Hand over the bakery deed, Grandma, or we’ll have you declared mentally unfit by

“Actually, Tyler,” I said, sliding my laptop onto the table, “before Grandma signs anything, the family should see what I’ve been working on.” Tyler smirked. “Save it, breadgirl. The lawyers are already drafting.” I opened the screen. “Funny you mention lawyers. Mine sent these over this morning.” The projector on the wall flickered to life. Grandma squeezed my hand. Three years ago, when Tyler first started whispering about “getting Grandma evaluated,” Rosa had quietly transferred full ownership of the bakery, the Cedar Street building, AND the four adjoining lots to a trust. My name was on it. So was hers. Tyler’s wasn’t. But that wasn’t the headline. The headline was the email chain I’d pulled, the one between Tyler and a developer named Hollings, dated eight months ago, discussing the demolition of Grandma’s bakery to build luxury condos, with Tyler promising delivery of the deed “once the old woman is handled.” My uncle Robert went pale. My aunt Diane set down her wine. Tyler’s smirk cracked. “That’s, that’s doctored,” he stammered. “The forensic accountant I hired says otherwise,” I replied. “He also found the two hundred thousand dollars you’ve been skimming from Grandpa’s memorial fund. The one you said was paying for Grandma’s care.” Gasps rolled through the room like dominoes. Grandma finally spoke, her voice soft as rising dough. “Tyler, sweetheart. I knew the moment you stopped visiting unless you needed money. I just wanted to see how far you’d go.” She turned to me and smiled. “My granddaughter bakes bread at four in the morning so families have something warm to eat. You wanted to bulldoze that for marble countertops.” Tyler stood up so fast his chair toppled. “You set me up.” “No,” I said, sliding the papers back across the table, the deed staying firmly on our side. “You set yourself up. We just opened the oven.” Security escorted him out before dessert. The bakery opens a second location next month. Grandma’s cutting the ribbon.”
}