Alessia arched an eyebrow, choosing not to answer. Instead, she fired back with another question.


    “And where did you get all that money from, huh? You’re not scared you’ll really have to pay up?”


    “What else can I do? Go over and say, ‘Oh, sorry, my little sister didn’t <i>know </i>any better. Please, be the bigger person–let us off the hook, and my whole family will be forever grateful“?”


    Liam’s voice was full of mock drama, making Alessia burst outughing.


    “Good thing you want to be a singer. If you ever tried acting, I bet Lillian would be stressing over how you’d evernd a role.”


    Liam grinned. “Even if I did have to pay up, it’s not the end of the world. I’ve saved a bit, not quite enough, but if I had to, I’d just swallow my pride and ask to pay in installments. Honestly, I’ve already endured enough side–eye from everyone since the day our family went broke.”


    He didn’t say thatst part out loud. Instead, he slung an arm around Alessia’s shoulders, momentarily lost in old memories.


    Alessia caught the unspoken meaning. When things fall apart, people who once called themselves friends might turn on you just to get a piece of the action. Sure, there were a few kind souls willing to help, but for the Morton family at the time, it was barely a drop in the ocean.


    Robbing Peter to pay Paul only dug the debt hole deeper. No wonder Brendan had chosen to live in that shabby apartment, selling off what little they had left to clear as much debt as possible. Free from debt, at least whatever they earned afterward would be theirs, instead of getting swallowed up by interest payments.


    Trying to lighten the heavy mood, Alessia teased, “With all that wealth, why not splurge on a wardrobe upgrade?”


    Liam gave a softugh, his eyes crinkling above his mask. “Honestly? I want to buy back our old house.” He sounded almost shy, but the warmth in his voice betrayed his hope for the future. “But you can’t let that slip, okay?”


    “That ce is ancient. Wouldn’t it make more sense to get a new one?” Alessia shrugged. To her, a house was just a ce to live. As long as you had your family,


    it didn’t matter where <i>you </i>were–she couldn’t quite understand Liam’s attachment.


    <b><i>1/2 </i></b>


    12.42


    “That house was the one Dad bought when he proposed to Mom. Even though Grandpa never approved in the end… Anyway, it holds a lot of memories for them. When we had to sell it, Mom cried for days.”


    Alessia nodded, only half understanding.


    “I bet that’s what our big brother wants too,” Liam added. All the siblings had shared the Morton family’s highs and lows together; their bond ran deeper than most.


    When they got back to the Mortons‘ ce, their parents stared in surprise at Liam–they hadn’t seen him in ages. They immediately started asking about how he’d been.


    Alessia excused herself and slipped away to her room.


    She curled up in her chair, staring at her phone’s chat screen, fingers drumming against the desk in hesitation. After a moment, she sighed and hit the button for a voice call.


    The line barely rang before Max picked up.


    “Well, well, I was starting to think I’d never hear from you again. What’s the asion? The prodigal daughter finally calls?”


    Alessia rolled her eyes, staying silent.


    Max let her have thest word and spun his chair around, turning his back to the


    door.


    “So, what’s up?”


    “You back in the country?”


    Max raised an eyebrow<i>. </i><i>“</i>Someone’s been keeping tabs, huh?”


    He’d only just gotten back after taking care of some business overseas.


    “I heard the Tate family’s going bankrupt?”


    Alessia’s bluntness didn’t faze Max. He actually burst outughing–a rare, genuine sound.


    212


    12-12