“We were family,” I corrected him softly, echoing the quiet strength my father always carried. “Now, we are simply a bank and a delinquent borrower.”

Mr. Henderson slid a thick manila envelope across the table toward Mason. “Here is the official notice of foreclosure on your residence, effective immediately, unless the balance is paid in full within fourteen days. You should probably start packing.”

By the time Chloe realized what she had set in motion by walking into my garden and demanding my home, there was absolutely no turning back. She had married a man built on a foundation of lies and borrowed money, and my father had just pulled the floorboards out from under them. I walked out of that office into the bright morning sunshine, feeling a profound sense of closure. When I got home, I went straight back to the garden. I knelt beside the white roses, touched a healthy, thorn-covered stem, and finally allowed myself to smile. Dad was right. Roses endure because they know exactly how to protect themselves.