Chapter 13 - ELEANOR SPEAKS
Eleanor requested a meeting with Thomas.
No one expected him to accept.
He did.
Behind thick jailhouse glass, mother and son faced each other.
Thomas wore no expression.
Eleanor looked tired for the first time in his life.
“You've destroyed us,” she said.
Thomas laughed softly.
“I did?”
“You chose that woman over your family.”
“Her name is Evelyn.”
“She turned your father against me.”
“No. You stole from him.”
Eleanor's eyes sharpened.
“I built everything your father had.”
“And then decided it belonged to you.”
“I protected it.”
“You put my son on a lake.”
Eleanor leaned closer.
“You think you understand what happened.”
“I watched the video.”
Something flickered in her face.
Thomas continued.
“He reached for you.”
Eleanor said nothing.
“He called for his mother.”
Still nothing.
Thomas's voice broke.
“You walked away.”
Eleanor finally whispered, “I was afraid.”
Thomas stared.
It was the first honest sentence she had spoken.
Not sorry.
Afraid.
Of losing power.
Of exposure.
Of becoming irrelevant.
Thomas stood.
“You lost me the moment you pushed him.”
May you like
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears.
He left before she could use them.
