“Enough,” Olivia said. “You violated the terms of the trust. This is fraud, Cheryl. And it won’t be swept under the rug.”
Maddie burst into tears. “Mom, what’s happening? Are we going to lose everything?”
My aunt rounded on me, her eyes wild. “This is your fault! If you weren’t so selfish—”
“My fault?” I yelled. “YOU stole from ME!”
The room seemed to erupt in chaos, everyone shouting at once and Cheryl’s children wailing – until Olivia’s authoritative voice sliced through the din. “Cheryl, I suggest you sit down. You’re going to need a lawyer.”
It didn’t take long for everything to unravel. Olivia filed a report, and Cheryl’s spending spree was exposed for the blatant fraud it was. The trust was frozen, and legal proceedings were set in motion. My aunt wept and begged, but the damage was irreversible.