Chapter 10 - UNCLE GRAHAMGraham Prescott had spent most of his life being second.
Second son.
Second choice.
Second signature on family boards.
Ethan had inherited responsibility.
Graham had inherited resentment.
He disguised it well.
People liked him.
He remembered birthdays.
Sent expensive gifts.
Made children laugh.
Even Miles had once adored him.
That made the betrayal harder.
Vivian summoned Graham to Foxmere House on Thursday.
He arrived smiling.
“Again?”
“Sit.”
He sat.
Vivian placed financial statements on the table.
His smile faded.
“You investigated me?”
“I reviewed family exposure.”
“My debts are private.”
“Your debts become family business when lenders begin contacting Prescott entities.”
Graham crossed his arms.
“What does this have to do with Marissa?”
Vivian watched him.
“I did not mention Marissa.”
He froze.
Vivian continued.
“Interesting.”
Graham looked away.
“Everyone knows this is about her.”
“Do they?”
“Ethan told me.”
Vivian made a mental note to verify.
Graham leaned forward.
“Yes, I’m overleveraged.”
“How much?”
“Two million.”
“Four point three.”
His face changed.
Vivian had always known when her children lied.
They had simply forgotten.
“What do you want?”
“I want to know why you accessed Foxmere security.”
“I told you.”
“You gave Marissa administrative credentials.”
“Yes.”
“You approved a lock in the game room.”
“Probably.”
“You authorized her to supervise domestic staff around the children.”
Graham frowned.
“That sounds worse when you stack it together.”
“That is often what patterns do.”
He stood.
“I’m done.”
“Sit.”
He did.
Vivian’s voice never rose.
“Did you ask Jonathan about guardianship provisions?”
Graham’s face emptied.
“I ask lawyers questions.”
“Why that one?”
“I was curious.”
“You were curious about who controls Ethan’s children if Caroline is deemed unable to manage them?”
“I never said that.”
“You asked whether household instability could affect trust governance.”
Graham looked toward the door.
Vivian said:
“If you leave now, I will assume you have no explanation.”
He sat again.
Finally:
“I thought Ethan was cutting me out.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
Vivian’s eyes hardened.
“Because you lost money?”
“Because he thinks I’m irresponsible.”
“You are.”
Graham’s jaw clenched.
“He gets everything. He gets the company. The house. Your trust.”
“He gets responsibility.”
“He gets control.”
Vivian waited.
Graham rubbed his face.
“I wanted leverage.”
There.
The first crack.
“What kind?”
“Nothing involving the kids.”
Vivian said nothing.
“I swear.”
“Then why Marissa?”
“She complained Caroline was chaotic.”
“Caroline is not chaotic.”
“I know.”
“So?”
Graham looked ashamed for the first time.
“I thought if there were enough documented household incidents…”
Vivian’s voice went colder.
“You could challenge Caroline.”
“Not custody.”
“What, then?”
“Her trust authority.”
Vivian stared at her son.
“And the children were collateral.”
“No.”
“Were they present?”
“Yes.”
“Were their reactions used?”
Graham did not answer.
Vivian stood.
“You used them.”
“No one was supposed to get hurt.”
“Miles was frightened.”
“That’s not hurt.”
Vivian’s expression changed.
Graham immediately regretted the sentence.
She walked to the door.
He called after her.
“Mother.”
Vivian turned.
“Marissa went too far.”
“Did she?”
“Yes.”
“Or did she do exactly what you rewarded?”
Graham said nothing.
Vivian left.
In the hallway, Miles stood beside Lila’s stroller.
He had heard the last few minutes.
Graham saw him.
“Miles.”
The boy looked at his uncle.
“You knew?”
Graham stepped closer.
“Miles, it wasn’t like that.”
“You knew she was mean to Lila?”
“I didn’t know everything.”
“You knew enough.”
Graham flinched.
Miles pushed the stroller away.
Before leaving, he said:
“You were my favorite uncle.”
Graham stood alone.
May you like
That hurt more than Vivian’s questions.
But not enough to undo what he had done.
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