When I returned with the pitcher of iced tea, Olivia was taking photos of the living room with her phone.
«Do you like the decor?» I asked, trying to sound friendly.
«Oh, yes, yes, it’s very authentic. I was just taking some pictures to send to my cousin. She loves the vintage style.»
Vintage. As if my life were a Pinterest trend.
«Dinner is ready. Come to the dining room.»
We sat at the long wooden table, Ethan in his usual place on my right, Olivia across from him. I served the plates carefully, making sure everything looked perfect.
«Enjoy,» I said, sitting down.
Ethan tasted the meatloaf. He closed his eyes. «God, Mom, no one makes meatloaf like you.»
I smiled. For the first time in days, something felt normal. «I’m glad you like it, my love.»
Olivia took a small bite. She chewed slowly. She put her fork down.
«It’s good, although I can’t eat too much seasoning. It irritates my stomach.»
«It doesn’t have too much seasoning,» I said, «but I can bring you something else if…»
«No, no, it’s fine. I’ll eat what I can.»
Silence. The wall clock ticked with a sound I had never noticed before.
«Well,» I finally said. «I wanted you to come because… because I want to apologize.»
Ethan looked up. Olivia did too.
«I was unfair. To both of you. With your wedding. With… this is your life. Your marriage. And I… I must learn to respect that.»
Olivia smiled. For the first time, a genuine smile. «Thank you, Victoria. That means a lot to me. To us.»
Ethan took my hand. «Mom, I went too far too. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. And especially not in front of everyone.»
«It’s over, son. The important thing is to move forward.»
«Exactly,» Olivia interjected. «Moving forward. New beginnings.»
We toasted with iced tea, like a normal family. As if nothing had happened. After dinner, while I was serving the apple cobbler, Olivia got up.
«Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.»
«Of course. It’s the second door on the left.»
She left. Ethan and I were left alone.
«Mom, thank you for doing this. I know it wasn’t easy.»
«Nothing is easy when it comes to you, my love. But it’s always worth it.»
He smiled. My boy. Still there.
«Olivia is a good woman, Mom. You just need to get to know each other better.»
«I know. And I’m going to try. Truly.»
We talked for a while longer. He told me about their honeymoon in San Diego. About the plans for the apartment. About a new job Olivia got at a transnational corporation.
Everything sounded perfect. Too perfect. Olivia was taking a long time to return.
«Is your wife alright?» I asked.
«She must be touching up her makeup. You know how women are.»
I got up. «I’m going to see if she needs anything.»
I walked down the hallway. The bathroom door was open. Empty.
«Olivia?»
Silence. I kept walking. I passed my husband’s study. The door was ajar.
I pushed it open. Olivia was inside. With her back to me. Her phone held up high.
She was taking pictures. Of the desk. Of the drawers. Of the documents on the table.
«Olivia.»
She turned around, startled. Her face went pale for a second. But she quickly regained her composure.
«Oh, Victoria, you scared me.» She laughed nervously. «Sorry. I just saw this room and it seemed so interesting. All these old things. Is this your husband’s study?»
«It was. Of course.»
«Sorry.» She put the phone in her purse. «It has really nice things. I love vintage.»
There was that word again.
«This room is usually locked,» I said.
«The door was open. I thought I could come in. Sorry.»
«Yes. Don’t worry. Let’s go back to Ethan.»
We returned to the dining room. Olivia sat down as if nothing had happened. Smiling. Relaxed. But I wasn’t.
We finished dessert with superficial conversation. Olivia complimented the house three more times. Ethan talked about his plans to help me with the ranch’s maintenance.
«Maybe we could hire someone to paint the exterior walls, Mum. They look a little neglected.»
«They have that colour because it’s a special lime wash paint. That’s how it was done before.»
«But we could modernize. Give it a more contemporary look.»
Contemporary. Modern. Vintage. All words that meant the same thing: Your life is obsolete.
They left at ten o’clock.
«Thanks for dinner, Mum. It was delicious.»
«Whenever you want. This is your home.»
Olivia hugged me. A cold, calculated hug.
«Thank you for giving us another chance, Victoria. It means a lot.»
I watched them drive away up the dirt road. The truck’s tail lights disappeared among the trees. I closed the door.
I walked straight to the study. On the desk, the documents my husband had organised were now moved. Slightly. Almost imperceptibly.
But I knew every inch of that space. Someone had looked through them. I opened the main drawer.
The property deeds were there. The will. The land titles. Everything was in order.
But something was missing. The yellow envelope. The envelope where my husband kept an important letter.
A letter he made me promise I would only open if someone ever tried to take the ranch from me. I searched every drawer. Every shelf. Behind the books.
It wasn’t there. A chill ran down my spine. I touched the keys hanging on my neck.
And for the first time, I understood that I wasn’t being paranoid. I was being watched. I was being studied. I was being measured to see how much longer I was going to be an obstacle to someone else’s plans.
I didn’t sleep that night. I sat in the study, with the lights off, looking out the window. And I wondered how much time I had before they tried to take everything from me.
As I tell all this, I wonder where you might be listening to me. Write the name of your city in the comments.
The next morning, I decided to search the whole house for the yellow envelope. I checked every closet. Every box stored in the attic. Every corner where my husband might have hidden it.
Nothing. I was about to give up when the doorbell rang. It was Mr. Miller, our family lawyer.
A man of 70, with a white moustache and an impeccable suit that always smelled of pipe tobacco and cologne.
«Mrs. Victoria, good morning. May I come in?»
«Mr. Miller, what a surprise. Of course, come in.»
We entered the living room. I served him coffee. He sat down with that seriousness lawyers bring when the news is not good.
«Victoria, I’m here because I received a very strange call yesterday.»
«Strange? From your daughter-in-law, Olivia.»
I felt my stomach clench. «Olivia called you?»
«Yes. She told me that you had asked her to contact me. That you wanted to review your husband’s will. That there were doubts about the property distribution.»
«I never asked her to do that!»
Mr. Miller nodded slowly. «I imagined. That’s why I came. Victoria, that young woman asked me very specific questions. She wanted to know if Ethan’s 50% was transferable.»
«If he could sell his share without your consent. If there was any clause that gave you absolute power over the ranch.»
«And what did you tell her?»
«I told her that information is confidential. That I can only discuss it with you or your son. In your presence. She got quite annoyed.»
He took a sip of coffee. «Victoria, is something happening that I should know about?»
I told him everything. The wedding, the yelling, the dinner, the photos in the study, the missing envelope. Mr. Miller listened in silence, frowning.
«That envelope you mention… was the one containing your husband’s letter?»
«Yes. Do you know what it said?»
«I know your husband asked me to draft a document years ago, shortly before he died. But he never told me what it contained. He only asked me to certify his signature and keep it in a sealed yellow envelope.»
«Do you have a copy?»
«No. Your husband was very clear. Only one original. In your hands. He told me it was a protection. An insurance.»
«Against what?»
Mr. Miller looked at me with those tired eyes that have seen too many family tragedies.
«Against this, I suppose. Against the day someone tried to take what is yours.»
He left half an hour later, but not before warning me. «Victoria, be careful. I’ve seen cases like this. When money and property are involved, people change. Even family.»
«Ethan is not like that.»
«Ethan maybe not. But Olivia?»
I didn’t answer. Because I had no answer.
That afternoon I received a text message from Ethan: «Mum, Olivia wants to invite you to lunch tomorrow. Just the two of you. To get to know each other better. What do you say?»
Something in my gut told me not to go. But something stronger told me I needed to know what was going on.
«Of course. What time?»
«At two o’clock. At the ranch restaurant.»
Ironic, isn’t it? «I’ll be there.»
The next day I got dressed carefully. Black pants, white blouse, a simple jacket. The keys under my blouse, as always.
I arrived at the restaurant five minutes early. Olivia was already there, sitting at a table by the window, her phone in her hand and a glass of white wine in front of her. She looked relaxed, confident, like a chess player who already knows how the game is going to end.