Page 31 of Gold Digger
“I have extensive resources, Lottie,” Margot went on almost casually. “My investigators are extremely thorough.”
“B-but that’s allprivateinformation,” I spluttered. “You can’t?—”
“I can, and I did,” Margot stated firmly, and, as had happened so many times before in my life, I sensed the powerlessness I had in this situation. My chest felt tight. I had thought that Margot liked me.
“What has this got to do with me and Ollie going on a date?” I managed to get out in a stiff tone.
“I also know about Hayley’s grandparents and how they want custody of Hayley and how you’re having to prove that you’re a better caregiver than them.”
I shot out of my seat. Some tea spilt over my hand before I could shove it onto the coffee table, but I barely felt it.
“Y-you can’t just go poking around in someone’s life like this!”
She sighed. “I’m sorry if it upsets you, but I’m very protective when it comes to my children. Given your situation with Hayley, I’m sure you can understand.”
“I-I-I can’t… I’m sorry, but that is not okay!”
She shrugged. “I apologise for the intrusion, but I felt it necessary to have all the facts. You can’t be so naïve to think that a man with Oliver’s wealth and influence can get involved with people without them being vetted first? I’m not quite sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. This family has held its hereditary title for over five hundred years. It was created by Henry VI himself in 1444. We own an embarrassing amount of London, most of Surrey as well as properties in Asia, Europe and North America. We have investments in food and agricultural companies all over the world. Oliver’s net worth is estimated at over nine billion pounds.”
I felt the colour drain out of my face as I walked back slowly to the sofa to sit down. “What?” I breathed. Nine billion? That was more money than I could comprehend. How could anyonebe worth that much? I let out a shaky laugh thinking about the five pounds seventy-five pence I had in my wallet and the meagre amount sitting in my bank account. “Cheese and rice.”
“So, as you can see,” she continued, all business now, “wedohave to vet people. It’s just what?—”
“Just because you’re rich doesn’t actually give you the right to have people investigated, you know,” I told her, my shock receding and my anger rising now. “It doesn’t change the fact that it’s just plain rude. Having money doesn’t make you above everyone else; it doesn’t make you better people. It just means that your great-great-great-great-great-grandparents were mates with the king, and he gave you a load of dosh and land, whereas my great-great-great-great-great-grandparents worked the land or something.”
The dowager blinked at me, and then she shocked me by smiling. “I knew I liked you,” she said, and my eyebrows went up. “And yes, you’re right, it was rude. I am sorry.”
I huffed.
“But, just so you know, not all Oliver’s wealth is inherited,” she added. “He’s nearly doubled the family’s holdings with his investments.”
“’Cause you really needed to double your money,” I said dryly. “God forbid you couldn’t buy and sell entire countries. What would the neighbours say?”
She laughed. “Touché, Lottie. I can see how you’d think that. But Oliver’s set up more charitable foundations than any of his predecessors as well. Wearetrying not just to hoard all our wealth.”
I rolled my eyes. Clearly, with a net worth of nine billion, he wasn’t tryingthathard.
“I’ll ask again,” my tone was firm now. “What do you want? You didn’t come here just to list all the ways you’re a boatload wealthier than me.”
“Right, well…” she looked away and cleared her throat before looking back at me. “There’s no easy way to approach this, Lottie. But I’m here to offer you a severance package.”
“A… what?”
“A severance package… from your employment.”
“Listen, Ollie said there wouldn’t be a problem with me keeping my job. He promised that?—”
“Oliver doesn’t know I’m here. This would be a private arrangement between you and me.”
I blinked at her. “What?” I whispered.
“If you leave your job now, I will transfer fifty thousand pounds into your account. Today.” She was serious, I could sense that, but there was something else too, almost like… hope? What was she hopeful for?
“Why would you do that?”
She looked to the side. “For my son,” she said when she looked back at me.
“How is this helping your son?”
