Noah was forced to sleep under the staircase while his real bedroom was given away.

I stood frozen, unable to move or speak.

Victor walked past me as if he already owned the place—according to Margaret, he soon might. He ran a hand along the staircase railing, then turned and looked at all of us.

"Beautiful home," he said. "It is a shame my brother had to hoard it all these years. It should have been mine from the start."

Liam stepped in front of me and Noah.

"No one is taking anything," Liam said. "This house belongs to Noah."

Victor looked at Liam and smiled—a cold, cruel smile.

"Ah. The ghost. I heard you were back. Too bad. Your return is exactly what clears the way for me."

He pulled a folded paper from his pocket and held it up.

"I have already filed the necessary documents," he said. "I have proof that Liam is alive. I have a copy of the trust with the condition clearly stated. And I have family records proving I am the sole surviving brother of the grantor. By law, this estate now belongs to me."

"You cannot just walk in and take it," I said, finding my voice. "My father wanted Noah to have this home."

"Your father wanted what suited him," Victor said. "He wrote the condition himself. If the boy's father lived, the boy lost everything. He made his choice. Now we must live with it."

Margaret stepped beside Victor.

"Everything is in order, Emily," she said. "Victor has already spoken to the lawyers. By tomorrow morning, the locks on this house will be changed. You will have forty-eight hours to leave."

I stared at her. All the pieces suddenly fell into place.

"You helped him," I said. "You gave him the information. You told him Liam was alive."

Margaret did not even flinch.

"I did what was right," she said. "This family has been cheated long enough. Victor is the rightful heir. And when he takes possession... he has promised to take good care of Daniel. And me."

Daniel looked at his mother, his face devastated.

"You made a deal with him?" Daniel asked. "Behind my back? You used this secret to hand our home to a stranger?"

Margaret turned away from him.

"Daniel, be quiet. This is for the best."

Victor looked at me, his eyes hard.

"Pack your things, Emily. Take your son. And take your... ghost. But leave what is mine. Come back when you have proper papers. Until then—get out."

Liam started forward, fists clenched, but I caught his arm. I shook my head. Not in front of Noah. Not like this.

I looked at Victor. Then at Margaret. Then at Daniel, who stood there broken and silent.

"You think you have won," I said. "But my father did not become a successful man by being careless. There is more than one document. There is more than one secret. And I promise you... I will find it."

Victor waved a hand dismissively.

"Search all you like. You will find nothing. My brother was thorough. He made sure of that."

I did not answer. I turned, took Noah's hand in mine, and looked at Liam.