Chapter 5 - Chase Finally Lost Everything
Three days after Christmas, Chase asked me to meet him at a coffee shop.
I almost refused.
Then I went.
He was already there.
No camel coat.
No Rolex.
No perfect smile.
He looked exhausted.
I sat across from him.
“Where’s the Porsche?”
“Returned it.”
“That was fast.”
“Couldn’t make the payment.”
I said nothing.
He stared at his coffee.
“Natalie left.”
“I’m sorry.”
He looked up.
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
That surprised him.
“I’m angry at you. I don’t want your life destroyed.”
He rubbed his face.
“Company’s done.”
“How done?”
“Attorney says bankruptcy.”
“What about Dad’s money?”
He laughed bitterly.
“Gone.”
I hated hearing it even though I expected it.
“The house?”
“I’m trying to negotiate.”
“With what?”
“I sold my equity in another project.”
“You had equity?”
“A little.”
“How much?”
“Maybe seventy-five thousand after taxes.”
“That won’t clear the loan.”
“No.”
I waited.
He looked at me.
“I’m putting it toward the house.”
That was the first thing he had said in days that sounded like my brother instead of a salesman.
“Good.”
He nodded.
“I know it doesn’t fix anything.”
“No.”
“I know.”
He stared out the window.
“You know what’s stupid?”
“Probably several things.”
He almost smiled.
“I hated you.”
I leaned back.
“That’s comforting.”
“Not because you did anything.”
“Why?”
“Because you never needed them to clap for you.”
I laughed.
“You’ve seriously misunderstood my childhood.”
He looked at me.
“I needed Dad to think I was exceptional.”
“So did I.”
“You stopped trying.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I stopped believing I could win.”
He stared at me.
That seemed to hit him.
After a moment, he said, “Mom made us compete.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t see it.”
“I did.”
“I thought you were jealous.”
“I was.”
He blinked.
I shrugged.
“Of course I was jealous. You got everything I wanted from them.”
He looked down.
“And I hated you because you got freedom.”
That surprised me.
“What freedom?”
“They never expected anything from you.”
I laughed without humor.
“That wasn’t freedom. That was being ignored.”
He nodded slowly.
“I know that now.”
We sat quietly.
Then he pushed a folder toward me.
“What’s this?”
“Everything.”
Bank statements.
Loan agreements.
Company records.
Property documents.
“Dad needs an attorney.”
“I already gave him copies.”
“Why are you giving them to me?”
“Because you’re the only person in this family I trust to make sure I don’t hide anything.”
I stared at him.
“That’s a terrible compliment.”
“It’s all I’ve got.”
I took the folder.
“What are you going to do?”
“Get a job.”
“A real one?”
He smiled faintly.
“Yes, Captain.”
I stood to leave.
“Morgan.”
I turned.
“I’m sorry.”
He looked genuinely ashamed.
“I knew Mom was getting money from somewhere.”
“Did you know it was me?”
“Not at first.”
“And later?”
He hesitated.
That told me enough.
“When?”
“About a year ago.”
My jaw tightened.
“You knew for a year?”
“Yes.”
“And you let me keep paying?”
“I told myself I’d repay you when the next deal closed.”
“That’s what gamblers say.”
“I know.”
I gripped the folder.
“You’re going to have to earn your way back.”
“I know.”
“You don’t get forgiveness because you finally lost everything.”
“I know.”
I studied him.
May you like
For once, he didn’t argue.
That was when I realized Chase losing his company might be the first honest thing that had ever happened to him.
