“It was for the family! Your brother needed a home!”
“You told me you were investing it,” Julian said.
“I was investing in your brother!”
“You said it was for our future!”
His voice cracked.
For the first time, the anger was no longer directed at me.
Arthur continued calmly.
“Because some of those transfers involve accounts funded in part by Genevieve, they are now under formal review. Any further conclusions will be handled through the appropriate legal and financial process.”
Eleanor lowered herself onto a barstool.
Julian looked from her to me.
In a matter of minutes, the confidence he had displayed the night before disappeared.
“Genevieve…”
He took a step toward me.
“We’re family. We’re having a baby.”
I said nothing.
“What about my career? My reputation? You can’t just destroy everything!”
I looked at him.
“You told me last night that you could easily find another wife.”
His face crumpled.
“So I suggest you find somewhere else to stay while our attorneys handle what happens next.”
“Genevieve, please.”
“No.”
“Please. I was angry.”
“You weren’t angry when you gave every paycheck to your mother.”
He lowered his head.
“You weren’t angry when you let me pay for this household while pregnant.”
“Genevieve…”
“And you weren’t angry when you told me I was replaceable.”
Eleanor began crying.
“This is all a misunderstanding.”
“No,” I said. “It was actually very clear.”
Arthur handed Julian another document.
“You’ve been formally notified that your occupancy rights are being terminated according to the applicable agreement. The document explains the process and timeline. Your attorney can contact me.”
Julian stared at the papers.
Only twelve hours earlier, he had told me to leave “his” home.
Now he was discovering that it had never belonged to him.
Eleanor hurried toward me.
“Genevieve, think about the baby! We can work this out. Families fight!”
I stepped away.
“This stopped being a family discussion when Julian told his pregnant wife she could be replaced a hundred times.”
Julian sank into one of the dining chairs.
