“I didn't keep her.”
Renee nodded.
“That is what I failed to understand deeply enough.”
Silence.
Renee continued.
“I was so focused on making sure Simone never felt second that I sometimes treated your protection as excess.”
Maya looked at her.
“When?”
The question hurt.
Renee answered.
“When you wanted the expensive marine-biology camp at thirteen.”
“I told your father it was unfair because Simone had paid her own way through a business certificate program.”
“The camp was paid by your trust.”
“I knew that.”
“I still argued.”
Maya remembered.
Adrian eventually let her attend.
Renee had seemed annoyed.
“At Christmas?”
Maya asked.
Renee looked down.
“Yes.”
Maya felt cold.
“What about Christmas?”
“Sometimes when your maternal grandmother sent more expensive gifts, I asked your father to reduce what we spent on you.”
Maya stared.
“He agreed?”
“Sometimes.”
Renee’s eyes filled.
“We told ourselves total gifts should feel even.”
Maya laughed bitterly.
“Grandma Carter is not Lucas—”
She stopped.
Wrong family; no Lucas here.
She corrected herself.
“Grandma Carter is not Simone's grandmother.”
“I know.”
“Now.”
“Yes.”
Maya looked at Renee.
“What else?”
Renee swallowed.
“Simone’s business.”
There.
Maya waited.
Renee continued.
“Silver Tide used this house more than your father knows.”
“How much more?”
“Twenty-three times.”
Maya stared.
“Twenty-three?”
“Over three years.”
“For money?”
“Eighteen were paid client sessions or events.”
The room became very quiet.
“Did you help?”
“Yes.”
Maya looked stunned.
“I did styling.”
“Coordination.”
“I opened the property when Adrian was away.”
“Did you know someone else would pay to rent a house like this?”
“Yes.”
“Did Simone?”
“Yes.”
“Did she pay?”
“No.”
Maya’s eyes filled.
“So when she says she built her business here…”
Renee nodded.
“She did.”
“With a subsidy she did not understand as a subsidy.”
“You understood.”
“Yes.”
“Did money go to the trust?”
“No.”
Maya stood.
Renee immediately said:
“I am going to repay it.”
Maya laughed.
“You don't even know what it costs.”
“I contacted a property manager this morning.”
“That is not the point.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying—”
Renee closed her mouth.
Maya paced.
“Did Dad know?”
“Not the number.”
“He knew some.”
“How many?”
“Maybe six.”
Maya stopped.
“So everybody got to be casual with my money because I didn't know it was mine.”
Renee’s face crumpled.
“Yes.”
The honesty prevented argument.