Reese''s voice shook so hard she could barely get the words out. The tears finally broke loose, streaming down her face andnding on the photo she clutched to her chest.
"My mom is gone! Why can''t you just leave her things alone? Why do you have to take thest bit of her I have left?!"
Her eyes were wild. They were sharp as broken ss, burning with a fury that made Grace and Sofia stumble back. For a second, it looked like she might actually explode.
"Reese, calm down."
Sebastian stood at the top of the steps, looking down at her like she was some stranger causing trouble.
"Go home. We''ll talk when you''ve calmed down."
"Talk? What''s there left to say?"
Reese let out augh that sounded more like a sob. "Sebastian, Grace, you just made me your enemy. I''ll never forgive you."
Grace shrank back, rattled by the look in Reese''s eyes. "Someone call the police! Reese has lost it—she''s going to hurt us!"
Her hands shook as she grabbed her phone and dialed 911.
Sebastian tried to stop her but he was toote. His voice went t and cold.
"You''re rushing things. We agreed. Reese woulde pick up her mom''s things before anyone touched the house."
"Sebastian, that''s not fair." Sofia reached for his arm but he pulled away, his eyes shing with a hint of hurt.
"When we signed the paperwork, Dylon said they''d pick up everything within three days. But nobody showed. We thought maybe they didn''t want the old stuff anymore, so we started clearing it out. It''s not like we knew she''d show up like this
"So now it''s my fault?" Reese''s voice was all poison as she red at Sofia. "You transferred the house behind my back. You tossed my mom''s things like they were garbage. You smashed her portrait. And you never even asked me."
"Who called the police?"
Footsteps sounded at the gate, sirens fading as two officers stepped inside.
"I did!" Grace called out, pointing at Reese, who was still on her knees in the dirt. "Officer, she broke into our yard and tried to attack my daughter! Please-arrest her before she hurts someone!"
Reese looked up at the officers, but when she saw Roman, she quickly looked away.
Roman took in the scene, his gaze pausing on Reese, then moving to Sebastian. His face was hard to read.
Sebastian met his eyes but didn''t say a word, just nodded stiffly.
The other cop stepped forward, reaching out a hand. “Ma''am,e with us to the station."
Reese jerked away from his grip and pushed herself up, wobbling on her feet. Her eyes were red and fierce as she stared at the people on the steps.
"I won''t forgive any of you!"
"Did you hear that?" Grace shouted, voice shrill. "She''s threatening us! She needs to be punished!"
She''d noticed the look between Sebastian and Roman. If Reese got charged, the Ratcliffs would never stand by her. Not with a record.
With the officer''s help, Reese limped toward the gate. She looked back at Sebastian, her eyes full of pure hate. There was no softness left in her at all, and Sebastian looked away, frowning.
"You really crossed the line this time." Roman came up beside Sebastian, his tone sharp. "She''s still your wife. How can you stand there and let them do this to her?"
Sebastian shot him a cold look. "She drugged me and tricked me. She doesn''t deserve to be my wife."
"You think she wanted this?"
Roman watched as Reese was half-carried out by a female officer. Her ankle was swollen. There was dirt and dried tears on her face.
He remembered the first time he met her-beaten down but still defiant. His mouth twisted.
"She called the cops on you for rape. If your grandfather hadn''t covered it up, you''d be in jail right now. You think she wanted to marry you after that? You think she wanted any of this?"
This was exactly why Roman hated these rich families. They crushed anyone who got in their way-even someone like Reese.
"What did you just say?"
Sebastian turned sharply, staring at Roman, disbelief all over his face.
Reese called the police back then?
Was it possible she hadn''t drugged him after all?