Lucy cracked open a sunflower seed between her teeth, spitting the shell onto a napkin, and cut Niamh off mid–sentence.
Sprague and Marigold’s expressions soured instantly.
Meanwhile, Jonathan sat off to the side, as unresponsive as ever–if he felt anything, his face gave nothing away.
“Those gossip blogs do nothing but make stuff up,” Niamh said, her tone light but firm. “They’ll take a single blurry photo and spin a whole story from it. The truth is, I almost slipped, and Julian just caught my arm for a second. That’s all there was to it.”
Of course, Niamh wasn’t about to tell the Thomases that she’d been so lost in thought about Jonathan that Julian had practically dragged her out of her daze.
As she finished, Sprague felt a wave of relief–he did believe Niamh. He’d always known how much she loved Jonathan; the entire Thomas family had seen it for themselves. Back when Jonathan had that car accident, Niamh had saved his life. She’d dropped out of school to care for him, and after the wedding, she’d become a diligent, selfless homemaker, managing the household without a single complaint. By any measure, she was the perfect daughter–in–law.
But Sprague wasn’t about to let the matter drop so easily. He straightened his posture and leveled a stern gaze at her. “Even if today’s rumors aren’t true, as Jonathan’s wife and a member of the Thomas family, you have a responsibility to behave yourself in public. Flirting and fooling around with another man–how do you think that reflects on us? Do you know how much The Thomas Group’s stock fell because of your little scandal?”
Niamh blinked, completely baffled by the accusation. “Dad, nobody online even knows I’m your daughter–in–law. The Thomas Group’s stock price dropping can’t possibly be my fault.”
Sprague had only wanted to scold her a little, just enough to reassert his authority as the family patriarch. Hearing her talk back, though, his face flushed with anger.
“You dare talk back to me? If it’s not your fault, whose is it? If you were truly a blessing to this family, would our stock have fallen at all?”
Niamh stared at him, taken aback by the outburst. It occurred to her that perhaps the company’s recent troubles had left him desperate for someone to blame, and she was just the nearest target.
1/2
20.02
Lucy jumped in, shaking her head. “This girl just needs a firmer hand. She’s been spoiled for far too long, if you ask me.”
Marigold seized on the opportunity, her agreement obvious. “It’s no wonder–her mother never taught her any better! Speaking of her mother, she’s been in that fancy nursing home for years now with her dementia. All the bills are paid by us–the Thomas family! Like mother, like daughter, both of them are leeches!”
At that, Jonathan’s brow furrowed. He started, “Mom-” but before he could say more, Niamh stepped forward.
“If you’re so proud of your parenting, why don’t we talk about how Jonathan cheated on me and got his mistress pregnant while we were still married? If you really think I’m bleeding your family dry, why not hurry up and convince your son to sign the divorce papers, so I can finally get on with my own life?”
Her words came out rapid–fire, leaving Marigold gaping at her in shock.
Sprague and Lucy were just as stunned, sitting there as if turned to stone.
“Niamh!” Jonathan barked, his voice low and harsh.
But Niamh had nothing left to hide. “I’ve been asking your son for a divorce for ages–it’s him who refuses to let go,” she said, her voice ringing with finality.
Marigold’s face turned an alarming shade of green. “You–you want to divorce my son?” she sputtered, her words tumbling over each other. “You… you…”
She never finished. The air seemed to vanish from her lungs, and Marigold fainted on the spot.
Niamh never expected Marigold to be so fragile.
As Jonathan rushed over, shouting, “Mom!” and caught Marigold before she hit the floor, Niamh saw the resentment burning in his eyes.
Marigold was hustled into an ambulance and taken to Olympia Medical Center.
Feeling at least partly responsible, Niamh called a cab and followed.
In the hospital corridor, as she searched for the right room, she happened to see Jonathan coming out. Their eyes met.
He glared at her, his voice cold as ice. “You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up
here.”
S2/2
