I looked up at Aunt Claire, who remained motionless on the stairs.

“Is this true?” I demanded.

Claire did not look at me; her eyes were fixed on the floor.

“We did what we had to do to save the house,” Claire said, her voice suddenly cold and sharp.

“The house was never ours to save,” Daniel said, stepping into the center of the foyer.

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a grim intensity.

“Your grandfather unlawfully mortgaged the family trust decades ago,” Daniel said.

“He took out massive loans against Waverly Lane to fund his failed business ventures.”

“And Claire knew the bank would seize everything if the truth ever came out,” Daniel added.

I felt a cold chill run down my spine as the pieces began to fit together.

“That’s why Ethan was here,” I murmured, turning to look at my ex-fiancé.

Ethan stood by the open door, his face pale and wet with rain.

“He wasn’t just trying to steal the property,” I said.

“No,” Daniel said. “Claire orchestrated your engagement to Ethan.”