I twisted my mouth into something that wasn't a smile.
"Right. Give way to her."
"Give her my room. Give her my clothes."
"And now even my fiancé. I'm supposed to hand him over too, is that it?"
"Sis, don't say that."
Georgina stood up, her eyes red again.
"Sis, don't blame Mom, and don't blame Neal."
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have kept treating this place like my home."
"I'll leave right now. And I won't ever come back to Auntie's room again."
Neal grabbed her and pulled her behind him.
"Sonia, that's enough!"
He dug a payment slip out of his pocket and slapped it on the table beside us.
"Next month's fees for your adoptive mother. I already had my assistant pay them."
"Apologize to Georgina right now, and we'll forget this ever happened."
He looked at me, and his eyes were certain.
Certain that I'd bend for money.
I looked at the payment slip.
Then I calmly took another receipt out of my bag.
"No need."
I laid the receipt down on top of his slip.
"It's already paid in full."
"From today on, my adoptive mother's care is no concern of yours, Mr. Dickerson. And you can keep it off your ledger of favors too."
Neal glanced down at the receipt.
The amount on it came to a full two hundred thousand.
Something jolted behind his eyes.
"Where did you get that kind of money?"
He knew there was no way I could come up with that much.
"That's none of your business, Mr. Dickerson."
I pushed his payment slip back at him.
"From now on, you don't need to trouble yourself over my adoptive mother."
With that, I turned to go.
"Sonia, stop right there!"
Neal caught up in a few strides and seized my wrist.
His grip was hard enough to make the bone ache.
"What exactly are you trying to pull?"
I wrenched my arm free.
"Neal, you think far too much of yourself."
I walked out of the room without looking back.
Graham's car was parked at the curb.
As I climbed into the passenger seat, I turned my head and caught Neal just reaching the door.
Graham didn't glance at him. He started the car.
My bag hadn't been zipped shut, and a bright red booklet slid out with the motion.
Neal's eyes locked on that flash of red.
"Sonia! What is that?"
