Chapter 7 - Beatrice's Last Performance
Beatrice refused to leave Oak Park.
Day thirty arrived.
Then thirty-one.
Rowan filed possession proceedings.
She invited reporters.
Of course.
The headline:
NEW BRIDE'S SECRET EQUITY FIRM EVICTS HUSBAND'S ELDERLY PARENTS AFTER ONE-DAY MARRIAGE.
It was effective.
For approximately twenty-four hours.
Then Arthur publicly corrected it.
He released a statement acknowledging Sterling Heritage had defaulted repeatedly and Rowan had extended extraordinary accommodations.
He moved voluntarily into a two-bedroom condominium.
He looked relieved.
Cynthia joined him temporarily.
Julian rented an apartment.
Beatrice remained alone in the mansion.
Then journalists found property records.
The truth emerged.
She had known for months that occupancy was temporary.
The sympathy story weakened.
Beatrice still refused.
A judge ordered possession.
I did not attend.
I did not need to watch a woman physically leave a house to feel vindicated.
The locks changed.
Rowan listed the property.
Then something strange happened.
I couldn't sell it.
Not emotionally.
The mansion wasn't mine in any meaningful sense.
But I kept thinking about how much money the Sterling family burned trying to preserve it.
May you like
What could twelve million dollars do instead?
That question became important later.
