aurant. My husband, David, was beaming, his arm draped proudly around our daughter, Lily. It was her u

e beginning of the end. Today, it wa

felt like it happened yesterday. The confrontation in our living room, the room I had designe

, her voice echoing in the high-ceilinged spac

duation condo and the funds for her new car to her biological brother, Mike, but had also drained my retirement acco

o utterly devoid of gratitude. We had given her everything. The best schools, tutors, trips abroad, a life of privilege and

then, I woke up. Not in a hospital, not in an afterlife, but right here, in my own bed, on the morning of this ver

y? You've been st

oking at me, her head tilted, a perfect picture of conc

you, sweetie," I said, forcing a smil

her expensive perfume filling my senses. "

o easily moved by her displays of affection.

hick with emotion. "And we have a little

ought, my grip tigh

r of greed replacing the feigned affe

You deserve it. We found a perfect condo for you downtown, and there' s

start in her adult life. Now, I saw it for what it was: the fuel for my own dest

squealed, throwing her arms around David. She turned to me, h

She knew exactly which buttons to push, how to

rehead. He looked at me, his expression full of pure, unad

viper we called our daughter. In my past life, I would have

he wasn't seeing a home or a vehicle. She was seeing cash. Cash for Bren

le. "Of course, David. An

er David' s shoulder, my in

of blood" you cherish so much is going to be the only thing you have