Chapter 3 - Her Mother’s Favorite ChildClaire had spent most of her childhood trying to become the daughter Diane could love.
When she earned perfect grades, Diane said she studied too much.
When Claire won a scholarship, Diane complained that the ceremony conflicted with Madison’s dance recital.
When Thomas praised Claire’s discipline, Diane accused him of making Madison feel inferior.
After Thomas died, the imbalance became worse.
His will left the majority of his company shares in a trust controlled by Claire. Diane received the family house, a generous investment account, and lifetime financial support.
Madison received a smaller trust that would become fully available when she turned thirty-five.
Diane called the arrangement unfair.
“Your father always believed you were better than everyone,” she told Claire after the funeral.
Claire had been too grief-stricken to argue.
Over the years, she tried to repair the resentment with money.
Each gift purchased temporary peace.
Each rescue delayed another accusation.
Kevin understood this weakness perfectly.
Whenever Diane demanded something unreasonable, Kevin encouraged Claire to agree.
“She’s your mother,” he would say.
Whenever Madison needed help, he reminded Claire that family loyalty mattered more than money.
It took Claire years to realize that Kevin only praised generosity when it benefited him.
As Madison’s pregnancy progressed, Diane became increasingly cruel about Claire’s fertility struggles.
During a family brunch, Diane placed a hand on Madison’s stomach and smiled.
“At least one of my daughters knows how to give this family something important.”
The table went silent.
Claire stared at her coffee.
Madison muttered, “Mom, don’t.”
But she did not defend Claire.
Kevin said nothing.
On the drive home, Claire waited for him to express anger.
Instead, he stared out the passenger window.
“Your mother shouldn’t have said it like that,” he finally said.
“Like what?”
“So directly.”
Claire turned toward him.
“The problem was that she said it directly?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t.”
Kevin sighed impatiently. “She’s excited about becoming a grandmother. Don’t turn everything into an attack.”
That conversation erased something inside Claire.
Not her love for Kevin.
Not yet.
But it erased her instinct to trust him automatically.
Two weeks later, Daniel’s audit found that Diane had approved invoices connected to Northvale Family Services.
The signatures were electronic, but the approval codes belonged to her.
Daniel believed the three of them might be working together.
Claire resisted the conclusion.
“My mother would favor Madison,” she said. “She would insult me. She might even hide an affair to protect her. But financial fraud?”
Daniel slid a document across the desk.
It was a request to increase Diane’s company advisory payment by forty percent.
The request had been submitted by Kevin.
The justification claimed Diane was supervising a new family-wellness division.
No such division existed.
Claire felt her chest tighten.
“How much have they taken?”
“Directly and indirectly, we’ve confirmed around $214,000.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Daniel continued carefully.
“There may be more.”
“Keep investigating.”
“Claire, you should consider leaving the house.”
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because if they think I suspect them, they’ll change their plans.”
Daniel watched her for a moment.
“You sound like your father.”
May you like
Claire looked down at the false invoice bearing her mother’s approval.
“No. My father still believed my mother had limits.”
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