When Her Death Couldn't Break Him (Cecilia and Nathaniel) novel Chapter 2012

“If your daughter isn’t like that, then kindly reimburse every cent Magnus spent while pursuing her. We’re ordinary folk. Several million is no small amount,” Heather insisted.

Several million?

Phoebe could hardly believe her ears.

True, that figure meant little to her, but she still monitored Chelsea’s spending. There was no way her daughter could have burned through millions.

“Mrs. Campbell, bring Chelsea downstairs,” Phoebe ordered.

“Yes, Mrs. Rainsworth.”

The housekeeper hurried upstairs, unlocked the door, and told Chelsea something was happening downstairs.

Hearing that Chelsea was coming, Heather suddenly felt nervous about confronting her; unease churned in her chest.

Chelsea descended the stairs, eyed the unfamiliar old woman, and assumed her mother had found yet another matchmaker. “Mom, which agency did you hire this time?”

“She’s not a matchmaker. She’s here to collect money!”

“Money?” Chelsea was baffled. “What money?”

Heather chuckled coldly and said, “Ms. Rainsworth, lofty people like you do tend to forget favors. I’m Magnus’ grandmother. Magnus took about six million from me, and every penny of it went toward you. Are you refusing to admit that now?”

Six million dollars!

Chelsea stared at her in disbelief. “Is this some kind of joke? When did Magnus ever spend six million on me?”

Heather pressed on, “So you dare say Magnus never spent a dime on you?”

The single question left Chelsea utterly speechless.

Magnus had indeed spent money on her. He’d treated her to dinner two or three times and had taken her to see an opera.

But all of that together came to maybe fifty-thousand at most. How had it suddenly ballooned to six million?

A few dinners and the old woman was branding her daughter a gold digger.

The Rainsworth family had never suffered such humiliation.

“But a few meals hardly cost six million,” Chelsea protested again.

Six million could buy the entire restaurant.

“I wouldn’t know,” Heather said. “You claim it was only a few dinners, but Magnus has already burned through six million. Who’s to say he didn’t slip you expensive gifts in private?”

She turned to Phoebe. “Your family doesn’t look hard-up. Surely you’re not planning to profit off us? And Ms. Rainsworth isn’t married yet. If people hear she chatted up a man only to cheat him out of millions, her reputation will be in tatters—”

Before Heather could finish, Phoebe cut her off, “That’s enough. Six million, was it? I’ll repay you.”

Phoebe wasn’t foolish; she knew the old woman was here to extort them.

She trusted her own daughter more than anyone. Chelsea would never lie about something like this.