Tessa frowned. “Mom left money for things like this.”
Carla let out a short laugh. “That money helps keep this house running now. Besides, nobody needs to spend hundreds of dollars pretending to be a princess.”
Tessa felt anger rise in her chest.
“So there’s money for your salon appointments but not for me?”
Carla immediately looked up. “Watch your attitude.”
“You’re spending money that isn’t yours.”
Carla slammed her hand against the kitchen counter.
“I’m the one holding this family together,” she snapped. “You have no idea how expensive life is.”
“Dad said the money belonged to us.”
For a moment, Carla’s expression hardened.
“Your father was terrible with money,” she said coldly.
Tessa ran upstairs and cried into her pillow, feeling helpless and angry all at once.
Later that night, she heard a soft knock at her bedroom door. Noah stepped inside carrying a pile of old denim jeans.
