I did those things because I believed helping family was an act of love.”
She looked at the forged signature.
“This is not love.”
Beatrice’s face reddened.
“After everything my son has given you—”
“What has he given her?” Rachel interrupted.
Everyone turned.
Rachel wiped her cheeks with the heel of her hand.
“Seriously, Mom.
What has Patrick paid for? Amanda bought the house.
Amanda paid for the trip.
Amanda paid your medical bills.
Patrick borrowed from us.
What exactly has he given her?”
Beatrice had no answer.
Patrick did.
“I gave her a family.”
Amanda stared at him.
The sentence was so perfectly arrogant that it removed the final trace of doubt from her mind.
“You gave me people who laughed while I was humiliated,” she said.
“Then you tried to steal my house.”
Patrick flinched at the word steal.
He reached for Amanda’s arm.
One of the security officers immediately stepped forward.
“Sir, keep your hands to yourself.”
Patrick pulled back.
“This is a private marital argument.”
“Not in the hotel lobby,” the officer said.
Mr.
Dorsey approached with several printed invoices.
“We need payment for the outstanding charges or the rooms must be vacated by ten o’clock.”
Beatrice turned to Patrick.
“Pay him.”
Patrick stared at the floor.
“Patrick,” she repeated.
“My cards are temporarily unavailable.”
Rachel gave a bitter laugh.
“You mean maxed out.”
Mark took the invoices from the manager.
He examined them, then looked at his wife.
“We’ll pay our room and the children’s breakfast.
Nothing else.”
Beatrice looked offended.
“You cannot leave me with this.”
“You helped create a company to receive money from Amanda’s house,” Rachel replied.
“You can pay your own spa bill.”
Amanda asked the manager to remove any charges connected to the children’s meals from the disputed account.
The nephews had not chosen the adults’ behavior, and she would not use them as weapons.
Patrick noticed the gesture.
“So you’ll feed the kids but humiliate my mother?”
“No,” Amanda said.
“Your mother humiliated herself.”
Claire gathered the deed and bank documents.
“We are leaving now,” she told Amanda.
“A locksmith is scheduled for noon.
