My mother stiffens.“What about property?”
Harvey opens the folder and slides a document forward with two fingers.“This penthouse.”
My father laughs once, short and dismissive.“This penthouse is in my name.”
Harvey nods.“It is currently in a trust under the Winthrop Family Holdings structure, yes.”
My mother’s voice stays sweet.“So why are we discussing it?”
I step closer to the coffee table and tap the paper.“Because it was my grandfather’s.”
My father’s eyes sharpen.“Your grandfather is dead.”
“Gold star,” I say.“And before he died, he left a trust.A real one.Not the pretend ones you use to shuffle money around like you’re playing Monopoly with human lives.So in fact, you illegally placed it into the wrong trust.”
My mother’s mouth tightens.“Callaway?—”
“He left it to me,” I continue.“Not you.Not Dad.Me.”
Daniel’s pen moves.I watch him, and I feel a quiet thrill—because this is the part where the professional threat realizes he’s standing on rotting beams.
Harvey adds, “The trust was updated after a series of changes in the family’s internal management.It was kept from Mr.Winthrop through ...selective disclosure.”
“You can’t touch my house.”Dad glares at me.
Harvey slides another page forward.“The penthouse is no longer available to you.”
My father’s face reddens.“That’s impossible.”
Harvey’s eyes remain calm.“It’s filed.”
Daniel’s voice is careful now.“Filed where?”
Harvey looks at him as if Daniel has asked what water is.“Court.”
My mother’s voice turns brittle.“You can’t do that.”
I keep my smile.“Watch me.”
My father takes a step forward.“You’re not taking my home.”
I laugh, light and bright.“Dad, this has never been your home.This has been your stage.You can rent another stage.”
My mother’s gaze slices to Harvey.“This is extortion.”
Harvey doesn’t blink.“Mr.Callaway Livingston Harrington Winthrop”—He points at me—“would like to refer at it as restitution.”
I turn my attention back to my parents.“Now.Before you start screaming about disrespect, I want to be very clear about something.”
I step closer, and my voice drops—quiet enough to force them to lean into it.
“I asked you to do one little thing ...and you didn’t,” I say, meeting my father’s eyes as he glares at me.“You were supposed to leave Vesper and Alberto alone and what did you do?”I cross my arms and tap my shoe.“You went to Vesper’s current client and tried to get her fired.”
“We—”
“Stop, Mom, I know everything,” I cut her off before they try to fill me with bullshit.“Stay away from my relationship and my family.”
My mother’s voice drips condescension.“It’s not a family.It’s a phase.A reckless?—”
