Chapter 6 - Three Hundred Thousand Dollars
Preston confessed quickly.
Eleanor had been sending him money for more than a year.
But not all of it went into his house.
Some went toward debts.
Cars.
Travel.
A failed restaurant.
And something called Northbridge Capital.
Julian paced the dining room.
“How much?”
Preston hesitated.
“How much of my money is left?”
Another pause.
“Maybe forty grand.”
Julian stopped.
I watched the number hit him.
Roughly three hundred thousand dollars had passed through Eleanor’s hands.
Approximately forty thousand remained traceable in Preston’s possession.
Julian screamed.
Eleanor screamed back.
Within seconds, mother and son—the supposedly sacred bond worth sacrificing a marriage over—were tearing into each other.
“You stole from me!”
“I gave your brother opportunities!”
“WITH MY MONEY!”
“You gave it willingly!”
“Because you lied!”
Eleanor pointed toward me.
“She poisoned you against me!”
I laughed.
They both stopped.
“No, Eleanor.”
I indicated the statements.
“Bank records did that.”
Julian turned to me.
“You knew?”
“For six weeks.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I asked you where the money was going.”
His face tightened.
“You accused me of disrespecting your mother.”
I looked at the spilled ramen.
“Tonight I asked again.”
No response.
“You threw food at me.”
His eyes dropped.
“You told me I could be replaced.”
Silence.
“You ordered your pregnant wife out of a home she owns.”
Eleanor grabbed her bags.
“Fine. We’re leaving.”
I looked at her.
“You are.”
Julian stared.
“What?”
“You told me to get out.”
I nodded.
“And I declined.”
Then I looked toward Eleanor.
“But your mother doesn’t live here.”
Eleanor’s face twisted.
“You cannot throw me into the street.”
“I’m not.”
I looked at Thomas.
“She has a home.”
Thomas nodded.
“In Connecticut.”
Julian looked confused.
“Mom sold that house.”
I turned toward Eleanor.
“Did she?”
Eleanor froze.
Thomas removed another record.
“No, Mr. Hayes.”
“The property was transferred.”
“To whom?”
May you like
Thomas looked directly at Eleanor.
“That is where this becomes complicated.”
