He nodded.
“She instructed that ownership transfer after her death.”
Caroline suddenly stood.
I expected her to object.
Instead, she walked to the window.
Her shoulders began shaking.
After a moment, she turned around.
“Aunt Evelyn took me to see it.”
I wiped my face.
“When?”
“Last Christmas.”
Caroline gave a broken laugh.
“I asked why she was buying another house.”
She looked at the box.
“She said she was making sure you would never confuse being loved with being trapped again.”
I could not answer.
Caroline walked back toward the table.
For years, this woman had hated me.
Maybe she still had every reason to.
But she placed Evelyn’s old house key in my hand.
“I’m not changing the locks immediately.”
I stared at her.
