Page 81 of My Christmas Billionaire

“You heard me.”

“What’s going on?” My grandfather interrupts and I jerk my thumb towards my father. “Ask him. He’s the one who has a problem with me.”

“I don’t know…”

I hold up my hand and say with a snarl, “Don’t pretend. I know it was you who urged Sam to sue me.”

“Sam, the man who tried to claim part of your fortune?” My grandfather appears shocked and yet my father merely turns an interesting shade of red and yells, “So what if I did?”

“And sending me threatening Christmas cards, promising to kill me and Jessica. What was that all about?”

My grandfather explodes with a loud, “What the…”

My father turns on him.

“This is all your fault.”

“My fault!” My grandfather bellows. “How do you work that one out?”

“Because of him.” My father points at me. “You gave him everything. All your love, respect and time. It was always Robert this and Robert that. Robert, who could do no wrong and Robert is way better than you will ever be. I could do nothing right at all. Whatever I did, you found fault with. You beat me down and crushed my spirit and humiliated me when you chose him over me.”

“Because you weren’t good enough!” My grandfather roars, and Jessica gasps and steps back a little at the venom in his tone.

“No.” My father laughs hollowly. “I was never good enough. You told me that often enough and I started to believe it myself. But Robert was. You were so proud when he made billions. You couldn’t wait to rub it in my face and tell me how much better he was than me.”

“But why did you try to bring me down?”

I speak up and even I detect the hurt in my voice. “You’re my father. You are supposed to want the best for me, to have my back and support me. Not threaten me and bring me down. Why?”

“Because you had it easy.” He turns, and for the first time I note the weariness in his eyes. “You never had to try. It was all so straightforward for you, and you were becoming exactly like him.”

He nods towards his father. “You were cold, calculating, and manipulative. You never had any friends and the only one you ever did you turned your back on. You didn’t work at friendships or relationships, just business. Just. Like. Him.”

He sits on the sofa with his head in his hands and stutters. “I tried so hard to be different. I wanted respect and thought the best way to earn it was to be a generous employer. I wanted people to like me. To believe in me and want to do what was right — for me. I took my position at Harvey’s, vowing to make a difference. To make it a happy place to work and it would thrive. And it did for a while and then the sales dipped, and expenses grew. I was out of my depth, but I didn’t want to admit that to either of you.”

I share a look with my grandfather, who appears dumbfounded, and I watch as his expression softens, and he moves to sit beside his son.

“I never knew.” He sounds disappointed and I know it’s because of his own part in this and so I join them, sitting on the other side of my father and without knowing what to do, I pat his back with compassion and say gently, “It must have been hard.”

My father turns and for a moment just stares and I see the apology in his eyes as he whispers, “Can you forgive me, son? I only wanted to shake you up a bit and make you look at things differently.”

I catch Jessica’s eye and note the tears in them and with a smile of encouragement, she nods, making my decision an easy one.

“Of course I forgive you. You’re my father and I understand you were desperate. It must have been hard and well, I admire you for owning up to it and hope we can move on and have a more open relationship from now on.”

“Me too, son.” My grandfather slaps my father on the back and says gruffly, “I never realised how hurt you were. It was never personal, only business, and I never connected the two. I’m sorry too.”

A movement by the door makes us look up and we see my mother and grandmother staring in amazement as they are flanked by the two small children. It’s obvious they listened to every word judging from the expressions on their faces and then Angelina shakes her head and glances at Jessica, saying in a sad voice, “Are they on the naughty list, Auntie Jess?”

For some reason, it lightens the mood instantly and the laughter that breaks out chases away the shadows and lets the light in.

It’s as if a fresh breeze blows the cobwebs away and lightens the mood and as we all set about the business of celebrating Christmas Eve, I have a feeling that things will be very different next year, for all of us.

CHAPTER43

JESSICA

Idon’t usually get nervous, but I am now. We are hovering on Sally’s doorstep armed with gifts for the whole family, and I’m glad we could fit them all into one car.

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