Confused, Gwen gestured toward Elizabeth. “She’s handling the estate now,” she said, voice measured. The men thanked her and walked toward Elizabeth. Gwen turned back toward a waiting guest and continued her quiet nods and half-smiles, trying not to let her confusion distract her from the moment.
She was hugging Albert’s second cousin goodbye when it happened—a sharp, guttural scream from the other side of the church. Heads turned. Gwen whipped around. Elizabeth stood near the pews, clutching a document. Her eyes were wide, hands trembling, and her breathing fast, shallow. She looked as if she’d seen a ghost.
People rushed over, murmurs rippling through the crowd. Gwen stepped closer just in time to hear the men explaining. The house had been mortgaged—used as collateral against a massive business loan Albert had taken out. Half a million dollars. Gwen’s breath caught. Even she hadn’t known.
The men from the bank were clear: as the sole inheritor of Albert’s estate, Elizabeth was now responsible for the entire loan. The car, the house, the savings—it wouldn’t be enough to cover it. The debt was hers now. Gwen said nothing. She didn’t need to.
For days, Gwen had been walking around hollowed out—haunted by what she’d lost. Her husband, her home, the memories she thought would be hers to keep. But in that moment, watching Elizabeth break down, something shifted. Gwen hadn’t lost everything. Not really.
Elizabeth had stolen ash and thought it was gold. And now she stood at the center of the church, unravelling in front of hundreds of people. Gwen didn’t want to admit, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t feeling satisfied.
Elizabeth stood frozen, lips parted, eyes darting between the men and the paper. She looked pale, disoriented. Gwen watched her for a long moment, then turned away. She stepped outside, past the guests and out into the open air. The sky had cleared. The wind was soft against her skin.
She tilted her head back, looking up at the pale blue sky. “Thank you,” she whispered under her breath. She didn’t know if Albert had planned it. But some part of her believed he had left her this one last shield. Her dignity. Her escape.