She Made It, Then Dumped Me novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: Jace's Father

"That's your father," I said.

"Yes."

"The one who owed money to the men on the sidewalk."

"Yes." Jace swallowed. "He found me on the news. He's been calling for two weeks."

The man in the brown coat unfolded his arms and came forward.

He was heavy and sixty, with gray stubble and eyes that priced my suit.

"Mr. Thornton," he said. "Mr. Chairman. Pleased to meet you at last."

"What do you want?"

"A conversation. Man to man."

"You have one minute."

"Then I'll be quick." He smiled, and one tooth was gold. "My son owes me. I raised him. I fed him until he was nineteen. You scooped him up and kept him from me for two years."

"He kept himself from you."

"A boy can't make that call."

"He was nineteen."

"A man doesn't walk out on his father for a stranger's money." He held up a thick finger. "I figure you paid six hundred thousand to the people who were after him. Maybe more. I want half of it back for myself, and then I'll sign whatever you like."

Penelope made a small sound beside me.

Jace said, "Dad, you promised."

"Shut up, Jace."

"You said you only wanted to see me."

"I said what you needed to hear."

Jace turned to me.

His face had gone gray.

"I didn't know he'd ask for this," he said. "I swear. He called me tonight and said he'd stay quiet if I brought him to you. I'm so sorry."

"I know."

"I told the world you kept me with debts. It was a lie. I said it because Sonia told me to."

"I know that too."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

I had been trying to find the right word for it.

"Because you cried on camera," I said, "and fifty million people watched me get called a monster. You owe the world a sentence."

He lowered his head.

"I'll say it right now."

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