Page 145 of Becoming Us

Give it back to me. It’s not like I haven’t been taking it my entire life.

“You ungrateful little shit. I don’t know what I did to deserve a kid like you. You think you can manage any of this? I’ll take you to court and make sure you never see a dime.”

“With what fucking money?” I laughed humorlessly—manic. “You can’t afford a legal fight against me.”

“Those men work for me!” Her arm trembled with fury as she jabbed a finger at her chest, gold bangles clanking around her wrist.

“Not anymore they don’t. So you’re out of luck. Unless you’re planning to fuck them for favors. You’re a free agent now, aren’t you? I’d hurry, though. The Botox is starting to wear off.”

A loud smack cracked through the room.

My fingers reached for my cheek, the skin still burning in the aftermath of her strike. Her fingers were stacked with heavy gold rings. One had landed hard across my lip. I tasted blood before the sting settled in. I didn’t look at her. If I did, I might fall apart—or worse, hit back.

I took a couple of steadying breaths.

“You want to be like him? Fine. Be like your father.” Her words came slowly, slithering through my mind, ready to strike.

I lifted my eyes. Her lips were curving into a cruel little smile.

“Like yourhero. You think he was such aperfectman? That he was theperfectdad and I’m the worst mother to ever exist? That’s what you think?”

There was a beat of silence as the air thickened between us.

“He was a hack.”

I shook my head, the dissipating rage from her blow quickly escalating again.

“He lied and cheated to get what he wanted. That precious inheritance you’re holding on to? It’s built on theft.”

“No,” I said firmly.

“He’s not the man you think he was. And all this—leaving everything in your name—was just his last attempt to buy one of his sons. To get somebody on his side. He was a scared old man. Weak. Just like you. Do you think he trusted you? He knew his chances of survival were low from the start, and he kept that from you. Manipulated you into staying by his side, because you were the only one stupid enough to believe it.”

My chest rose and fell, taking her words in, feeling them break pieces of me I didn’t even know could shatter further.

“And now you think you actually get to keep this?” she continued, seemingly intent on taking everything down with her. “That any lawyer is going to look at the poor excuse of a drunk you’ve become and let you keep control over the cash that fuels their paychecks? Think again, honey. That’s not how the world works.”

She said it with the kind of smug certainty that made me want to scream.

I shook my head, hot tears burning behind my eyes. But I refused to let them fall. Not in front of her. Never in front of her.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I whispered.

“I’m not going to let you take what’s mine. I earned this. I deserve this.”

“I’m your son.”

She smiled, sickeningly sweet. “Exactly. And it’s my job to protect you from yourself. You can’t handle this.”

A snake. That was exactly what she was. A cold-blooded and unfeeling fucking snake that called itself my mother.

“You and I are done,” I said, my voice breaking around the words. I opened my arms to the empty room. “I don’t have to keep putting up with this. He’s gone. And in case you haven’t noticed, you don’t have anybody in your corner anymore. So you and I—we’re finally on equal footing.”

Her smile slipped.

“Let’s see how weak you think I am when you’re the one left with nothing.” My voice was just as cold as she’d taught me. I pushed past her and out of the office.

“Don’t you walk away from me, Noah!” she shouted after me, her heels stabbing the floor with every step.