“Exactly,” Rylan agreed. “The developer offered nine hundred thousand. Our cut is three hundred thousand each, clean.”

My stomach lurched.

Nine hundred thousand dollars.

They were planning to demolish my childhood home, the only place where I felt safe after my parents died.

“She has been looking for the original deed,” Rylan said, his voice dropping slightly.

“Did you hide it?” Solene asked.

“I looked everywhere for it,” Rylan admitted. “I checked her jewelry box, the filing cabinet, even under the mattress. I couldn’t find it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Solene said. “With the power of attorney and the forged loan papers, we can file for a lost deed replacement. It takes a few extra days, but it is entirely legal on paper.”

“Unless she finds the original and takes it to a lawyer,” Pax said.

“She won’t,” Rylan said. “I’ve been giving her those sleeping drops in her tea every night. She can barely remember what she had for breakfast.”

A wave of nausea hit me so hard I had to put my hand against the wall to steady myself.

The herbal tea he made for me every evening.