Chapter 20 - Everything Jordan Hadn't SaidMarcus opened the door but did not invite Adrian inside immediately.
Adrian held a document envelope.
His face looked older than it had two weeks earlier.
“No lawyers?” Marcus asked.
“Lena knows I'm here.”
“She told me.”
Adrian looked past him.
“Can we talk?”
Marcus glanced at Rachel.
She nodded.
Jordan stood near the stairs.
Adrian saw him.
Marcus said, “Living room.”
They sat with space between them.
No one offered coffee.
Adrian placed the envelope on the table.
“The original amendment.”
Marcus did not reach for it.
“Why did you take it?”
Adrian looked at his hands.
“Because I needed the exact language.”
“For the refinance?”
“Yes.”
Jordan inhaled.
Rachel's face tightened.
Marcus asked, “Did you forge my signature?”
Adrian looked at Lena's business card lying on the side table.
“I shouldn't answer legal questions without counsel.”
Marcus almost laughed.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I wanted to say one thing before this becomes only paperwork.”
“What?”
Adrian looked at Jordan.
“I didn't plan to hurt him.”
Jordan replied quietly, “You did.”
Adrian flinched.
“I know.”
“No, you know now because you got caught.”
Marcus said, “Jordan.”
“No.”
Jordan's voice trembled.
“He keeps saying he cared about me.”
Adrian stared.
“You knew I was scared Dad would find out I was smoking. You used it.”
“I asked for favors.”
“You reminded me you could tell him every time I said no.”
Adrian looked away.
Marcus's hands tightened but remained still.
Jordan continued.
“You put my name on the storage unit.”
“That was stupid.”
“You had me deliver rent notices.”
“I didn't think—”
“Exactly.”
Jordan's voice broke.
“You didn't think what happened to me if it went bad.”
Adrian's eyes filled with something that might have been shame.
Marcus asked, “Where did the rent money go?”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Some went to Northline.”
“For what?”
“Consulting. Repairs. Daniel's fees.”
“And the rest?”
Adrian said nothing.
Marcus leaned forward.
“The rest?”
“Debt.”
Rachel whispered, “Your debt?”
Adrian nodded.
“How much?”
“More than I could cover.”
Marcus stared.
The moral story about stolen inheritance had hidden a simpler reality.
Adrian needed money.
“How much did you divert?”
“I don't know exactly.”
“You know.”
“About forty-three.”
Rachel inhaled sharply.
“Thousand?”
“Yes.”
Marcus's voice became frighteningly calm.
“Forty-three thousand dollars.”
“Not all at once.”
“That makes it better?”
“No.”
“Did Daniel know?”
Adrian looked away.
“He knew enough.”
“Did he get paid?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“I don't know.”
Marcus stood and walked toward the fireplace.
He did not trust himself to stay seated.
Adrian spoke.
“The refinance was supposed to replace the money.”
“With debt secured against Hawthorne.”
“I would've made the payments.”
“With what?”
Adrian had no answer.
Marcus turned.
“You were going to borrow against our property, pay yourself, pay Daniel, cover the missing rent and call it balanced.”
Adrian whispered, “I thought I could fix it before you knew.”
Jordan closed his eyes.
The sentence sounded painfully familiar.
Hide the mistake.
Repair it before discovery.
Avoid disappointment.
Marcus saw Jordan's expression too.
He sat again.
Adrian said, “I'll repay it.”
“How?”
“I'll sell my interest.”
“That interest may be the only thing securing what you owe.”
“I know.”
Marcus stared at his brother.
The fight had gone out of Adrian.
Jordan suddenly spoke.
“I need to say something too.”
Everyone turned.
His face had gone pale.
“I drove Uncle Adrian to the bank once.”
Marcus frowned.
“You said you only dropped envelopes.”
“I lied.”
Rachel whispered his name.
Jordan continued before he could lose courage.
“He said his car was being repaired. I drove him. I waited outside.”
“When?”
“August.”
“Anything else?”
Jordan was crying now.
“He gave me two hundred and fifty, not two hundred. I told you about the extra fifty yesterday.”
Marcus said nothing.
“And I knew one envelope had cash.”
The room stopped.
Rachel asked, “How?”
“I saw it when he opened his bag.”
“Did you know where it came from?”
“No.”
“Did you ask?”
“No.”
Marcus's face broke.
Not rage.
Pain.
Jordan could barely breathe.
“I kept telling myself I didn't know, so it wasn't my problem.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Jordan looked at his father.
“I don't have anything else.”
Marcus did not answer.
Jordan forced himself to continue.
“I mean it. That's everything.”
Marcus stood.
Jordan flinched.
His father walked to him.
For one terrible second Jordan expected the end of whatever trust remained.
Instead Marcus said:
“Then let this be the last day a secret owns you.”
Jordan sobbed.
Marcus hugged him.
Across the room Adrian watched the father forgive nothing and still refuse rejection.
The contrast stripped away every excuse Adrian had built.
Marcus looked over Jordan's shoulder at his brother.
“You should go.”
Adrian stood.
“What happens now?”
Marcus released Jordan.
“Now you answer through lawyers.”
Adrian nodded.
At the door he turned toward Jordan.
“I'm sorry.”
Jordan wiped his face.
“I believe you're sorry.”
Adrian waited.
Jordan added:
“I don't trust you.”
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Adrian's shoulders fell.
For the first time in his life, he had no argument against the consequence.
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