Chapter 8 - EVELYN’S VERSION OF ME
Evelyn agreed to meet only with attorneys present.
She wore navy.
No yellow satin.
No smile.
“Why do you hate me?” she asked.
I almost laughed.
“I don’t.”
“You stopped my income.”
“Your allowance.”
“My son provided that.”
“No. I did.”
Evelyn’s eyes hardened.
“Daniel managed the family finances.”
“My family office sent the money.”
“Because Daniel arranged it.”
“Who did you think earned it?”
She stared.
“I never asked.”
“Did you think Daniel did?”
“He is successful.”
Was.
Maybe.
“Did you think the mansion belonged to him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He said it was his family home.”
I looked at Daniel’s attorney.
He stayed quiet.
“Did Daniel ever tell you the title was in my trust?”
“No.”
There.
“What about the Bentley?”
“His.”
“Jewelry?”
“Family assets.”
I laughed.
“I bought my earrings at twenty-seven.”
Evelyn looked almost offended by the detail.
Then:
“You enjoyed making us dependent.”
“No.”
“You could have stopped years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
That question mattered.
I thought.
“Because every time Daniel asked me to help, I thought saying no would make me selfish.”
Evelyn leaned back.
“So now you’re punishing us for your weakness.”
My cheek had faded from red to yellow bruising.
I touched it.
“No.”
“I’m stopping an arrangement that should have had limits years ago.”
She looked toward my handbag.
Same black one.
“You think a deed makes you powerful.”
“No.”
“What does?”
I almost answered money.
Stopped.
May you like
“Leaving when someone hits me.”
That was the first moment Evelyn looked away.
