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“I don’t need people to wipe my ass.”
She scowled. “Don’t be vulgar.”
I gave her a smile and poured our tea.
“Your behaviour at the ball was abhorrent. It’s lucky you didn’t break his nose and that he’s not laying charges.”
I buttered my scone and took a bite. I waited until I’d swallowed before answering. “He’s an immoral slug. He spiked Theadora’s drink so that he could rape her.”
“That’s unsubstantiated and besides, she’s a teaser.”
My brows crashed. “What? Are you subscribing to that tired, if not deplorable, theory that women encourage rape?”
“You don’t know what took place. Who’s to say that our former maid isn’t canoodling with whoever’s the highest bidder.”
“You cannot be serious.” I stared into my mother’s dark eyes, looking for a hint of goodness. “What’s he got over you?”
“He’s a business partner. One that we need right now.”
“Right now? Are you telling me the family, who are worth twenty billion, are in financial straits?” I tried not to laugh at that ridiculous statement.
“Wealth in property and land, but there’s a lack of cash flow. The tourist industry has been deeply impacted by this virus. The hotels, which were our cash cow, have been running at a loss.”
“And you want to open up a fucking resort?” I asked.
“Language. You’re educated. Swearing is for imbeciles with a low IQ.”
I rolled my eyes at her patronising tone.
“This virus can’t impact our lives forever.” She sipped her tea. “At least your brother’s seen sense and has an architect draughting up plans for a spa by the duck pond. He understands, unlike you, that to maintain his extravagant lifestyle one needs cash.”
“I’ve got plenty of my own cash. I invested in Bitcoin and Tesla before joining the army. I can cash those in and live a very comfortable life. There’s absolutely no need to rip this land from the hearts of those families that have made this the food bowl of the region.”
“In answer to your earlier question, Rey’s my benefactor.”
“In what way?”
“We’re working on projects together.”
“So he’s investing on the destruction of the lands?”
“Darling, I wish you wouldn’t be so negative about this. It’s a marvellous opportunity to expand Lovechilde’s reach. We’re not even talking about every farm here. Only a mere three acres.”
“It’s lucky that Theadora’s refused to press charges on Crisp for stalking her.”
“Then she’s brighter than I thought. Rey has promised to stop flirting with her, even though that’s pretty harmless.”
I sucked in a breath to placate a sudden burst of anger. The china cup in my hand clanged unsteadily on its saucer. “Harmless? You think unwanted advances, or, in gutter speak since he’s gutter, trying to sleaze onto someone, as harmless? Not taking no for an answer, harmless?”
“Men will be men.” She wiped her lips with a cloth napkin.
“I don’t behave like that. Never have. Ethan’s not like that.”
She opened her palms. “You’re both stunning boys with equally stunning bank accounts.”
Disturbed by her earlier simplistic comment, I couldn’t believe how she’d shrugged off deplorable males hitting on non-consenting women.
I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to my mother growing up. She never spoke about her past.
