Chapter 17 — “You Were Never Poor, Emily
Emily couldn't speak.
Her father sat down.
"I thought I could control everything."
Linda remained silent.
"I believed money made me powerful."
He looked at his daughter.
"I was wrong."
Twenty-three years ago, he had joined Daniel and Rachel.
He believed he could take control of Morgan Holdings.
But when Linda discovered the plan, he tried to stop it.
Too late.
The conspiracy had already grown beyond him.
He disappeared to protect Linda and Emily.
But his disappearance created another problem.
Everyone believed he had taken the money.
He hadn't.
Rachel had hidden it.
Emily looked at her mother.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wanted you to hate money."
Emily began crying.
"You let me think you were poor."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Linda smiled sadly.
"Because I wanted you to know that love wasn't something you could buy."
Emily remembered the graduation.
The old cardigan.
The cheap flowers.
Her mother's tired eyes.
She suddenly understood.
Linda hadn't been ashamed of poverty.
She had chosen simplicity.
Emily whispered:
"I was ashamed of you."
Linda looked at her.
"I know."
"I thought you were nothing."
"You thought I was poor."
"I thought you were embarrassing."
Linda stepped closer.
"You were wrong."
Emily cried.
"I'm sorry."
Linda hugged her.
For several seconds, everything became quiet.
Then Robert entered the room with police officers.
Rachel was arrested.
Daniel was arrested soon afterward.
The conspiracy finally collapsed.
But one question remained.
Emily looked at her mother.
"Why did you remove me from the hiring list?"
Linda smiled.
"Because I wanted to teach you one final lesson."
"What lesson?"
"That doors opened by your mother's name aren't yours."
Emily nodded.
May you like
"And now?"
Linda looked at her.
