Chapter 3

The Thorne estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, wasn't just a house; it was a compound.

Manicured lawns stretched like green carpets, leading to a mansion that looked like it belonged in a historical drama.

Alex, Joe, and Mary, despite their best clothes, felt like they'd stepped onto a movie set.

Richard Thorne greeted them at the massive front door. He was tall, impeccably dressed, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Alex," he said, extending a hand. "Welcome. And you must be the Millers. Eleanor has told me so much about your kindness."

His tone was smooth, practiced. Alex shook his hand; it was cool and firm.

"Mr. Thorne," Alex said.

Joe just nodded, his gaze steady. Mary offered a polite smile.

Inside, the opulence was staggering. Marble floors, towering ceilings, art that probably cost more than their house and shop combined.

Two younger people were waiting in a vast living room.

"This is Olivia," Richard said, gesturing to a girl about Alex's age, with a poised, almost regal bearing. She was beautiful, in a delicate, expensive way.

"Hello, Alex," Olivia said, her voice soft. Her eyes, though, held a hint of curiosity, maybe even apprehension.

"And this is Ethan," Richard continued, a touch of pride in his voice as he indicated a young man slouched on a velvet couch, scrolling through his phone.

Ethan barely looked up. "Sup," he mumbled, then went back to his screen.

Alex felt an immediate dislike for his casual arrogance.

Richard clapped his hands together. "Well, to celebrate your arrival, Alex, and to formally welcome you, we have a few small tokens."

A uniformed staff member brought in two lavishly wrapped boxes.

Richard beamed. "For Olivia, a little something she's been wanting." He handed her the larger box.

Olivia opened it to reveal a stunning designer handbag, the kind Alex had only seen in magazines. Olivia's smile was genuine as she thanked her father.

Then Richard picked up the smaller, much plainer box. "And for you, Alex. A little something to help you get settled in."

Alex opened it. Inside was a gift card. To a mid-range department store. The kind you found in any mall.

The difference in value was glaringly obvious.

Alex looked at the gift card, then at Richard's smiling face.

She didn't say anything. She just tucked the card into her pocket.

"Thank you," she said, her voice even.

Joe and Mary exchanged a quick, almost imperceptible glance.

Later that evening, after they'd been shown to guest rooms that were larger than their entire living room back home, Alex called her boyfriend, Sam Cohen.

She told him about the arrival, the mansion, the "siblings," and the gifts.

"A department store gift card?" Sam said, a note of disbelief in his voice. "Let me guess, Olivia's bag was a Birkin or a Chanel?"

"Something like that," Alex confirmed. "Looked like it cost a fortune."

"Hold on," Sam said. There was a pause, the sound of typing. Sam's family was in tech, new money but a lot of it. He knew how to find things out.

"Okay," Sam said after a minute. "If it's the bag I think it is, it's worth upwards of twenty grand. Your gift card? Probably a hundred bucks, maybe two."

Alex wasn't surprised. "Figured as much."

"And get this," Sam added. "My mom's charity auction committee sourced a similar bag from a Thorne family contact last year. Richard Thorne is known for very specific, very high-end gift purchases for Olivia. This department store thing for you? That was deliberate, Alex. He's sending a message."

Alex nodded slowly, looking out her window at the perfectly sculpted gardens. "Yeah. Message received."