“How could you?!” screamed Emily, waving a crumpled piece of paper. “How could you sign this rubbish?!”
Charlotte flinched, set down her teacup, and slowly turned to face her sister. There wasn’t a trace of guilt on her face—just exhaustion.
“I signed it. So what?” She shrugged. “We were selling the house anyway. You said so yourself.”
“I said so?!” Emily’s voice shook with anger. “I said we should decide together! Together, Lottie! But you went behind my back, sneaking around with estate agents! And you set the price at half what it’s worth!”
“Not half—” Charlotte started, but Emily cut her off.
“Fine, two-thirds! What’s the difference? It’s still a rip-off! Mum left this house to both of us, do you even understand that? And you just decided you get to call the shots!”
The kitchen fell silent. Only the ticking of the old clock on the wall filled the air—the one Mum had brought back from France years ago. Charlotte stood by the window, staring out at the garden where she and Emily used to play hopscotch.
“Do you even realise what you’ve done?” Emily continued, quieter now. “My son’s about to start uni—I need that money. And your daughter’s getting married—have you forgotten about the wedding? We both need it!”
“Exactly.” Charlotte turned. “We need it. That’s why I acted fast. Buyers are interested now, but who knows about later?”
“But we had an agreement!” Emily’s voice cracked. “You promised we’d decide together!”
“Agreements, promises…” Charlotte waved a hand. “You were away for a week, wouldn’t even pick up the phone. Buyers don’t wait around.”
Emily slumped onto a chair, burying her face in her hands. The contract lay on the table like it was mocking her.
“I had to go see Aunt Margaret in the countryside,” she whispered. “She was sick, all alone. I told you!”
“Told me, didn’t tell me…” Charlotte sighed. “It’s done. We’ll get the money in a month, split it down the middle, and that’s that.”
“That’s that?!” Emily snapped. “You really think that’s it?”
Charlotte poured herself more tea, sitting calmly across from her sister. Her expression was blank, almost indifferent.
“What else? House sells, cash is split. Fair’s fair.”
“Fair?” Emily laughed bitterly. “Was it fair to sign without asking me? To not even wait till I got back?”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic!” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “It’s just a house. Neither of us was planning to live here anyway.”
“Not planning to—?!” Emily’s eyes flashed. “Who came every weekend? Who fixed the roof, tended the garden, checked in with the neighbours?”
“And what of it?” Charlotte shrugged. “A hobby. Meanwhile, I’ve been paying the bloody council tax all these years.”
“Council tax…” Emily stood, walking to the window. “Lottie, do you even remember growing up here? How Mum raised us? Doing homework at this table?”
“Course I remember,” Charlotte said flatly. “So?”
“So?!” Emily spun around. “It’s our memories! Our childhood! And you’re selling it off to some random bloke for peanuts!”
“Not peanuts—a decent price. And not some random bloke, a family with kids. They need the house; we need the money. Simple.”
Emily slowly picked up the contract again, scanning the pages. Her face paled as she read.
“Lottie, what’s this clause?” She pointed mid-page. “It says the seller is Charlotte Elizabeth Whitmore. Just you. Where am I?”
Charlotte looked away.
“It’s… just paperwork. Easier for the solicitor since I’m in the city and you’re out in the shires.”
“Easier for the solicitor?!” Emily shrieked. “Are you mad?! Legally, you’re selling my house—then graciously giving me half out of the kindness of your heart?!”
“Oh, stop shouting!” Charlotte hissed. “The neighbours will hear. It’s a formality.”
“A formality.” Emily sat heavily, breathing hard. “Lottie, we’re sisters. Same mum, same blood. How could you do this?”
“I haven’t done anything!” Charlotte snapped. “House sells, I get the money, share it with you. What’s the issue?”
“The issue is you don’t trust me!” Emily slammed a fist on the table. “The issue is you decided for me! Like I’m some idiot!”
“I don’t think you’re an idiot!” Charlotte shot back. “I’m just practical. Always have been.”
“Practical.” Emily scoffed. “Remember when Mum was ill? Who took her to appointments? Who stayed at the hospital? Who bought her meds?”
“And?” Charlotte pursed her lips. “I was working two jobs to pay for it! You were free—of course you did the hospital runs!”
“Free?!” Emily jumped up. “Lottie, my husband had just died! I was alone with a kid! And I still went to Mum every day!”
“And I earned the money for her care!” Charlotte shouted. “While you played nurse, I was breaking my back!”
“Played nurse?” Emily whispered. “Where were you when Mum was dying? Remember?”
Charlotte went still, staring out the window.
“I was on a work trip. An important one.”
“A work trip!” Emily laughed, but it was hollow. “Mum kept calling for you. Last days, she’d ask, ‘Where’s my Lottie? Why doesn’t she come?’”
“Stop,” Charlotte said softly. “Don’t.”
“No!” Emily smacked the table. “We should remember! I lied, told her you’d be back soon. She kept waiting, watching the door…”
“Shut up!” Charlotte screamed. “Just shut up!”
“I won’t!” Emily stepped closer. “Because it’s true! She died waiting for you! And now you’re selling this place like it means nothing!”
“It does mean something!” Tears streaked Charlotte’s face. “Of course it does! But I can’t—I can’t be here! It smells like her, everything reminds me!”
“And you think it’s easy for me?” Emily asked quietly. “Think I don’t cry when I hear her voice in my head?”
Charlotte wiped her eyes with her sleeve, turning away.
“Then why fight the sale?”
“Because it’s our home!” Emily sat beside her. “Because our history’s here. Because Mum wanted us to decide together.”
“What Mum wanted…” Charlotte whispered. “When she wrote the will—remember that?”
Emily frowned. “What d’you mean?”
“I mean Mum left the house to both of us. But the land—just to you. Ring any bells?”
“The garden?” Emily blinked. “Yeah, I remember. So?”
“So the land’s worth more than the house!” Charlotte stood. “Property prices here are insane! And Mum gave it all to you!”
“Lottie, what are you on about?” Emily shook her head. “Who cares who got what? We’re sisters!”
“Sisters, sisters…” Charlotte smirked. “But when we sell, that land’s included—and you’d pocket the lot!”
Emily fell silent, digesting this.
“You think I’d… cheat you?”
“Not think—know!” Charlotte spat. “You never mentioned the land’s value. Planned to keep it all!”
“I didn’t even know it was worth more!” Emily cried. “How would I? I’m not an estate agent!”
“Didn’t know…” Charlotte scoffed. “Could’ve Googled it. Or hired a surveyor.”
“Lottie, what’s got into you?” Emily stood. “I’d never cheat you!”
“Wouldn’t you?” Charlotte folded her arms. “Mum left you the land for a reason. Because you were her favourite. Because you helped more…”
“Mum wouldn’t hurt either of us!” Emily insisted. “She just… thought this was fair!”
“Fair for you!” Charlotte shot back. “What about fair for me? I’m her daughter too!”
“You are!” Emily nodded. “Of course you are! Lottie, let’s talk this through. We’ll figure it out—”
“Already did!” Charlotte interrupted. “House is worth £300k, the land £500k. You’d get £400k, me just £150k!”
“Where’d you get those numbers?” Emily frowned.
“The estate agent!” Charlotte said. “The one I signed with. He crunched the numbers.”
Emily sat, thinking.
“Lottie… what if we split it differently? I’d top up your share—”
“I don’t want your charity!” Charlotte snapped. “I rushed the sale so it’d be fair. House money’s split, land money’s yours.”But as they stood there, holding each other in the kitchen where their mother had once taught them to share, they both knew some things—like sisterhood—were worth far more than any house or piece of land.
