Chương 22 - Gregory and Claire
Claire visited Gregory before he returned to federal custody.
One meeting.
No cameras.
No family audience.
Gregory looked older.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“To forgive me?”
“No.”
He laughed.
“Good.”
Claire sat.
“Why did you do it?”
“Money?”
“Everything.”
Gregory looked toward the window.
“Your grandfather trusted Richard.”
“He trusted you too once.”
“Not enough.”
“So you stole?”
“No.”
Gregory stopped.
Then smiled sadly.
“See how fast I still do it?”
“What?”
“Turn consequence into somebody else’s first move.”
Claire waited.
Gregory sighed.
“I liked being the smartest man in every room.”
“That sounds familiar.”
“Yes.”
“I resented Dad.”
“Yes.”
“I resented Richard because he inherited leadership while I fixed his mistakes.”
Richard’s old hidden investment.
His weak confrontation.
Gregory had sometimes rescued him.
Then began believing rescue entitled him to ownership.
“I told myself Whitmore owed me.”
Claire looked at him.
“That phrase has ruined this family.”
“Yes.”
“You also used me.”
Gregory nodded.
“The shell company.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Were you ever going to tell me?”
“No.”
Honesty hurt.
It also ended questions.
Gregory looked at her.
“Marcus really did love you.”
Claire’s throat tightened.
“I know.”
“I hated him for finding the fraud.”
“I know.”
“But I respected him.”
“That sounds convenient now.”
“It is still true.”
Gregory smiled.
“He was poor and walked into Richard’s office like he owned gravity.”
Claire laughed unwillingly.
“That does sound like him.”
Gregory became serious.
“I thought everyone had a price.”
“Did Marcus?”
“Yes.”
Claire stiffened.
Gregory continued:
“His price was being able to live with himself.”
She stared.
“I didn’t understand that kind of price.”
Neither had Claire.
Not then.
She stood.
Gregory asked:
“Will you visit again?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fair.”
She walked toward the door.
“Claire?”
She turned.
“Don’t spend the rest of your life proving you aren’t like us.”
Claire thought of his earlier letter.
Marcus as punishment.
Whitmore as redemption.
“You’re right.”
Gregory smiled.
“Terrible feeling, isn’t it?”
She laughed.
Then left.
No embrace.
May you like
No promise.
A relationship unresolved but truthful.
