Chapter 8 - Stripping the Facade
The dining room went dead silent. The tick-tock of Mom's ornate grandfather clock sounded like sledgehammers against the walls.
Mom stood up, her mouth opening and closing like a landed fish. "Briana... baby... she’s poisoning your mind. Sylvia has always resented that you were born special. Look at what you're wearing! She's dragging you down to her level!"
"My level?" Briana laughed, a raw, bitter sound. "Sylvia has an 810 credit score, zero debt, and a job where people actually respect her. Your level, Mom, is three maxed-out credit cards, an eviction notice on my apartment, and Aunt Clara's retirement money sitting in your closet disguised as designer handbags."
Aunt Clara marched straight past Mom into the master bedroom. Within seconds, we heard closet doors slamming and hangers clattering. Aunt Clara emerged holding two pristine Chanel shopping bags that Mom had hidden behind her winter coats.
"You bought these last week," Aunt Clara whispered, trembling with disgust. "You told me you needed money for dental surgery, you sociopath!"
"Give those back!" Mom screamed, lunging toward Clara. "Those are investments!"
"They're evidence," Uncle Dave said sternly, stepping between them. He looked at Mom with a cold finality that made her recoil. "Dave, call the police if you want, but you're not getting another dime from our side of the family. And Brenda? You have thirty days to return Clara's money, or I’m handing these loan papers to the district attorney myself."
Mom sank back down into her chair, her manicured fingers clawing at the wooden table. For the first time in my life, she didn't look like an untouchable, glamorous matriarch. She looked like an exposed con artist whose marks had finally compared notes.
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"Sylvia... please," Mom whimpered, turning her desperate gaze toward me. "You’re the responsible one. Tell them. You know how hard it was raising you two alone. Fix this."
"I am fixing it," I replied, taking Briana’s arm. "Briana is coming with me. Don't call either of us again."