Chapter 2 - ONLY FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
Lucy reached for a piece of bread.
Brianna stomped the plate.
Food crushed under her heel.
“Please… I’m starving!”
Theresa grabbed Lucy’s arm and yanked her upright.
“THEN STARVE!”
Lucy collapsed.
Brianna laughed.
“Look at her! Pathetic!”
Caleb raised his drink.
“She’s still alive?”
Nathan’s suitcase hit the patio.
Everyone turned.
Lucy saw him.
Her entire body folded with relief.
“NATHAN!”
He rushed forward.
Caught her.
Her arms were frighteningly thin.
Her hair was gone.
Her clothes hung loosely from her body.
“Oh my God… Lucy.”
Then he looked up.
“What did you do to my wife?!”
Theresa pointed at Lucy.
“SHE DESERVED IT!”
Nathan stared.
Then noticed the necklace around Theresa’s neck.
Lucy’s emerald pendant.
Brianna’s clothes.
Caleb’s watch.
His breathing deepened.
“Where’s the money I sent?”
Silence.
Theresa straightened.
“Don’t you dare accuse us.”
Nathan stopped shouting.
Something inside him became still.
“Fine.”
He looked at all three.
“I sent home one million dollars.”
Their eyes widened.
Caleb reacted first.
“Bullshit! It was only five hundred thousand!”
Dead silence.
Theresa whipped around and slapped him.
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!”
Caleb froze.
Nathan slowly stood.
“Only… five hundred thousand?”
Theresa went pale.
Lucy stared.
Nathan looked at Caleb.
“How do you know the number?”
Caleb opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then Lucy whispered:
“They told me you stopped sending money.”
Nathan turned.
“What?”
“I thought the project failed.”
“No.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“They said you were angry because I ruined the house deal.”
Nathan stared at Theresa.
“What house deal?”
Theresa’s face tightened.
Lucy answered:
“The one they said I lost.”
Nathan looked down at his wife.
“I never bought anything.”
Lucy closed her eyes.
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
Then she whispered:
“The money is in Caleb’s company.”
Caleb’s face went white.
Nathan turned toward him.
“What company?”
No one answered.
Lucy did.
May you like
“Carter Harvest Foods.”
Nathan had never heard the name.
