“So did your driver’s license copies.”
“We hired someone who looked enough like you.”
“The title officer handled the rest.”
My mother grabbed my arm.
“You heard him.”
“Just pay them.”
“We can still fix this.”
I gently removed her hand.
“I have another question.”
“Why did you replace Olivia’s vitamins with sedatives?”
For several long seconds…
Nobody spoke.
My mother believed the money was already hers.
So she answered honestly.
“She asked too many questions.”
“She kept getting into things that weren’t her business.”
“If she stayed sleepy…”
“I could solve Brandon’s problems.”
She shrugged.
“Besides…”
“You were already tired of dealing with your sick wife.”
“If doctors believed she was mentally unstable…”
“It would’ve been much easier to keep the baby.”
I stared at her.
“You knew those drugs could have killed her?”
“Oh, don’t be dramatic.”
“I only wanted her quiet.”
“And I told you already…”
“You can always replace a wife.”
“You can’t replace family.”
Victor slammed his hand on the table.
“Enough.”
“Give me the money.”
I slid the briefcase toward him…
Keeping one hand on the handle.
“I’ll pay the principal.”
“I’m not paying fake interest.”
Victor smiled coldly.
“Then we’ll take something worth even more.”
One of his men glanced toward my mother.
Suddenly…
Brandon jumped to his feet.
“Don’t drag me into this!”
“Take her!”
“She’s got jewelry…”
“A pension…”
“Relatives with property…”
“She brought all the paperwork!”
My mother stared at him in disbelief.
“Brandon…”
“I gave you everything.”
He laughed bitterly.
“That was your choice.”
“I’m not going down for you.”
