It was calculation. He was willing to spend two years being humble, being poor, being respectful, because at the end there were $10 million waiting for him. It was a performance, a role he was willing to play because the prize was worth it.
“There is more,” Arthur said, interrupting before I could answer. Mr. Sterling also included stipulations on how Mrs. Eleanor can use her inheritance. Specifically, he left instructions that she can, at her discretion, modify or completely annul Liam’s inheritance if at any moment she feels his repentance is not genuine.
He looked at me with respect. Basically, Mrs. Eleanor, you have absolute control. You can give your son the chance he asks for, or you can cut him off completely.
The decision is entirely yours. The power of those words ran through me like electricity. For the first time in my life, I had control.
Not Liam, not Harper, not the world that had constantly pushed me down. I looked at my son, really looked at him, trying to find even a flicker of the boy I had loved with every fiber of my being. The boy who used to hug me and tell me that when he grew up, he would buy me a big house and I would never have to work again.
But that boy had died. Or maybe he never really existed. Maybe he had always been this person in front of me.
Someone capable of looking the other way while his mother was destroyed. As long as it was convenient for him.
I need time, I said finally. Time to think, time to process all of this. I turned to Harper, who was still on the floor like a wounded animal.
But for you there is no time or consideration. Arthur, proceed with the legal charges against Harper and Madison. I want them to face the full consequences of their actions. Madison let out a choked sob.
Please, Mrs. Eleanor, I have two small children. If I go to prison, what is going to happen to them? It was the first time she mentioned having children.
How convenient that she only remembered them now when she faced real consequences. You should have thought of your children before planning to lock an innocent old woman in a horrible nursing home to steal her non-existent money. I replied without a shred of sympathy.
You should have thought of them before laughing while your sister humiliated me before recording my tears for your entertainment. I looked her directly in the eyes. Your children will learn a valuable lesson that actions have consequences.
Something clearly no one taught you. One of the guests, the woman with mahogany hair, finally spoke. Her voice trembled. “Mrs. Eleanor, we didn’t know anything about this.”
“We just came for dinner. Please don’t think we were part of their plans.” The other guests nodded vigorously, backing away from Harper and Madison as if their misfortune were contagious.
“I know,” I told them with a softer voice. “You were witnesses, nothing more. But now you are also witnesses for justice.”
I turned to Arthur. You will need their statements for the legal case. He nodded.
It would be useful to have testimonies from people who witnessed the humiliation and heard the direct threats tonight. The guests exchanged panicked glances, but nodded. They knew they had no choice.
They had been present. They had seen everything. Their testimonies would seal Harper and Madison’s fate.
The man in the gray suit pulled out a business card and gave it to Arthur. I will call my lawyer tomorrow to coordinate. I am willing to testify about everything I saw and heard tonight.
Harper crawled toward Liam, grabbing his pant leg with desperate hands. Liam, please. You are my husband.
You cannot abandon me like this. Tell them this is a mistake. That I love you, that I did it all thinking of us.
Her makeup ran down her cheeks in black streaks. The coral dress was wrinkled and stained. She looked destroyed.
Liam looked down at her with an expression I had never seen on his face before. It was pure contempt, unmixed with pity or doubt. You told me the facility cost $6,000, he said with a flat voice.
You showed me fake brochures. You made me believe I was doing the right thing for my mother when really you were sending her to hell to steal money from our accounts. He crouched down to be at her level.
Tell me, Harper, how much of those gambling debts did you know I didn’t know about? How much else have you been lying to me? She didn’t answer.
She couldn’t. The truth was written on her face. Arthur intervened again. According to our investigations, Mr. Duran, your wife has been using credit cards in your name without authorization for a total of $120,000. The gambling debts are just a part. There are also designer purchases, jewelry, spa treatments, all charged to credit lines that are about to go into collections.
Liam straightened up slowly like a man who had just received a mortal blow but remained standing by sheer force of will. “$120,000,” he repeated mechanically. “My whole life I have worked to build a stable future.”
I saved every penny and you destroyed it all without me even knowing.” He turned to me with fresh tears. “Mom, I am so sorry.
I should have listened to you when you told me Harper only cared about money. I should have really seen you instead of the image she painted of you. I wanted to believe her.
I wanted to think I was finally seeing the truth. But his words sounded rehearsed, calculated. He was still thinking about those $10 million.
He was still acting for the audience, trying to win my sympathy to secure his inheritance. Arthur, I said, ignoring Liam. How fast can we proceed with the eviction?
Harper snapped her head up. Eviction? What are you talking about? I smiled and this time the smile had teeth. “This house? Whose do you think it really is?”
I saw comprehension hit her like a cold wave. Arthur opened another folder. The house was purchased 3 years ago with a bank loan in Mr. Liam Duran’s name.
However, the down payment of $200,000 came from a source he was unaware of. His father, Mr. Duran, requested a personal loan using his pension plan as collateral. That loan was granted by a bank that happens to be owned by the Sterling family.
Arthur looked at me. Your father Richard arranged everything quietly to help his grandson without anyone knowing. Liam was white as snow.
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