“That is not what we agreed on, Sophia,” Linda snapped, her voice rising.

“The lenders are not waiting for paperwork.”

“They want the cash, and they want it today.”

“Ryan’s situation is urgent.”

I looked at Ryan.

He was staring at his sneakers, his jaw working silently.

“How much do you actually owe, Ryan?” I asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ryan mumbled.

“Yes, it does,” I said.

“If I am using my mother’s legacy to clear this, I want to know the exact figure.”

Ethan reached across the table, his hand hovering near the blue folder.

“It is three hundred and fifty thousand, Sophia,” Ethan said, his voice dropping into that familiar, persuasive tone.

“We discussed this.”

“Once this is paid, we can put everything behind us.”

“We can start over.”

“And what about the bridge loan?” I asked.

“The one you took out using my mother’s name as a guarantor?”

Ethan’s face went rigid.

Linda paused, her fingers freezing on her glove.

“That was a temporary measure,” Ethan said quickly.

“It was a business transaction.”

“It was forgery,” I said.