Henry’s face was burning.
“It was an investment.”
Caroline screamed:
“EIGHT MILLION POUNDS?”
“It went wrong!”
“What went wrong?”
“My company.”
“You don’t have a company.”
“I had one.”
Caroline laughed.
“Oh my God.”
Henry shouted:
“STOP LAUGHING!”
“You lost eight million pounds?”
“I DIDN’T LOSE IT!”
“Where is it?”
Henry did not answer.
Caroline’s laugh disappeared.
“Where is it?”
He looked at the floor.
Peter whispered:
“Jesus.”
Henry shouted suddenly:
“DAD KNEW!”
Everyone stopped.
Henry’s chest rose and fell.
“He knew.”
His voice cracked.
“He knew before Christmas.”
Elena looked at him.
“And?”
Henry laughed through tears.
“And he said he’d fix it.”
Simon looked down.
Henry turned toward him.
“He said he’d fix it!”
Simon replied quietly:
“He did.”
Henry stared.
“What?”
“The debt was settled.”
Henry went silent.
Simon continued.
“Three weeks before his death.”
Henry’s face changed.
“Then why change the will?”
Simon looked at him.
“Because settling your debt was the inheritance he chose to give you early.”
Henry stared at him.
Nobody spoke.
Caroline slowly sat down.
Peter looked away.
Elena seemed almost physically struck by the information.
Henry’s eyes filled.
“That bastard.”
Peter looked at him.
Henry laughed, crying now.
“He never told me.”
Simon said:
“He didn’t want your gratitude.”
Henry’s face twisted.
“Then what did he want?”
Simon looked at the letter.
“According to this?”
Henry swallowed.
“What?”
Simon opened it.
“He wanted you to stop waiting for him to die before you learned how to live without his money.”
Henry shut his eyes.
