Chapter 13 - The Terms of Grace
I set my glass down on the counter and looked at the woman who had spent my entire life telling me I was unsuited for success.
“Help you how, Mom?” I asked calmly. “Do you want me to bail out Dad’s company with Northbridge capital? Do you want me to buy back Vanessa’s social standing?”
“We just want to survive,” Mom whispered, her voice breaking entirely as she covered her face with her hands.
“You will survive,” I said, stepping closer to her. “Harrison structured the receivership so that the primary family home is exempt from asset seizure. You won't be homeless, and you won't starve. But the private jets, the country club memberships, and the endless stream of borrowed money? That’s over.”
Mom nodded slowly, wiping her eyes with a tissue she pulled from her coat pocket. “And Vanessa?”
“Vanessa needs to get a job,” I said firmly, leaving no room for argument. “Real work. Not a vice presidency handed to her by a father who wanted to inflate his ego. She needs to learn what it means to earn a living without stepping on someone else’s neck.”
Mom looked up, stunned by the harsh reality of my words, but too broken to fight back. She knew I was right.
“Thank you, Claire,” she whispered softly, turning toward the door. “For not letting Graham destroy us completely... and for keeping your father out of federal prison.”
May you like
She opened the door, stepped out into the afternoon sunlight, and closed it quietly behind her.
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