My Son Said Firmly “Pay The Rent Or Move Out!” He Did It In Front Of Twenty Two People At Christmas Dinner. My Daughter In Law Added, “Let’s See How You Manage.” I Packed My Things, Went To My New House… And Stopped Covering Any Extra Costs Or Help I’d Quietly Handled For Them.

A lie that allowed my son to talk to me as if I were a burden.”

“I know,” he said softly. “I disagreed with keeping him in the dark from the beginning, but I respected your decision.”

“It was my mistake,” I admitted, “and it is my responsibility to correct it.”

I finally sat down. James slid the folder toward me.

I opened it. The first document was the penthouse lease agreement. It had been signed three years ago, automatically renewed every year.

Clause 2, EP3: The lessor may terminate the contract with 30 days’ prior notice if they do not wish to renew. The second document was the vehicle authorization—simple, direct: Vega Properties LLC authorizes the temporary use of the Cadillac AE6 vehicle, license plate 482 KLM, to Matthew Vega for the purpose of company representation. This authorization may be revoked at any time.

The third was the expense report for the last six months. My hands trembled seeing the numbers. Eleven Madison Park, two-star Michelin restaurant: $847.

Louis Vuitton Fifth Avenue: $3,400. Four Seasons Hotel New York, Executive Suite: $2,200. Trip to Las Vegas: $3,200.

Ethan Allen Designer Furniture: $1,900. The list went on. Page after page of expenses that totaled $47,320 in six months.

Meanwhile, I was still wearing the same Old Navy coat from five years ago. “Did you also bring Rachel?” I asked, referring to our lawyer. “She’s waiting in the conference room.”

Rachel Martinez was a 50-year-old woman with a reputation for being tough but fair.

She had handled all our legal affairs since Anthony died. When I entered the conference room, she already had her laptop open and several legal codes marked with yellow sticky notes. “Katherine,” she said, shaking my hand.

“James gave me a heads up on the situation. I’m very sorry about what happened.”

“I don’t need condolences,” I said, sitting down. “I need legal solutions.”

Rachel nodded, appreciating my directness.

“Very well. We have three assets your son currently enjoys: the residence, the vehicle, and the card. Let’s look at the options for each.”

She opened a presentation on her laptop and turned the screen toward me.

“Property: Penthouse, Upper East Side. The contract is about to expire on January 31st. Legally, you have the right not to renew it.

You just need to send a formal notice with thirty days’ advance warning, which would be today—December 27th.”

“What if he refuses to leave?”

“Then we initiate eviction proceedings. But honestly, Katherine, I don’t think it will come to that. When he receives the notice from a property management company, not from his mother, it will be different.”

“And if he tries to find out who the owner is?”

Rachel smiled slightly.

“Vega Properties LLC is a limited liability company. The shareholders are not public. He would have to request information from the Secretary of State’s corporate registry, which takes time—and by the time he does, the thirty days will have passed.”

“Cadillac AE6 vehicle,” she continued.

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