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When I’m done cooking, I carry my sandwich and the cup of hot chocolate back to the living room. Since I can still hear Laura and Pete’s voices from upstairs, I decide to hide here.
I’m about to put down my tray on the coffee table by the couch when something catches my eye. There are several brochures scattered there along with some legal documents. A laptop sits right on top of them.
Curious, I pull one of the brochures toward me. There are pictures of houses, restaurants, and shopping malls on it with details regarding location and pricing. Next, I pick up the flashy pamphlets lying around and catch the name of a local construction company.
What’s Laura doing with these?
As far as I know, Pete works at a nearby supermarket and has nothing to do with contractors and construction companies. My gaze falls on the legal-looking documents next. Picking up the thick stack, I sit down on the couch.
My eyes widen as I read the first page. It’s a deed to the house with my name on it. Flipping to the next page, I find an official document that says that I’m of legal age and handing my property over to my stepmother!
“What the actual fuck?” I whisper, staring at the page.
Laura never brought up anything about selling the house before. What the hell is she up to?
Turning my gaze toward the laptop, I pick it up and open it.
There are several documents open on the screen that look like bids.
My mind whirs.
“You should protect yourself,” Carol’s voice rings in my head.“Don’t trust Laura too much.”
From everything laid out on the table before me, I can come to only one single conclusion. My stepmother wants me to pass on the house to her so she can sell it to some bidder who would break it down brick by brick and build something else on its grave.
“No way,” I hiss, balling my hands into fists.
My heart clenches painfully to think of my home being torn down. Even though the living room no longer looks like how my mother left it, there are still signs of her existence here. The painting of wildflowers mounted on the wall was done by her. The elegant pale-pink cushion covers were hand-crocheted by her. The smudge on the beige wallpaper is from the time I threw a bowl of mashed broccoli at it…
Tears cloud my eyes. How could Laura even think of doing something like this without telling me?
How long has she been planning this? How long did it take to gather all this information? Have lawyers been involved? Where would we go after selling this house? Would Laura even care to bring me along wherever she goes next?
Questions circle my mind as the pit in my stomach grows heavier.
I need to speak to her at this very moment.
Following the sound of voices, I march upstairs.
“Winter will go into heat any day now,” Laura’s voice immediately makes me pause outside her bedroom door.
“How do you know?” Pete’s voice filters out through the partly open door. “Don’t omegas usually stay on blockers and suppressors?”
Laura makes a derisive noise in her throat. “I changed her medications two weeks ago,” she says, chuckling hard. “Winter’s not too bright, you see. She’s been cramming those pills every morning without realizing I’ve replaced the suppressants with over-the-counter vitamin tablets.”
“Wow,” Pete breathes, sounding impressed. “You’ve thought it all out.”
“Yep. I just need her heat to strike and we’ll hand her over to Luciano’s men,” she says. “It’s still hard to believe that selling an omega will fetch us more money than selling a house like this.”
“Is it really that amazing to fuck an omega?” Pete asks in a low thoughtful tone.
She smacks his arm, looking furious. “Don’t you dare get any ideas!” she screams. “I promised an untouched omega to Luciano. He’ll kill us if we cheat him.”
Ice flows through my veins as I continue listening to Laura’s plan.
She and her daughter have bullied me every single day since my dad died five years ago. I never complained even when she used up all the money Dad left us to pamper her daughter.
They’re my family, I kept telling myself while working a part-time job and helping at the bakery to keep it running.
