Then she whispered.
“You own Hayes Regional Markets?”
“A large part.”
“How large?”
I smiled.
“Enough.”
She laughed.
“You really like that answer.”
“Yes.”
Then Ethan came home.
Vanessa told him.
He walked across immediately.
“Dad.”
“No.”
“I didn’t ask yet.”
“You were going to.”
He laughed.
Then.
“Fine.”
“What do you want me to know?”
I thought.
Maybe it was time.
Not because they deserved a number.
Because secrecy had created too much confusion.
I invited them over Sunday.
After the children went to bed, we sat at my table.
I explained.
The stores.
Properties.
Investments.
Company structure.
Not every account.
Not exact net worth.
Enough.
Ethan stared.
“So you could have bought my house.”
“Several times.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“I charged you rent.”
“Yes.”
“Two thousand dollars.”
“Yes.”
She groaned.
“I made you clean toilets.”
“Yes.”
Ethan started laughing.
She glared.
“Stop.”
He laughed harder.
I did too.
