadn’t reached out to her at all these days.
After work one evening, Reese found herself driving down that familiar narrow alley, almost without thinking.
She hadn’t even reached the door when she heard the banging and crashing of walls being torn down.
She pushed the gate open. Her heart raced.
Her mother’s embroidered tapestry was lying on the floor, covered in muddy footprints. The old chair she’d climbed as a kid was broken in a corner. Even the orchid her mom had cared for was ripped out, dumped in the trash.
“Stop!”
Reese rushed in, shoving a worker aside. “This is my house! Who told you you could touch any of this?”
Grace appeared, wearing a navy dress, looking totally unbothered.
“I told them to. The house is in Sofia’s name now. Of course we’re redecorating to her taste.”
“No way.”.” Reese glared at her. “My mom left this place to me. I never agreed to sell it.”
Grace just snorted, pulled a folder out of her bag, and tossed it at Reese’s feet.
“Take a look.”
Reese picked it up, flipped it open, and there it was. Sofia’s name was on the deed, staring back at her.
When did she ever sign anything? How did they get the title transferred?
As if reading her mind, Grace snatched the deed from her hands, tucking it away with a smirk.
“You really thought not selling would stop me from getting this house?
“You honestly have no idea, do you?
“You’re already on the list of people who defaulted on their debts. This place went
up for auction a few days ago. We bought it for less than eighty million.”
Reese just stood there, frozen.
The house had been auctioned off? How could she not know?
Her hands shaking, she pulled out her phone and searched the court’s website.
Within minutes, she found it. Ramos Corporation was bankrupt and being liquidated. All her assets were being seized.
Her heart dropped. She checked the bidding results for the Eastside project. An unfamiliar company had won, and Dylon was listed as the owner.
She’d been played. Her uncle and Sebastian had set her up. They’d tanked Ramos Corporation, dumped a mountain of debt on her, all so Sofia could get her hands on the courtyard house?
“Why? Why would he do this?” Reese whispered, clutching her chest, feeling like she couldn’t breathe.
Then something clicked. She grabbed Grace’s arm, her voice desperate. “Where’s my mom’s wooden box? The rosewood one with the rose pattern?”
That box held her mother’s diaries-stories of her parents, her childhood, and the only surviving photo.
Grace yanked her arm away, annoyed. “I threw it out. Who wants to keep that old junk?”
“Where?” Reese demanded.
“Over there.” Grace waved at a messy pile in the corner.
Reese dropped to her knees and started digging through the scattered boxes.
She didn’t even notice when a nail cut her finger. She tossed clothes aside, shook out books, swept aside dust in the corners, but the wooden box was gone.
“No… Where is it? How could it just disappear?”
She sank to the floor, tears streaming down, her sobs breaking free.
That box meant the world to her mom. Every night before bed, her mom would read to her from those diaries, telling her their family’s story, cherishing every memory.
Outside, a car engine rumbled closer and stopped.
Sebastian helped Sofia step over the threshold, his eyes darkening at the mess.
Sofia glanced at Reese, smirked for a split second, then looked away. She looped her arm through Grace’s and headed upstairs. “Mom, let’s see how we’ll redo the second floor.”
Sebastian stayed where he was, staring at Reese still on the floor.
Her hair was tangled, her face streaked with tears and dust, blood trickling down her knees.
He walked over and offered his hand. “You’re still pregnant. If you want something, just tell me. There’s no need for this scene.”
Smack!
The slap echoed through the courtyard.
Reese glared up at him, voice trembling with rage. “Sebastian, I hope you rot in hell.”
Sebastian’s head snapped to the side. He looked at her, shock flashing in his eyes.