“I sent copies to an attorney.”
Richard stared at her.
“You just put this family at risk.”
“You did that.”
“Marianne, listen carefully. The easement agreement is worth more than two years of company revenue. If it collapses, contractors lose jobs. Our employees lose their paychecks. We could lose the house.”
She hadn’t expected the last sentence.
“The house?”
Richard looked away.
“There are loans.”
“How many?”
He didn’t answer.
For years he had described the family as secure. Every vacation, every car, every dinner with important people had been presented as proof of safety. Now Marianne understood that the performances weren’t only about status. He had built a life that required the next deal to rescue the previous one.
“And you used Trent to protect it,” she said.
“I gave the boy an opportunity.”
“You gave him a target.”
Richard stepped closer. “Tell the attorney you misunderstood the draft. We can handle this privately. I’ll get Joseph to sign a release. We can offer him something for the trouble.”
“He didn’t ask for money.”
“Everyone has a number.”
“Sarah doesn’t,” Marianne said before thinking.
Richard frowned. “Who’s Sarah?”
“Joseph’s wife. She died three years ago. You didn’t even learn the name of the family you’re trying to ruin.”
Richard looked offended rather than ashamed.
A sound came from the hallway.
Trent stood at the doorway in sweatpants, his injured shoulder no longer in a sling.
“You said you weren’t trying to hurt anybody,” he told his father.
Richard turned. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“I’m the one who threw the bottle.”
“You did something stupid. We were cleaning it up.”
Trent stared at him.
“You told me to make him react.”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“You said he’d look dangerous if he got angry.”
“And he did.”
“He didn’t,” Trent said. His voice shook. “That’s the problem, Dad. He didn’t get angry enough. So you cut the video until it looked like he did.”
Richard’s face darkened.
“I’ve spent nineteen years giving you advantages other kids would kill for. You have any idea what that costs?”
“I didn’t ask you to buy me an excuse every time I lost.”
