I Adopted My 7 Siblings When I Was 18 So They Wouldn't Be Separated – Three Years Later, My Youngest Brother Handed Me a Photo Revealing What Really Happened to Our Parents - Page 9

"You don't know anything."

Denise whispered, "Rowan, don't do this."

I looked at her. "You tried to split us up."

"I tried to protect them."

"No," I said. "You tried to own what Mom and Dad left behind."

The judge read while Denise touched her pearls and Warren stared at the floor.

***

Finally, the judge looked up.

"Ma'am, your petition is denied. Any future guardianship claim must be approved by this court first."

"Rowan, don't do this."

Denise gripped her pearls. "Your Honor, I only wanted what was best."

Behind her, Uncle Warren finally looked up.

"Denise," he said quietly, "you told me they asked you to step in."

Denise didn't answer.

For the first time since Mom's funeral, someone in that family looked at her instead of me.

The judge turned to Mrs. Dalrymple. "And your request?"