Chapter 12 - JEREMY FINALLY EXPLAINED THE THREE LIES
The confrontation happened seven months after Blaire left the bedroom.
Jeremy attended with his attorney.
Edith attended with hers because resolving the $350,000 claim touched Carter Coastal and Jeremy’s marital finances.
Blaire sat opposite them.
No one raised a voice.
Blaire asked Jeremy:
“Why didn’t you tell your mother the company needed money?”
Jeremy rubbed his hands together.
“Because she would’ve panicked.”
Edith stared at him.
“I would have decided.”
Jeremy looked away.
Blaire continued.
“Why tell her she was buying into my house?”
“Because she hated that condo.”
“That’s not why.”
Silence.
“Because a house felt safe,” he said eventually.
“There.”
Blaire leaned back.
“You weren’t borrowing from her. You were selling her security.”
Jeremy swallowed.
“Yes.”
“And why tell me she was contributing four thousand a month?”
“Because she was.”
“Using money your company was sending her.”
“Yes.”
“Why not tell me that?”
His voice became quieter.
“Because you would’ve asked where the company got enough cash to do it.”
There it was.
Blaire asked the hardest question.
“Why let her treat me like I was freeloading?”
Jeremy’s face broke slightly.
“Because if she felt like an owner, she didn’t ask for the $350,000 back.”
Edith closed her eyes.
Jeremy continued.
“And if you felt like she was paying her way, you didn’t ask her to leave.”
A perfect bridge.
Built from lies.
Keeping Edith inside Blaire’s house bought Jeremy time on both sides.
Edith asked:
“Did you ever intend to put me on the deed?”
Jeremy looked directly at her.
“No.”
Edith’s crying was silent.
Blaire felt almost no satisfaction.
Jeremy turned toward Blaire.
“I thought I could fix the company.”
“You always say that.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
That surprised him.
Blaire continued.
“I believe you thought every lie had an expiration date.”
Jeremy stared.
“You thought you’d repay Mom.”
“Yes.”
“Fix Carter Coastal.”
“Yes.”
“Stop using household money.”
“Yes.”
“Then everybody would be fine and nobody would need to know.”
His eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Blaire nodded.
“That is still fraud-shaped thinking even when the ending in your head is happy.”
Jeremy looked down.
May you like
No one defended him.
Not even Edith.
