Chapter 4 - The Sister’s Return
It took exactly three days for Chloe to show up at my door.
I was on the porch, enjoying the morning breeze, when her beaten-up Honda Civic pulled into my driveway. She didn't look like the triumphant, glowing woman in the emerald dress anymore. She looked like a ghost. Her hair was greasy, her eyes were bloodshot, and she was wearing oversized sweatpants.
She slowly walked up the steps. "Sarah..."
"Stop right there," I commanded, holding up a hand.
She collapsed onto the top step, burying her face in her hands. "Mom and Dad won't talk to me. They won't even let me inside the house. Mark blocked my number. Evan threatened to file a restraining order if I ever contact him again."
She looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. "I have no money, Sarah. The baby... I don't know what to do."
I looked down at her. Part of me—the old part, the big sister who used to bandage her scraped knees—felt a flicker of pity. But the detective in me saw right through it.
"You didn't come here to apologize, Chloe. You came here because you ran out of options."
"I'm sorry!" she wailed. "I'm so sorry! I was jealous of you! You had the perfect life, the perfect house, the perfect husband... I just wanted what you had!"
"So you stole my husband, slept with his best friend, and helped Mark embezzle almost half a million dollars to pay off your shopping addiction?"
Chloe froze. The crying stopped instantly. "How... how do you know about the money?"
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"I know everything," I said coldly. "And in about forty-eight hours, the SEC is going to know, too. You played a stupid game, Chloe. Now you get to win the ultimate prize."
I turned around and walked back inside, locking the heavy oak door behind me.
