Claire sat across from Sofia when she explained it.
“So Evan didn’t inherit some secret stolen building?”
“No.”
“And the eviction notice?”
“Your rent is genuinely overdue.”
Claire looked embarrassed.
“I know.”
“But there is an issue.”
“What?”
“The notice includes fees that appear inconsistent with your lease, and the management company failed to apply a payment you made last month.”
Claire blinked.
“I told them that.”
“I know.”
Ruby, drawing beside her, looked up triumphantly.
“So Mom was right.”
“About that payment, yes.”
Claire smiled.
“Take the victories where you can get them.”
Sofia continued.
“Correcting the account won’t solve everything. You’ll still owe back rent.”
Claire’s smile faded.
“How much?”
Sofia gave her the corrected number.
It was less than Claire feared.
Still more than she had.
Nathaniel had offered to pay it.
Claire refused.
Ruby heard them discussing it later.
“You returned nine hundred dollars to me,” Nathaniel told her.
