Anything He Wants: The Betrayal(9)
“This coming from a man who sells weapons to dictators and scum of the earth for them to use against innocent people?” The color on Georgia’s cheeks was high as she glared down her nose at her eldest son. “You dare come in on some high horse, spouting this load of lies, after what you’ve done?”
“At least I don’t hide what I am,” Lucas murmured, parroting his mother’s arrogant stance.
Georgia rounded on Jeremiah. “Tell me you don’t believe this drivel,” she demanded, hands on her hips.
Jeremiah’s gaze however was intent on his brother, ignoring his mother completely. Lucas didn’t flinch from the probing look. “You can prove this?” Jeremiah finally asked.
“I can,” Lucas replied as their mother huffed in outraged affront.
“You take his word over mine.” Georgia gave Jeremiah a disappointed look whose sincerity, given her previous outbursts, rang hollow.
Does she even realize how she looks to everyone? I wondered. Judging by the way she ignored the guards and other occupants of the room, I highly doubted it. The woman seemed locked inside her own little world; the opinions of others didn’t matter. What a horrible way to live your life.
Jeremiah stepped forward until he was standing in front of his mother. He leaned forward, and while I couldn’t see his face I did see Georgia flinch away. “I swear, Mother, if what he says is true, I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” she challenged back. “Throw me out? Cut me off? Do you really think you’re the first Hamilton male to make those threats to me?” Georgia snorted. “How do you think I stayed married to your father all these years? Good looks and charm? No, I always had something over him—it was the only security I had.” She met Jeremiah’s glare with one all her own, but the color had drained from her face, leaving only cosmetics to give her any color. “I knew that old bastard wouldn’t leave me a red cent when he croaked, but how was I supposed to know he’d go so soon? You two thought I was no different than your father, and maybe now that’s the truth, but I knew for certain the only person I could rely on was myself.”
“So you threw me under the bus.” Lucas’s statement wasn’t quite a question, but it was obvious he wanted answers.
Georgia blanched, as if the impact of her actions only then occurred to her. Her mouth moved silently for a moment. “It was never supposed to go this far,” she finally said, voice low. She fiddled nervously with her purse, grabbing a tube of lipstick and small mirror, but her hands were shaking too much to apply a new layer. “That bastard father of yours didn’t leave me a dime; in fact, he managed to tie everything I thought I’d secreted away into Jeremiah’s inheritance. I knew there was no way my sons would take care of me. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you act around me,” she added as an aside to Jeremiah. “Barring me from my own home, acting as if I’m an infant. You’re just as bad as your father, assuming I can’t take care of myself.”
The accusation jolted Jeremiah, but Georgia continued. “Everything happened so quickly. I managed to find the will and read enough before the lawyers came to know I’d been screwed. Over thirty years I’d been with that bastard, borne his children, overlooked his infidelities, played my part as the dutiful Stepford wife, and he left me nothing. I helped run some nonessential committees, the ones Rufus felt perfect for my distinct lack of any useful talent. Each had been allocated a certain amount of funds and combined equaled just over thirty million dollars.” She lifted her chin. “So I took it.”
“And left me taking the blame?” Lucas demanded.
“I didn’t think that far ahead,” she snapped. “I knew I was on borrowed time so spent as much as I could. Turns out it was tougher to get rid of the money than I thought, at least without attracting too much attention. By the time I found out you were the prime suspect—I didn’t bother to participate in the investigation for obvious reasons—you’d already fled the country and I still had a sizeable chunk of money left. So I kept it.”
Lucas put his hands over his heart. “I feel for you, I really do.”
“Can the bullshit, Lucas. I messed up, plain and simple.” She turned to Jeremiah. “Now what?”
“Yes, Jeremiah,” Lucas added. “What do you want to do about these new developments?”
The CEO didn’t seem in any condition to talk, still obviously startled by the turn of events. I had no advice to give, only tightened my hold on his arm in silent support. What a horrible choice, I thought, sympathy pouring through me as Jeremiah looked from his mother, tapping her foot impatiently, to Lucas, who stood quietly with raised eyebrows and obviously expected an immediate answer.