Escape from Mr. Whitman (Emma and Theodore) novel Chapter 187

“He’s your brother,” Theodore said curtly, pressing harder on the gas.

“But he…” Emma started, then stopped herself.

What she wanted to say was: But he’s never been someone you can count on.

Not that it mattered. For years, her family had always come across as unreliable and greedy in front of Theodore. More than once, she’d warned him, begged him not to indulge them, not to go out of his way for them. And every time, he’d just say, “They’re still your family.”

Back then, she’d thought she and Theodore had all the time in the world to sort things out. He was just trying to be good to her, and all these family messes would eventually work themselves out. Who could have guessed that Cecilia’s return would set off every hidden landmine at once?

Maybe it was just as well. At least now, before she left, Theodore could finally break things off with her family for good.

“As for Jonathan,” Theodore said, eyes on the road, “don’t stress yourself. I have it under control. It won’t affect me.”

Emma glanced over at him.

“What? You don’t believe me?” He gave a short laugh, still watching the road. “You know the saying, ‘When the bird catches the worm, there’s always a cat waiting behind’? Jonathan and that Quinn guy think they can use my company as their meal ticket. They don’t realize I’m already the cat behind them.”

Emma didn’t quite get what he meant, or what kind of setup he’d put in place. But if he wasn’t going to take a loss, she could relax. She truly didn’t want any more complications with Theodore or with the tangled debts her family left behind.

“Theodore,” she said suddenly, a new worry surfacing. “If my mom hadn’t lost it today, my dad probably would never have backed down. What would you have done then?”

Theodore shot the question right back at her. “What would you have done?”

Emma let out a long breath. She had a way, of course, but it wasn’t exactly something to be proud of.

“Your dad’s been gambling out there, racking up a mountain of debt. Why do you think he’s so desperate for money? That’s why. If he wasn’t willing to give up, I’d have just called in his creditors.”

Emma turned, eyes wide.

Theodore caught her look from the corner of his eye. “That was your plan too, wasn’t it?”

She didn’t answer.

It was.

The car came to a sudden stop.

A pair of hands reached from behind and settled gently on her shoulders.

She didn’t turn around.

“I’ve known about your family since twelve years ago,” Theodore said softly. “There’s no reason to feel ashamed. None of us gets to choose the family we’re born into. We’re the innocent ones in all this.”

His hands tightened, as if trying to anchor her, to give her strength.

If only.

If only those hands had only ever held her. Maybe, before Cecilia came back, he really could have been her protector—maybe those hands truly would have shielded her from the world.

The last five years hadn’t exactly been sunshine and blue skies, even by his standards. But from his perspective, at least, he’d tried to hold up her little corner of the sky.

But as soon as Cecilia appeared, those same hands became the ones that pushed her off the edge.