Chapter ten

The phone rang in Howard's pocket and he pulled it out, his expression going carefully blank when he saw the name on the screen.

He was here to say goodbye to Claire.

"I need to take this." He stood from the chair and headed outside.

He stepped out into the hallway and closed the door softly behind him before answering.

"Jeff."

"Grandpa." Jeff's voice sounded tired. "Do you have a minute?"

"What do you want?"

There was a pause on the other end. "I was hoping we could have lunch tomorrow. There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" He asked curiously and briefly wondered if his grandson ever missed his wife.

"I'd rather discuss it in person." Another pause. "Please. It's important."

He wanted to refuse but curiosity and anger made him agree, Claire would be long gone by tomorrow anyways. "Fine. Tomorrow at one.” He grumbled.

"Thanks, Grandpa. I'll see you then."

The line went dead and he stood there in the hallway staring at his phone.

He could already guess what Jeff wanted to tell him and with a sad smile and a shake of his head, he went back in.

***

The restaurant was quiet when he arrived the next day. Jeff was already seated at their usual table near the back, looking composed and calm in his expensive suit.

He must admit that it's been a while since he had lunch with his grandson in this restaurant, the last time they had lunch together was when he threatened to disinherit him if he doesn't marry Claire.

"Grandpa." Jeff stood and Howard sat down without a word.

They ordered and sat in uncomfortable silence until the waiter left.

"Thanks for coming." Jeff's voice was measured. "I know things have been difficult between us since..."

"Since you murdered your wife?" The words came out cold and furious.

Jeff's face tightened. "It wasn't like that and you know it. The doctor made a mistake during the surgery. It was a tragic accident."

"A convenient accident." Howard muttered, staring at Jeff.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jeff asked in a tight voice.

Howard leaned forward and kept his voice low and dangerous. "It means you got exactly what you wanted. Your wife is dead and you are free to marry Irene."

Jeff's eyes flashed with anger. "That's not fair. I treated Claire well during our marriage. I gave her everything she could have wanted."

"Everything except your time, your attention, and your respect."

"I tried with her, I really did." Jeff's voice grew defensive. "But she was so manipulative, always trying to make me feel guilty, always playing the victim. I might have even fallen for her eventually if she hadn't been like that and you are always taking her side, I am the one related to you, remember?"

The words made him want to reach across the table and shake some sense into Jeff.

"I am taking her side because Claire was a sweet soul but you are behaving more like a jerk." His voice was hard. "I thought you were intelligent enough to see who Claire really is."

"A sweet soul?" Jeff laughed bitterly. "She trapped me into that marriage, Grandpa. She used you to force me into something I never wanted."

"She did nothing, I only wanted you to end up with someone responsible, hence I chose her, if I had known you'd be such a jerk…”

He let his words trail off and Jeff's face was flushed with anger and he gritted his teeth.

“I didn't call you here because of Claire grandpa”.

Howard took a deep breath and tried to control his temper. "So what did you want to tell me?"

Jeff straightened in his chair. "I'm getting married next month."

"To Irene." Howard said flatly and Jeff bristled.

"Yes." Jeff's chin lifted slightly. "I wanted you to hear it from me first."

"How considerate." The sarcasm dripped from his voice. "You killed your wife and now you're marrying her sister. Do you feel any guilt at all?"

"I didn't kill anyone." Jeff's voice rose slightly. "And I won't apologize for moving on with my life. Irene has been there for me through everything. She saved my life years ago and I won't throw her away just because of who you wanted me to marry."

Howard stared at him, “I can't believe that I will give birth to a grandchild as stupid as you”.

"It's the truth." Jeff's voice was firm. "I nearly drowned when I was seventeen and she pulled me out of the river. I owe her my life."

Howard shook his head slowly. "You're a fool."

Jeff's face darkened. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You're a fool, Jeff. A blind, stubborn fool who can't see what's right in front of your face."

"What are you talking about?"

"Someday you're going to realize the truth." He stood from the table.

Jeff stood as well. "What truth? What are you talking about?"

But Howard was already walking away, his cane tapping furiously on the ground.

"Grandpa, wait!" Jeff called after him. "What truth?"

He didn't answer, just kept walking until he pushed through the restaurant doors and out into the cold air.

Jeff was marrying the woman who had tried to murder his wife and he believed every lie she'd ever told him and nothing he said would change his mind.

He stood on the sidewalk and pulled out his phone, then put it back in his pocket.

Let Jeff marry her snake. Let him believe her lies.

The truth would come out eventually.

It always did.