Chapter 4

Phoenix hung up the phone and looked at us with a complicated expression.

"Crystal says..." he started, then stopped. "She wants a million-dollar engagement party."

The silence in the room was deafening.

"A million dollars?" Dad repeated slowly.

"She says it needs to be perfect. Something worthy of our love story." Phoenix was already making excuses for her. "She's invited some important people from her social media world, and she wants to make a good impression."

"Phoenix," Mom said carefully, "that's a lot of money for one party."

"I know, but... she's right. If we're going to do this, we should do it right. Besides, it's an investment in our future."

I watched my little brother defend spending a million dollars on a party for a girl he'd known for six months. This was worse than I'd thought.

The next morning, Crystal appeared at breakfast with a whole new list of demands.

"I've been thinking about our financial future," she announced, sitting down with a cup of coffee Mom had made for her. "Phoenix, I need you to add my name to the house deed."

Phoenix nearly choked on his orange juice. "What?"

"For legal protection. If something happens to you, I need to make sure I'm taken care of. It's what any smart couple would do."

"But Crystal, this is my parents' house—"

"Which will be yours someday, which means it will be ours. I'm just thinking ahead."

Dad set down his newspaper. "That's not how inheritance works."

Crystal turned to him with a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sure we can figure something out. Maybe Mrs. Ravencroft could transfer some of her business shares to me as an early wedding gift?"

Mom's coffee cup rattled against her saucer. "My business shares?"

"Just as a gesture of acceptance. To show you support our marriage."

"Those shares represent thirty years of work," Mom said quietly.

"And now they can represent the next thirty years. With me as part of the family."

I wanted to scream. The audacity was unbelievable.

But Crystal wasn't finished.

"Oh, and Mrs. Ravencroft, I noticed you have some beautiful jewelry. Family pieces?"

Mom nodded cautiously.

"Those will be mine eventually, right? Since I'll be the next Mrs. Ravencroft? Maybe I could start wearing some of them now, to get used to them."

"Those pieces have been in our family for generations," Dad said.

"Exactly. And I'm going to be family."

Later that morning, Mom's friend Sophia stopped by to discuss a fashion show collaboration. I watched from the kitchen as Crystal inserted herself into their conversation.

"Sophia, you should know that I'll be handling Mrs. Ravencroft's social commitments from now on," Crystal announced. "I have a much better understanding of current trends."

Sophia looked confused. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"I'm Crystal, the new lady of this house. Victoria's taste is a bit... outdated. Very 2010s. I can help modernize her image."

I saw Mom's face go white with humiliation.

"I think Victoria's designs are timeless," Sophia said coolly.

"Well, you're entitled to your opinion. But I think fresh eyes are exactly what this family needs."

After Sophia left, Mom came into the kitchen where I was making lunch.

"Did you hear that?" she whispered.

"Every word."

"She called my work outdated. In front of Sophia."

I put my hand on Mom's shoulder. "We're going to stop this."

That afternoon, Crystal found a new target: me.

I was in the living room reading when she marched in with Phoenix behind her.

"I've been thinking about your situation, Scarlett," she said. "I think I should report you to UCLA."

"Report me for what?"

"Professional misconduct. You're a psychology professor who has inappropriate feelings for your own brother. That's exactly the kind of thing the university needs to know about."

My blood turned to ice.

"Crystal, that's insane," Phoenix said weakly.

"Is it? She's 31 and single, Phoenix. She studies family relationships obsessively. She clearly has boundary issues. UCLA should know they employed someone with serious psychological problems."

I stood up slowly. "You want to destroy my career."

"I want to protect my fiancé from someone who's obviously unstable."

This was it. This was the moment she crossed the line from annoying to truly dangerous.

"Let me be very clear," I said, my voice perfectly calm. "I have spent seven years earning my doctorate. I have helped dozens of families rebuild their relationships. And you, a college dropout who makes money posting pictures on Instagram, think you can destroy my professional reputation?"

Crystal's eyes flashed. "I can and I will. Unless you back off and let Phoenix live his life."

"And what exactly does 'backing off' look like?"

"No more family dinners. No more holidays. No more visits. Phoenix doesn't need you anymore. He has me."

Phoenix was looking back and forth between us like he was watching a tennis match.

"What do you think, Phoenix?" I asked. "Should I lose my job because your girlfriend is jealous?"

"I... I don't think Crystal meant it like that..."

"I meant exactly what I said," Crystal snapped. "Choose, Phoenix. Your sister's career, or our happiness."

I couldn't believe this was happening. She was actually making him choose between destroying my life and keeping her happy.

And Phoenix was considering it.

While Crystal was upstairs getting ready for another shopping trip, I grabbed my phone and stepped outside.

I scrolled through my contacts until I found the number I was looking for.

Evangeline Monroe. We'd been in grad school together at Stanford. She was brilliant, poised, and now had her PhD in clinical psychology.

If anyone could help me expose Crystal for what she really was, it was Evangeline.

I sent her a quick text explaining the situation and asking if she'd be willing to help with a "professional consultation" tomorrow.

Inside, I could hear Crystal giving Phoenix more instructions about the engagement party.

"I want everyone to understand who's in charge now," she was saying. "Your parents need to publicly acknowledge that I'm the new head of this household."

"Don't you think that's a little much?" Phoenix asked.

"It's not much. It's necessary. Your family needs to learn to respect me."

Dad chose that moment to come home from meeting with the private investigator. I met him at the front door.

"How did it go?" I whispered.

"Interesting," he said grimly. "Her real name isn't Crystal Vanderbilt."

"What is it?"

"Brenda Smith. From Ohio. And this isn't her first time pulling something like this."

Before he could explain more, Crystal appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Mr. Ravencroft! Perfect timing. We need to discuss tomorrow's party budget."

Dad looked up at her with a expression I'd never seen before. It wasn't anger exactly. It was the look of a man who'd just confirmed his worst suspicions.

"Of course," he said smoothly. "Let's talk."

My phone buzzed with a text message.

Evangeline: "Got your message. This sounds fascinating from a clinical perspective. Count me in for tomorrow. What time should I arrive?"

I typed back quickly: "Come around 6 PM. And Evangeline? Come prepared to give a professional assessment."