Chapter 6 - THE SON WHO COULD NOT SPEAK
Ryan met Margaret in a quiet parking lot.
He looked exhausted.
His shirt was wrinkled.
His eyes were red.
Margaret had never seen her son look so defeated.
"Mom."
She stepped toward him.
"Tell me."
Ryan looked around.
"She controls the accounts."
"Which accounts?"
"All of them."
Margaret stared.
Ryan continued.
"She convinced me to put everything under her management."
"Why?"
"Because she said I was bad with money."
"And you believed her?"
Ryan looked ashamed.
"At first."
Margaret's expression softened.
Then hardened again.
"How long?"
"Three years."
Margaret sat on a bench.
"What happened three years ago?"
Ryan hesitated.
"Melissa lost a lot of money."
"How much?"
"I don't know."
"Ryan."
"Almost two hundred thousand."
Margaret stared at him.
"And she used the mortgage?"
Ryan nodded.
"She moved money around."
"Did you help?"
Ryan looked down.
"Yes."
Margaret felt the answer like a blow.
"Why?"
"Because I thought I could fix it."
"And when you couldn't?"
"She threatened to leave."
Margaret looked at him.
"You let her threaten you."
"I love her."
Margaret sighed.
"Love isn't supposed to make you disappear."
Ryan's eyes filled with tears.
"I know."
Then he reached into his pocket.
He handed her a small flash drive.
"What is this?"
"Everything I have."
Margaret looked at him.
"Everything?"
"Bank records. Emails. Contracts."
"Why are you giving it to me?"
Ryan looked terrified.
"Because I found something."
"What?"
He swallowed.
"Something about Dad."
Margaret froze.
"Your father?"
Ryan nodded.
"Melissa found an old account of his."
Margaret's heart began pounding.
"Daniel didn't have another account."
"That's what I thought."
Ryan took a step backward.
"Mom, if you open those files..."
He stopped.
"What?"
May you like
"You may realize the mortgage isn't the worst thing she did."
Then he walked away.
