Chapter 3 - Unraveling the Lie
Rebecca’s face went pale, then flushed a dark, angry crimson. "What kind of sick prank is this? Hand me that lock, or I’ll call the police! Your grandmother would never—"
"My grandmother did," Layla interrupted quietly. "Six months ago, when she died alone in the hospital while you were busy planning your summer vacation in Cabo."
A heavy murmur rippled through the crowd of twenty-three relatives gathered at the base of the stairs. Great-Aunt Evelyn, Eleanor’s elder sister, stepped forward from the back of the group, leaning heavily on her cane. She looked between Rebecca’s panicked face and Layla’s steady gaze.
"Rebecca," Aunt Evelyn said, her voice piercing the winter air. "What is Layla talking about? Why wasn't she invited to Eleanor's home? Why has she been standing outside every holiday for over a decade?"
Rebecca turned on her aunt, her voice rising in pitch. "Evelyn, stay out of this! Layla has always been distant! She chose not to come to family events! She preferred her job in Raleigh over her own mother!"
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"That is a lie," Layla said, her voice unshakable. "Fifteen years ago, when I was seventeen, you posted pictures of Christmas here while I was at home waiting for a ride that never came. When I drove down at twenty-three, Hannah asked right in front of everyone if anyone had actually invited me. You made sure I never had a place at this table because every time you looked at me, you saw my father."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
