“Your father was a smart man, Dawn,” he said. “He knew Charlotte would most likely throw you out the moment she got control of the house.”
“He knew?” I gulped.
“That’s why he made me draw this up,” he said.
Matthew opened the folder.
“Seven years ago, your father inherited a very large sum of money. It was almost two million dollars. It was from a distant relative who didn’t have any children, but your father took care of her when she needed help.”
“What?” I gasped.
“Yeah, he didn’t end up telling either of you. But I’m sure he had his reasons. Now, here’s the catch, Dawn. Your father split the money between you and Charlotte.”
“She gets a share too?” I said slowly, my heart sinking.
“Yes, Dawn. But there’s a condition. Charlotte has to share the house with you equally.”
I sat up straighter. Suddenly, there seemed like a way out of this mess.
“If your sister refuses, she gets absolutely nothing.”
“There’s more,” he continued. “Your father left you this.”
He slid a letter across the table to me.
It was my dad’s writing.
Dawn, my darling,
I know Charlotte, sweetheart. I know what she’ll do. But you are smarter than her. You always have been. The money is in a safety deposit box. Use it wisely, my girl.
I love you more than anything.
—Dad
I stared at the details of the bank account.
“I don’t know the code to the safe deposit box,” I whispered.
The lawyer smiled.
“The watch,” he said simply.
I took Dad’s watch off my wrist and turned it over. On the back, there were tiny scratches. Four digits, faint but visible.
A code!
Matthew grinned.
“Your dad was a genius, Dawn.”
I laughed, like really, really laughed, for the first time since he d-ied.
Charlotte had the house, but she also had all the debt. And she had just kicked out the one person who could save her from losing everything.
I was still staying at the bed and breakfast a few days later when Charlotte called me. I let it ring while I went to get myself a glass of water.
Then, I picked it up.
“Hello?” I said sweetly.
“You knew, didn’t you?” she spat.
“Knew what?” I asked.
“The house,” she snapped. “The lawyer just called me. There is debt. A lot of it. Like thousands of dollars. If they aren’t paid off, the house gets taken, Dawn. And you…” she let out a shaky breath. “You have the money, don’t you?”
I twirled my dad’s watch around my wrist.
“I might have the money…” I said. “But we don’t exactly have a good history, do we? You did kick me out.”
She was silent.
“You have to help me!” she said finally.
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