“I’m just saying I want to spend time with you. Which is why you’re all staying the night,” I announced, leaving no room for argument. Belinda immediately stiffened.
“Mom, if you’re fine, you have your friends with you. I have important meetings… I’ll stop by tomorrow.”
Gregory muttered something under his breath. I took a long, slow breath and then said,
“If anyone wants to leave—the door is open.
But I don’t know how much time I have left, and all I’m asking for is just one night with my family.”
Silence. Then Belinda exhaled and gave a small nod. Gregory rubbed the back of his neck.
“Fine. Just tell me where I’m sleeping.”
“In your old room, of course.”
“Oh, fantastic,” he groaned. “My 52 y/o back will be thrilled about that wooden torture device you call a bed.”
Veronica folded her arms.
“Does the Wi-Fi at least work properly?”
“Don’t worry, dear. I made sure you wouldn’t have to suffer the horrors of an offline existence.”
After a brief dinner, everyone scattered to their rooms. ***
Later that night, I was on my way to say goodnight to my grandchildren when I stopped mid-step.
Something moved in the hallway. At first, I thought it was my cat, Bugsy, but then I heard muffled voices. I moved closer, silent as a shadow.
Gregory’s door was slightly ajar. “We need to find out if she’s already changed the documents,” Veronica whispered. “We can’t just ask!” Gregory snapped.
“If she hasn’t rewritten the will yet, you know who everything is going to…”
I pursed my lips. Interesting. I crept further down the hall and caught Belinda’s voice coming from her room.
“No, I can’t meet you right now. If Mom suspects anything, everything falls apart.”
A chill ran down my spine. What exactly would fall apart, Belinda?
Suddenly, a small shadow darted past me. Theo! He froze when he realized I had spotted him.
“And what exactly are you doing, Scooter?”
“Investigating.”
I glanced down at his open notebook:
1. Mom and Dad whisperin about Granny. 2.
Belinda canceled a secret meeting. 3. Grandma Vivi playin cards.
I smiled. I just wanted to bring my family together even for one evening… but at that moment, I wasn’t even sure I really knew them. Their secrets sounded dangerous.
“Go to bed, Scooter. I’ll check in on you and Mia later.”
I turned back towards my room. There was only one thing left to do.
The following morning, everyone sat at the table, eating and exchanging small talk, pretending nothing had happened. But I knew. They were simply waiting to finish their coffee, make their excuses, and slip back into their carefully constructed lives.
What they didn’t know was that I had a very different plan for them. I folded my napkin and placed it on the table with careful precision. “I’ve decided what to do next.”
Belinda placed her fork down.
“About what, Mom?”
Gregory choked on his coffee. I lifted my gaze. “The people who will inherit my fortune will be the ones who choose to spend my final days with me.”
Veronica tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Well, that’s… interesting.”
“So, anyone who wants to stay—stay. But there are rules in this house. We eat breakfast and dinner together.
We share updates. We spend time as a family.”
A pause. Belinda nervously glanced at Gregory.
“I think it’s reasonable.”
“Fine. I’m in,” Gregory sighed. “Besides, the kids have been wanting to spend time here.
And maybe Mia will finally study for her exams… and Theo… Well, he’s got space to let his imagination run wild.”
I turned to my grandchildren. “Are you two staying?”
“Absolutely!” Theo grinned. “I have so many investigations to complete.”
“Then it’s settled,” I said.
Across the table, my “girls” exchanged knowing glances. They knew. I had to be sure that my fortune wouldn’t go to the wrong hands.
Because my family had no idea that I was the biggest mystery to them all. ***
Later, Bugsy lounged in my lap, his plump body radiating warmth as I stroked his fur. The soft sound of shuffled cards filled the air, a rhythm I found comforting.
Across from me, Dolly fanned out her cards with a dramatic flourish, while Margo sat poised, fingers lightly drumming against the table. Their curiosity pressed down on me. “So, you’re just going to… watch them?” Margo finally broke the silence.
I smirked, flipping a card between my fingers. “For now.”
Dolly took a slow sip of her espresso. “And what exactly are you planning to learn?”
I leaned back in my chair, letting the weight of their question settle.
“Everything they’re hiding.” I picked up my glass of pomegranate juice and took a deliberate sip, savoring the tartness. “They all have something to lose now. And they know it.”
“Oh, Vivi, darling.
You do realize this isn’t just a family drama anymore? This is a full-fledged mystery.”
Margo tilted her head, observing me carefully. “And you’re sure you want to keep playing this game?”
I traced the rim of my glass with my fingertip before setting it down.
“Margo, dear, I am the game.”
And then, I felt it. That prickle at the back of my neck. The unmistakable sensation of being watched.
I reached up casually, as if to adjust my earring, tilting my head just enough to catch the smallest detail—a hairline crack in the ceiling, barely noticeable, but just wide enough. A spy hole. My fingers paused against my earlobe.
Someone was in the attic. Watching us. I didn’t react.
Didn’t glance up. Instead, I let a slow, knowing smile stretch across my lips as I slid my next card onto the table. Let the game begin.
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