Her voice was no longer sharp; it was thin and dry.

“The townhouse on Dearborn is not part of the trust,” Elias said.

“You may live there.”

“But your allowance from the Sterling estate is terminated.”

“You will have a pension of five thousand dollars a month, paid by the trust.”

“That is all.”

Miranda turned around, her eyes dark.

“Five thousand?” she said.

“That won’t even pay the maintenance on the townhouse.”

“Then you will have to sell it,” Elias said.

He did not look at her with anger, only with a quiet, cold fatigue.

“You had twenty years of luxury that belonged to my granddaughter,” Elias said.

“You should be grateful we are not filing charges for the conversion of trust funds.”

“If you contest this, the prosecutors will receive the ledgers by noon.”

Miranda looked at Julian, but Julian turned his back to her and walked toward the window.

She realized then that she was alone.

Without another word, she walked out of the library.

Her heels clicked slowly down the long hallway toward the grand staircase.