A/N: This chapter was hard for me to write, both emotionally, and with having so many characters in one scene. I hope I did it justice.
I have updated the rating to M, I had completely forgotten to do so when adding on to this story from being a one shot. Thanks to my fanfic bestie for pointing that out!
Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Xoxo!
--
"Paige, are you sure about this?" He asked, stopping just outside the closed wrought iron and glass french style arched doors of the oversized dining room, the muffled sounds of clanging dishes abuzz in the air, tightening his hold on her hand as if willing their contact to somehow change what was to come for her, and calm his own nerves.
He was worried.
Really worried.
There had been a tight, painful knot forming in his stomach since she had fallen apart against him in the shower, and he simply couldn't shake it. There was no good way to proceed here, only bad options everywhere they turned and none of them were particularly appealing. None where she wouldn't get hurt. He just hoped that Betty would not make things harder than they needed to be, would agree to leave them alone, but if he were honest with himself, his hope on that was slim. At bare minimum, he hoped she wouldn't make it any harder on Paige.
Again… slim.
Paige had been, as she would call, an emotional dumpster fire, all morning. Trying, repeatedly to keep up her resolve, to be strong. But, it had been futile, and she had shed more tears than he thought could be possible without risk of dehydration, which in turn had set him on edge as well. Sharing their confessions of being in love with one another seemed to have helped soothe her in the moment, and perhaps, in a deeper way in general throughout the morning, seeking out comfort from him, but still, the tears kept coming, like a leaky faucet, no matter how hard you close the tap, the drips just keep dripping. Feeling helpless was not an emotion he handled well. Not having a solution to a problem was not something he handled well. So, not knowing a way to help her, not having the right tools in his toolbox to fix the faucet, was seriously stressing him out, and he was worried.
She stopped next to him, staring off through the impeccably clean glass panes into the large room staying just out of view from any inhabitants. The large formal room was just beginning to bustle with wedding guests coming in for the morning brunch. So many faces. Faces she thought she knew. One particular face, that no longer looked recognizable to her. Now, it was just like staring at a stranger in a crowd. A stranger she grew up believing to be family, a safe place. Now, no different than the hundreds of people she walked passed as she ventured the LA streets, or sitting in a crowded bar. Just… there. A face in the background of her story. Except, her existence in her background came with a sharp pain in her chest and trembling hands.
It made her heart ache so painfully.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be.
"No… I'm not." She met his eyes, filled with so much trepidation for her, and attempted to force a solemn, broken smile to grace her features. Her eyes still puffy and bloodshot from the hours of trying, and failing, to come to terms with things, seeking solace in Walter's embrace each time she failed to stop the emotional overload. She hadn't even bothered trying to put on makeup, knowing she was surely going to end up crying again. Just raw and unkempt, her appearance matching the darkness she felt. She felt broken, damaged, like the toy that gets tossed to the bottom of the toy box until yard sale day comes and you realize you can't even sell it for a quarter.
But, looking into the eyes of this man who would fight Heaven and Hell for her, who had spent hours making sure she felt safe and welcomed as she fell apart, she felt home. He would take her from the rubbage bin at the yard sale, take her home, patch her holes, mend her broken dreams, and put the sparkle back in her eyes. He was her family in this sea of strange faces. Rubbing a tentative hand down his arm, and giving a deep, pained sigh, she continued. "but yes… I am. I'm okay, Walter. I know it's the right thing to do. It's the… only… thing to do."
His mixed feelings of wanting to support her in her conviction, follow through with his plan, but also shield her from it all, swirled in his eyes. He may not understand what she was thinking or feeling, but he didn't have to. He understood her enough to know she wouldn't be standing there if she weren't committed to it.
"Okay." Placing a kiss to her forehead, running his hand through her hair, warm, comforting, an effort to remind her she was safe and home with him, he breathed in deep, pulled back and nodded.
Game time.
"Okay." She repeated, staring through the window panes again, working up the courage. "I got this."
With a heavy sigh, she released his hand, and pushed through the heavy door, alone. Leaving his familiar, loving face to seek out the now unrecognizable cold one, seated at the center of the room, a table for two. A fake jovial smile on was on the lips that once kissed her cheeks, as she sipped at her tea, adorned with a mint green blazer and black skirt, legs crossed at the ankles, ever so perfect posture, her hair pulled back into a neat french twist, and her finest pearls delicately adorning her ears and neck. The perfect picture of class, wealth, sophistication… and psychopathy, she thought. Staring her down as she crossed the room, her mind flashed with all of the painful memories, all of the documents, all of the feelings once more, and her fists balled up, shoulders tensed, and eyes narrowed in anger.
No.
Not like this.
Turning her sights, she laid her eyes on her grandfather. His eyes were warm as he read the newspaper. She remembered vividly sitting on his lap as a young child learning to read, sounding out the letters to read it to him. His clothing today was far more casual, with simple but expensive and perfectly pressed khaki pants, and a white polo shirt that showed the slight pudge in his belly that his wife was relentlessly commenting on. Not her, though. He always looks so dapper to her, and that pudge had always meant the best hugs growing up. She adored the way his reading glasses rested at the tip of his nose and, how without even looking, he would lift his coffee cup up to sip, never breaking his concentration on whatever article he was reading. Walter had made a comment about her doing that once, remarking on how it was a great skill to have, spacial awareness or something. She wondered if she had gotten it from him, her Papa.
Which made her wonder what she got from her.
"Paige! How lovely to see you this morning." Her voice, more shrill and vindictive than she could ever remember it being, eyes cold and void of emotion, broke through her thoughts as she made her way just shy of their table. "Well aren't you a sight." The sarcasm dripping from her voice was not lost on her. Looking at her so closely, she couldn't help but notice how obvious her expression was, and yet, the same as it had always been. How had she been so blind to it?
"Uh, yeah… it's been a rough morning." She muttered out, pleading with herself to keep it together.
Instantly, Teddy stood, grabbing a chair from a neighboring table and pulling it to theirs, a face, she noted, that matched Walter's moments earlier of worry, spread across his features.
"Peanut, what is it? What's happened? Sit, darling. Sit." He was quick to usher her into the seat, and she watched as Betty looked her over, no doubt questioning her emotional appearance, with frizzy untamed hair pulled into a messy bun, no makeup, tear stained cheeks and swollen eyes, but also, her basic blue jeans, simple white t-shirt, and opened, oversized flowy cream knit sweater. She did not represent class, wealth or sophistication. She knew just how terrible she looked. How messy.
"Yes, dear. What's going on? You look as though you've been crying!" Had she not known, she would have missed the micro-smile that flashed on Betty's face, but knowing meant seeing, and now seeing meant fully believing.
Betty was pleased with her being distraught.
Again she questioned how she had never picked up on it before.
She was struggling to pull herself together, to not break down again, but a tear slipped from her eye at seeing Betty's joy at her misery.
"Peanut… where is Walter? Did something happen between you?" Teddy asked, taking her hand. His eyes were pleading with concern. It gave her some courage.
Looking to him, and then directly to Betty, she found the words.
"He's gone."
"Gone? What do you mean gone? He left? Whatever for?" Teddy rambled, confusion, frustration, and finally anger laced in his words. "Left you? Peanut, did Walter end your courtship?"
She just sat there, staring blankly at Betty, letting the tears roll down her cheeks.
She didn't need to answer for her to assume the response.
"Well, I for one am not surprised. That boy was clearly meant for better things than being saddled with a broke, single mother, Paige."
She fought every urge in her body to snap.
"Betty! Please! Enough. The poor girl just had her heartbroken. I'm so sorry, Peanut." Teddy rubbed her back, pulling his seat closer to her, and distancing himself from Betty. "What do you need?"
"She doesn't need anything Theodore. She needs to put her stuff aside. This is Julia's day, and I will not stand for Paige trying to overshadow it with this nonsense."
She didn't budge, didn't blink, just continued to stare at the older woman, with so much contempt in her soul.
"Betty! Really, now! Give it a rest!" Teddy clapped back, an aire of annoyance in his tone.
"I just wish I understood why. There was no real answer as to why. You think you know someone. You think you love someone. And then you come to find out they're someone entirely different. A total stranger." She intentionally kept her answer vague, but directed at Betty, her meaning holding so much power.
"Oh sweetheart…" Teddy consoled, speaking of life and loss, rubbing at her back. She conversed with him, though if asked later she wouldn't be able to remember one word she spoke of what was said, her body playing the part, but her mind sharp and alert focusing on Betty, her movements, her facials. She didn't join the conversation, just sat there disapprovingly.
As Paige had made her way into the dining room, Walter had moved to the terrace just outside the exterior door, a perfect spot to watch her from the window. His heart aflutter with guilt, nerves, and pain for her, watching her interact with them. He watched as Betty picked up her phone as Teddy hugged Paige, and within a few moments, an alert vibrated on his phone.
Electronic Funds Transfer Received
Making brief eye contact with Paige, he opened the alert to his banking app, the alert pulling him to the account he held for Ralph.
"$ 100,000?" His eyes flashed from his phone to Paige, to his phone, and back, shock and disgust written all over his features.
Betty had paid him $100,000 to hurt Paige.
He didn't know what he had expected, but he hadn't expected that.
Making quick work of the bank system, he moved things around.
He nodded to Paige showing a thumbs up through the window, who nearly imperceptibly nodded back, and he disappeared from the window.
"...and if he can't see that--"
"I'm so sorry, Papa." Cutting his words off, she took both of his hands in hers, looking deeply into his eyes, her words pouring from her soul.
"For what, Peanut?"
"For…" Suddenly Walter entered the dining room, and a loud gasp was heard from Betty. "...for this."
Grabbing a chair as he walked, he pulled it to the table, taking a seat next to Paige, immediately taking her hand in his, and showing her the display on his phone, showing the electronic funds transfer. Her eyes went wide taking in the sum, before glaring at Betty.
"I don't understand…" Teddy spoke, clear confusion evident in his voice. "...but I thought you…"
"I'm sorry, Papa. I had to know, for sure. For myself." Paige, tears silently falling down her cheeks, offered to him truthfully.
"Know? Know what?!" He looked to each member of the table, seeking answers. "What is going on here?" Looking to Betty, seeing her steely gaze set on the young couple, he shifted his body to face her more fully. "Betty. What is going on? What is she talking about?"
"You know Paige, dear. Always up to no good." She answered with an exasperated, and dramatic sigh and eyeroll.
Walter balled his fist on the table.
Paige death gripped his hand.
"Tell him." Paige demanded softly, her tears continuing to fall unchecked.
"Tell me what?"
"I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about, Paige, now come on, let's go get you a shower, some makeup… you'll feel better."
Through gritted teeth, and a fierce need to throw things, Paige responded.
"I said… Tell. Him. Or I will."
"Someone had better tell me what is going on right now!" Teddy declared angrily, catching the attention of some of the other guests, including Julia and Michael seated just two tables over, and their new friends Josh and Emily across the room.
But Paige felt an odd presence, like someone else was watching her, something familiar in the feel of it, but quickly dismissed it as everyone was watching them now.
"Theodore, control yourself!" Betty scolded hastily. "People are watching."
"Wouldn't want that now, would we?" Paige gasped out. "Wouldn't want anyone hearing what you've done."
"Done? Paige, what are you saying?" Teddy demanded, but Paige kept her eyes firmly locked on Betty's.
Battle of wills.
She was not going to let Betty win.
"Paige, I'm truly concerned for your wellbeing. Just the last two days alone what we've been witness to! The excessive drinking, the hostility, and now the delusional thinking…came in here lying about poor Walter! I mean really, dear…" Betty covered, tapping her perfectly manicured fingernails on the white tablecloth.
Walter sat, silent, letting the dominoes fall into place, giving Betty just enough rope to hang herself with. This, Paige cornering her like this, this part was never a part of the plan. This part was all Paige.
--
"Walter, I need to see it for myself. I need to know… first hand. That she would do this to me, to us, to Scorpion." She stated, sitting on the wicker sofa on the balcony in the early morning hours, sipping room-prepared coffee out of a paper cup, willing her eyes to dry.
"You don't believe me? About what happened with her? Or…" Not defensive, just an honest question, seeking clarification in an otherwise very high stress moment, sipping at his own coffee, wishing the luke warm sludge he'd brewed in the miniature coffee pot in the room would somehow bring the smile and laughter to her face that she had yesterday when they happened upon the Best Coffee in Fresno.
What he would give to have that smile back.
"What? No, no, it's not that, Walter. I just need this… for me. I'm about to blow up my family, my cousin's wedding… I just need to be sure in my soul."
"I understand. Well, I don't. It's redundant. But I understand that you need this. So, whatever is, consider it done."
--
So, he had sought out Betty a few minutes later, told her he would be ending things with Paige this morning and traveling home solo, but, demanding that as soon as Paige confirmed as much, he wanted the funds she'd promised transferred immediately so he knew they'd be cared for, or he would turn around. Adding to the gift of Betty, he had told her that he would be letting Paige go from Scorpion as well, as it would be too hard to face her, so having the funds immediately was vital to give her a severance. She had smirked, and all too willingly agreed.
Using up all of the faux-EQ he possessed with the charade, he had then gone outside and punched a fence post, before finalizing all of the details of the plan with all of its moving parts before returning to the room. He had seen Betty watching him, and surmised that she interpreted his emotional outburst as being him preparing to betray Paige, only further concreting her belief in what Paige would later relay.
Game. Set. Match.
"Will someone tell me what is happening?" Teddy nearly shouted, the room going eerily silent as everyone looked on.
This was no longer a private conversation between the four of them.
As much as she wanted to run away, a small part of Paige was glad they had an audience. It would throw Betty off balance.
"Theodore! Lower your voice!" Betty snarled again with a vengeance.
"No! I will do no such thing, Betty. Now tell me what Paige is talking about! What did you do!" Teddy snapped back, his hand pounding down on the table, making Betty's tea spill and Paige startle.
Paige watched it as it went up and over the side and the delicate china cup, to pool at the base of the cup on the saucer.
She felt like that puddle.
She thought it interesting, however, that Teddy's response wasn't defensive of Betty, but rather an automatic what did you do, knowing she must have done something. Reminded her of a troubled kid she had been friends with in middle school, Janine. When the school would call her mom, or another parent would contact her, it was never 'my child would never…', but always 'what did she do now?' Teddy had clearly spent a lifetime dealing with Betty's ploys, that her doing anything was possible.
"I did nothing, Teddy! I haven't a clue what she's talking about! You know Paige! Wild imaginati--"
"That's enough!" Walter barked, anger rising up in him. "You can tell him. Or I will show him, Mrs Thompson. And you will not speak ill of Paige like that again." He was ready to smash coffee cups and tackle people.
All eyes were on them, and Paige caught sight of a guest she hadn't met yet, seated in the far corner, alone, too far to make her out clearly through her tired, cloudy eyes. But if what she could see, the woman looked odd, long hair falling in front of her face, wearing large sunglasses indoors as she sipped at a coffee, though, in this family, that was hardly the worst offense. Chalking it up to her having had too much wine, she focused back on her table, but couldn't help the lingering feeling being watched by her.
"Now Mr O'Brien, surely we can discuss this matter privately. Reach… an understanding." Betty leared, purposely lowering her voice from their audience, her eyes pointing out the obvious onlookers.
"I know I would certainly love to understand. Understand why you would do this to me. To us. How you could be like this." Paige started strong, but unable to keep up her stoic front, her voice falling shaky as she finished.
"Betty, what did you do? Tell me now. What. Did. You. Do?" Teddy pleaded sternfully, torn between his wife, and his clearly distraught granddaughter.
"It's nothing to concern you, Teddy. Leave us." She attempted, a volatile and wholly dismissive undertone in her words, making Paige's mouth so open at her audacity to soak to him that way.
"No!" Paige snapped, taking Teddy's hand. "Enough of this! You're done, Nana! I gave you a chance to be honest, to come clean. To do the right thing. I wanted to believe in you…" Turning her eyes to Teddy, she continued, softer in tone, but intentionally keeping her volume loud enough for the audience to hear, to know who this woman was. "Nana threatened Walter, Papa. After seeing me finally happy, told him that if he didn't break up with me, she would destroy his business, take it to the ground, and then destroy us both."
"That's preposterous!" Betty sighed, impatiently. "I told you! Storytelling! Just like her mother!"
Paige seethed.
"Paige, Peanut…" Teddy started, disbelief in his words.
The guest, mysterious, with her long black hair and bangs and oversized sunglasses, heavy zip up sweatshirt and jeans, stood, moving slightly closer to the pair, catching Paige's attention once more. She couldn't understand how, but the woman seemed so familiar to her. How she walked, how she moved. Paige looked up confused at a seemingly knowing Walter who nodded to the woman, before looking back to the woman herself. The woman froze, and Paige turned back to her grandparents.
"This is not a story! She paid him, Papa! To incentivize him, or reward him. He ends our relationship, he gets to keep his company and gets a cash influx. He refuses, she takes us both down, destroys Scorpion, and threatened to come after me. So he agreed, to her, to follow through, and he's apparently better actor than I give him credit for. We made a plan, and I'm here, Walter is here, because she sent the money, Papa."
Walter handed the phone over to Teddy, watching as he put his glasses back on, reading the banking information, glancing up at the couple every few seconds, and quickly, Walter snatched Betty's phone from the table as well while she was engrossed watching Teddy, thankful for his electronic skills, to pull up the confirmation on hers. Also that his wick hands had worked better to grab the phone than they had that first night here trying to grab Leonard's keyboard.
"You can't take that!" Betty leered hostily, attempting to grab the device back. Walter was glad he was also somewhat quicker than an elderly woman, and that Toby had taught him a thing or two about pick pocketing, as she hadn't noticed him even grab it at first.
"Sir, she sent it while sitting here with you and Paige, as Paige was crying." He handed Betty's phone to Teddy. "$100,000 in cash was sent to the account number I provided her."
Several whispers echoed behind them.
Teddy didn't speak, just placed both devices on the table, pushing them back to Walter, removed his glasses and rubbed at his face as he stared at Betty, an indiscernible expression as he sat.
"Papa? Is this… true?" Julia's voice, full of dread and upset, echoed over the few small tables, and Paige briefly looked to see Michael place his hand on her upper back.
Paige and Walter both locked eyes with Teddy, anxiously awaiting him to confirm to the masses what Betty had done. Though, guilt plagued Paige's soul knowing it meant betraying his own wife.
"Betty… she's our granddaughter… how could you?" He shook his head, his eyes misty and shocked by her actions. "I have tolerated a lot of nonsense from you, cleaned up so many of your messes, but this? This crossed a serious line." Betty sat stoic, refusing to give any validation, any proof of guilt. Finally Teddy turned his eyes to Julia. "It's true, Julia… I wish… oh how I wish it weren't." Julia shifted her gaze back and forth from Betty to Paige, horrorstruck.
"Nana, why? Why would you do this to Paige? Why would you do this at my wedding?" Julia pleaded, receiving no response.
Paige felt another strike of guilt hit her stomach.
A pin being dropped would echo from the lingering silence. No one dared even breathe audibly. Teddy leaned back in his chair, the life beat out of him, just staring off into the distance. Paige however, kept her eyes steely and pointed at Betty's who did the same in return.
The battle had not yet been won.
Finally, after several long, painful moments, Walter shifted in his seat and broke the silence.
"Mrs. Thompson. Your threats are ending. Now. Paige and I will be leaving this wedding, together, happy, and returning to LA, to our life, to Scorpion. And you will leave Paige, Ralph and myself alone, as well as Scorpion. No more threats, ultimatums, or vague comments about similar fates being met. This ends now." He hoped it would end with this, that she would agree, and like a dog with its tail between its legs, would scurry off.
No such luck, though.
"Mr O'Brien…" the condescending tone filled the room, and she squared her shoulders. "You are in no position to dictate how this will play out, young man. Perhaps if you were better at negotiating terms, your company would be more lucrative. It's all in knowing your cards, son. The show isn't over until I say it is, son." It was the most she had spoken, and the confidence she exuded as she straightened up and moved her upper body closer to his, leaning over the table to ensure her venomous words were felt, it was clear to the dozens of people in the room that she had no intentions of going down without a fight.
"Mother!" Harold attempted, watching on from the doorway with Susan and Bill, just behind Walter and Paige, having shown up just in time for the fireworks.
They all paid him no mind.
Walter leaned forward, matching her tone, her glare, her body language, and had it been any other time, Paige may have even told him what a great job he was doing EQ wise with matching body language and reading the room.
But not today.
"I am not your son. But, of one thing you are aptly correct, ma'am. It is all in knowing your cards. My good friend, Toby, has taught me everything he knows about cards. So, let's review, shall we? You have money, power, influence. Certainly not things that I possess, that is, uh, accurate. So, you're right. I am not in a position to dictate how this will go..."
The mysterious woman with the long black hair stepped forward, catching Paige off guard as she tried to process what was happening.
"...but I am." All eyes turned to her, confused.
"Oh, is that so? And who pray tell are you, dear?" Betty scoffed with an eyeroll, lifting her tea cup.
The woman removed her sunglasses and wig, revealing herself to the small crowd.
The tea cup came crashing down to the table, shattering.
A glass dropped from Harold's hands, and scattered whispered and gasps fell amongst the room. The dead silence suddenly now erupt with harsh whispers. Betty's jaw dropped, and Teddy's eyes pooled as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly in shock.
Paige's eyes went wide, as she tried desperately to compute the information, looking to Walter who clearly knew what was happening, and back to the figure standing before her.
" Mom...? What are you…"
Stood before her, was her dead-not-dead mother, Veronica, in all her glory. Her face trained on Betty, in what Paige imagined was a homage to where she got her mama-bear look from.
"Ronnie?"
"Aunt Ronnie?"
"Oh my God."
"She's alive!"
"I am also in a position to determine how things will go..." The familiar voice called out from the back of the room behind them, and a still shocked Paige turned to see its owner dressed in slacks and a navy blue blouse. "Deputy Director of Homeland Security, Katherine Cooper." Paige's jaw dropped as she flashed her eyes between Katherine, her mother, and Walter, who were clearly all in cahoots.
"What the…" Paige mumbled to Walter, who just shrugged his eyebrows nonchalantly and squeezed her hand.
"I'd like to think myself to be in an influential position to dictate what is going to happen next." Whiplash, she was sure she would have whiplash, as she spun to see Richard Elia, in all his billionaire casual finesse, standing from a table in another far corner.
" Richard?" Paige exclaimed, suddenly wishing she had taken up Walter's offer to share the plan details instead of just getting naked with him on the balcony. Details would be very helpful right now.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Betty squawked out, standing from the table, enacting a defensive posture as the trio of surprise guests moved toward the table, her nerves causing her voice to break. "Veronica… How? What… I don't understand!" Paige and Walter stood as well, moving to the side of the table, ready for the confrontation to come.
"Neither do I, Mother. Imagine my surprise when I was contacted by Walter yesterday!" Veronica waved her arm toward Walter, smiling at Paige. "Paige, honey, you look beautiful. Walter, sweetie, so good to see you, and you two… together…" She winked.
"Not the time, Mom!"
Veronica shrugged, Walter hid a smirk, and Paige rolled her eyes, as Veronica turned back to face Betty.
"Right. Threatening my daughter, Mother? Walter? Threatening Scorpion? My family!" Veronica was red in the face, physically placing her body between Betty and Paige, an instinctual motherly act. Internally, Paige recognized it and it comforted her. "Oh. Yeah… Surprise! I'm not dead! Don't look so happy. When I heard from Walter, I was certain it must have been some mistake. No way could my mother stoop that low. I knew you were evil, but this low. The things I learned… But, I guess this is how Paige always felt about me, because you have certainly lowered the bar for yourself!" Veronica definitely had a knack for the dramatic as she flailed her arms around. That twang of guilt again shot through Paige, her perspective on her mother so different now.
Tentatively, Betty stepped forward toward Veronica, her eyes wide in disbelief she were real, her wrinkled hand reaching up as if to try and touch her.
"Veronica... if you would just let me explain..."
Veronica pushed her hand away in rejection, anger hot on her lips.
"Oh, I heard it all, mother! Walter was recording your conversation yesterday morning, at least the second part, and again last night. I heard it all for myself. How marrying Paul for love instead of for some business deal hurt the family, how having Paige was a mistake and ruined me, that you've never wanted her around. How you blame her and Walter for my death… Save it, Mother. There is no explanation worthy enough." Veronica turned inquiring eyes toward Teddy, and Paige's expression matched Veronica's. "Daddy... tell me that you had no part in this. Tell me that you didn't know."
Walter was sure he would be leaving this wedding in a cast with how tightly Paige was holding his hand.
"Theodore. I am your wife." Betty seethed through gritted teeth.
Teddy turned to Paige, his face long with sorrow and heavy emotions, and clear shock and turmoil at seeing Veronica, alive.
"Peanut, you knew? This whole time, she was alive, and you knew? You told me she would receive the message. Is that what you meant?" He wasn't angry, she could tell, just processing. Paige stepped closer to Teddy, a wash of apology on her features, not releasing Walter's hand.
Walter was suddenly sure that the soft spot for Teddy was something that both of the Dineen women carried, and found their mirrored expressions, while pained and horrible, to also be fascinating from a genetics point of view.
"I did, Papa. I'm sorry, I couldn't tell you without risking her safety--" She was quickly cut off by Veronica pressing for answers, becoming very emotional.
"Daddy, answer me. Did you know what Mother was doing to my daughter? To your granddaughter?" Veronica demanded, tears in her eyes.
"Theodore!" Betty snapped again, but Teddy ignored her.
"No, no. I-I didn't know. She told me she had spoken with Walter, and with Paige. And that she didn't feel they would last, commented on how it would end soon, they weren't… compatible I believe she said. But seeing the two of them together, I knew it was worth working for. That's why I talked to Paige last night. Lovebug, I would never go along with this!" He pleaded with Veronica, before turning his tearfilled eyes to Paige. "Peanut, I swear to you, I didn't know any of this. As I told you last night, I have never seen you happier. To hell with all of this. This life. The money. None of it matters. All I wanted last night was for you to have the beautiful life you deserve. That your mother deserved." His cheeks hot with moisture turned back to Veronica. "To have one more chance to tell you how much I love you, and how proud of you I have always been, and just how sorry I am for how this family mistreated you, and Paige. That I wouldn't allow it to continue."
Both Paige and Veronica's faces were wet with tears. Betty's face hot with anger. Veronica looked to Paige for confirmation of truth.
"It's true mom, we talked at length last night. I was going to have Ralph help me send you an email when we got home. I thought it was important you knew."
"Ma'am." Katherine cut into the emotional dumpster fire, stepping toward the table. "I'm here because Mr O'Brien, through Scorpion, while attempting to find a way to remedy this situation with you Mrs Thompson, discovered quite a bit of… incriminating… information about you. Staring with how it appears you have been embezzling funds from your foundation for years. And that you forged Paige Dineen's signature on life insurance documents for Veronica Dineen, giving you a sizeable payout following her, albeit, fake, death. Which is fraud on top of fraud, ma'am. As well as another insurance payout for Mr Paul Dineen, whom I believe is Paige's late father." Katherine explained, an air of disgust about her.
Paige's finger at her side absently traced out the scrawled signatures she saw on Walter's laptop last night. Her name. But it hadn't been her signature on the documents Walter had uncovered.
Betty had cashed in on nearly eight million dollars in insurance policies taken out on her parents, in her name, neither of which she had ever even known existed.
"Uh, I also found that she has been paying a significant amount of funds to a divorce attorney as well as a private investigator to investigate you, Teddy. As well as beginning to move assets around, likely to hide for a divorce." Walter, not one for tact or easing into things. Paige nudged him as the room once again erupted in whispers. "Uh, and I'm sorry."
"I'm going to be sick." Julia commented from her seat.
"This is absurd! Theodore! I am your wife! Are you really going to believe them over me? When they clearly knew our daughter was alive and let us believe she was dead!" Betty shouted, her walls of defense being enacted. Teddy stood, coming before her in agony, desperation, begging pleading for it to make sense.
"Betty, what have you done? Stealing from the foundation? That's your life's work! Our life's work! Cashing in on our daughter's death! On Paul's! While Paige was living in those awful places with a baby, and you were sitting on her insurance money! Who is this woman before me?" Teddy begged, his face having aged ten years in the last ten minutes.
Richard stepped forward, his hands clasped together in front of him.
"It would seem that your wife made some reckless financial moves over the last few years, Sir. As a result, your family and your business financials are under water to put it… nicely. She has been supplementing the cash flow through embezzlement and insurance fraud, and it's my understanding that uh, based on other information uncovered…an affair with your accountant, as well as some hefty payoffs, is how this has been kept under wraps from you. I'm sorry, Sir." Richard chimed in, clearly uncomfortable. "I had my finance guys review some of the basics of the accounts. It's not good, Sir, but there is room to repair it with some smart decisions. I am willing to help, to invest, whatever it takes. These two are like family to me."
Like family.
Paiged chewed on that for a moment. Funny how those who are your family are the ones that hurt you the most, but those of no relation that you choose to become your family are the ones that seemingly show up out of thin air to help you take on your evil grandmother and afterwards help put back all the pieces from when humpty dumpty fell, shattering your family.
In Fresno.
"I think I need to sit down." Teddy muttered, of which Leonard quickly appeared pulling up the vacated chair for the old man, who sat, his hand rubbing his face in disbelief of what was occurring. "I don't know what to say to any of this right now." Paige briefly registered that Leonard was there.
He's always there. Maybe he could join the family too.
"I understand, Sir, but Teddy, I promise you, I will help to restore your finances. Mr Elia has graciously offered to invest in your company, and together, I believe the three of us can come up with a comprehensive plan to bring your affected businesses back to full standing. And we can safeguard your accounts and businesses from anything like this happening again." Walter offered, dropping Paige's jaw to the floor. He had this all planned, the whole time. She had known all of this information from what he had shown her, but Richard? A plan to restore the finances? This was… new. And Walter, though she loved him, rarely did something for others, strangers, just to do it. For her, he would fight a grizzly bear, for Ralph, for any member of Scorpion. But for her grandfather, with whom he had just met two days ago after his wife had threatened to destroy him, just because?
Definitely not.
"Paige, don't listen to him! That man was willing to throw you away for money and his precious company! Took less than ten minutes for him to agree to my terms! He may be standing here now, but he was certainly okay with it yesterday! He's doing this now to get at your grandfather's business accounts!" Betty snaked out, knowing she was toast, and looking to take Walter down with her.
"Now, that, I can attest to being a lie!" Leonard jumped in eagerly. "Ms Dineen overheard a great amount of the conversation between Ms Thompson and Mr O'Brien standing just there outside the doorway, however, she ran off before Mr O'Brien, very clearly, and without hesitation, informed Mrs Thompson that he didn't care what happened to his company, that all he cared about was Ms Dineen and their boy. It wasn't until he went out in search of her and returned, that he changed his mind. Which, it's abundantly clear to me, was because he had hatched this plan." Leonard, fired up, and having formed a sweet spot for Walter and Paige, professed. Claire coming up to rub his arm. "Sorry, I just want to make sure the record is… accurate."
"You old softy." She murmured to him, proud of him for standing up for the couple.
"Thank you Lenny." Paige whispered, tears clouding her vision, before shifting her gaze to Walter. "You were really going to give up Scorpion for me? I know what you said last night… but..."
"Absolutely. Without a second thought." He answered, confused as to why that was shocking to her. "But, then I realized that with some help, I could hopefully have both. I believe you once referred to something of this nature being eating and having cake, or something. Admittedly, I may not have been paying full attention to that conversation." Again, simply factual, but wiping her eyes, she hugged him close in a tender embrace.
"I knew I was right about you all along, Pinocchio. Turns out you are a real boy." Veronica added, reaching for Walter's hand to squeeze it in appreciation. "I'm really proud of you."
Walter smiled, a real genuine smile. Despite Veronica's challenges with Paige, and his usual contempt for most humans, she had grown on him. Like a barnacle, but nevertheless. In the time she had been around, she had certainly kept things… interesting.
"There's a few other matters to discuss here, Mrs Thompson." Katharine regained the attention of the group.
"There's more? My god, Nana. I mean i never expected you to bake cookies with us and read us bedtime stories, but having an affair, embezzlement, fraud, stealing death benefits, threatening Paige? This is just not really fitting the wholesome Granny vibe…" Julia exclaimed with a sigh.
"Walter… I don't understand." Paige offered, feeling as though this was enough, had covered everything she had reviewed last night. She had devoted extensive documents pertaining to each offense, but she was sure this had covered them all.
"I'm sorry, Paige. I believe Katharine is about to bring up what I was trying to protect you from." Paige's eyes instantly started to water again at the implication.
"Ma'am, during our cursory investigation, we found a few concerning items we need to discuss." Katharine started, opening a file folder, as Walter and Veronica carefully watched Paige. "On January 14, 2004, there was a large sum withdrawn from your foundation account, however, no record of it was located, other than the books being corrected later in February."
"January… 14th…?" Paige said, her body suddenly trembling, her face twisted in agony.
"Paige, honey…" Veronica started, grabbing her shoulders. "There could be plenty of explanations."
Paige's eyes pooled over, tears pouring down her face.
"Was it you! Did you do it!!" Paige yelled, dropping Walter's hand and lunging at Betty, Walter and Veronica grabbing her arms holding her back.
"Whoa… Paige, breathe…" Walter whispered to her as she struggled against his hold.
"Do what! What is January 14th?!" Julia demanded, as Betty stepped back fearfully from Paige.
The entire room fell stark silent waiting for anyone to answer.
Finally, Teddy rose from his seat, tears streaming down his face.
"January 14, 2004 is when Paige's father, Paul, was killed. A hit and run right outside of his office."
"Oh my god." Julia gasped, along with many others.
"Mother… you didn't…" Bill pleaded.
"Did you kill my father! TELL ME NOW!" Paige, through strangled tears, and fighting against Walter and Veronica's hold on her, screamed. "Did you kill him!! My father, a GOOD, honest, hardworking man, who never did anything to hurt anyone!!! He died that night, alone, bled out on that sidewalk, ALONE! I didn't even get to say goodbye to him! So, you tell me right now you psychotic son of a bitch, did you kill my father!"
"Of course not!" Betty yelled back. "Yes, I took the money, and I corrected the books! And no, I was not upset at his premature passing! He was a pathetic excuse of a man, and took Veronica down with him!" Walter was sure he would leave bruises on Paige's arm with how tightly he had to hold as she lunged again. "I had hoped his death would mean Veronica would get her life together! With you being an adult and having all but written her off at that point! I had hoped that she would come home! So yes! I took the money and set up a trust for her. But no, while I know I am the villain in your storybook, I did not murder your father, Paige!"
Paige's breath was rapid, labored, as she looked to Walter and Katharine, turmoil, rage, grief all bubbling like boiling water in her veins, ready to flow over like a pot of pasta.
"Is that true? Is there a trust?" The two exchanged looks.
"Nothing that we've found, but Paige, we just began digging yesterday, and I didn't want to involve Scorpion without your permission, so information gathering has been slow." Walter offered, trying to be reassuring. He knew this was going to destroy her. The not knowing. The questioning.
Katherine stepped forward, shaking her head.
"Paige, you have my word, if there's even a remote possibility, I will not rest until we prove or disprove any involvement. But it's going to take time. Between this withdrawal and the insurance policy, we have more than enough reason to bring her in while we dig further. If there is any evidence she had anything to do with your dad's death, you have my word, she will spend the rest of her life in a prison cell." Katherine offered, taking one of Paige's hands in assurance.
Paige nodded in acknowledgement, feeling it getting harder to breathe.
"How much else, Walter? I don't know how much more I can take."
"Just one… but you're not going to like it."
"Walter… there's a chance she was involved in my father's murder…"
"Yeah, but, this has to do with Ralph."
Her eyes went wide, and he instinctively put his hands on her arms again, preparing for her to strike Betty.
"Paige…" Richard called for her attention, slowly approaching her. "In reviewing your grandmother's financials with my team, we noticed a repetitive pattern of payments from her foundation. $10,000 per month to one person…I wasn't sure if it meant anything, but I couldn't find any business records to justify it, no contacts in the foundations registry. It just didn't make sense. So I sent the information to Walter last night. It uh, it started in May of 2007…" Walter watched the gears turn in her mind, connecting the dots, her brows furrowing as she did. "They then increased to $15,000 about two years ago. Right after Walter crashed my Ferrari."
"May of 2007 is when… and the ferrari was right after…" She spoke to herself, before locking eyes with Walter in sudden realization, his eyes reflecting the bright California sun from the doorways and windows, and yet looked so dark, stormy. "Walter… it's not… tell me it's not…" Her eyes were pleading with his eyes, for the truth to be a lie. A mistake.
"It is. I'm so sorry, Paige. It's Drew. I confirmed it myself."
"No… it can't… that's not…" Her face was twisted in pure agony, unable to breathe steadily as he spoke the words, the words she knew before he spoke them, but whose release into the air hit her hard in the stomach like a freight train.
Drew.
Ralph.
Seven years he had disappeared for.
$10,000 a month for seven years.
$15,000 a month for another two.
1.2 million dollars to abandon her. To abandon his son. His only child.
Twice.
She had let him back into their lives.
Had let him be around Ralph.
Had forced Ralph to give him a chance.
Had opened Ralph's heart back up to heartbreak from him.
She had lived in her car, worked three jobs at one time, been evicted, lived with rats, gone hungry. Not once in those nine years had she received a penny from him to support Ralph.
Ralph had counted movie theaters. For seven years had counted and calculated.
Betty did this to him because of her.
She was going to be sick.
Her eyes pained him in ways he didn't know were possible, in ways he was incapable of coping with effectively.
"Paige, I can't speak to what the payments were specifically for, that's not really… me. But, I do know facts. And the facts are clear that the payments started immediately upon Drew abandoning you and Ralph, continued for seven years consistently, then suddenly stopped right when he showed up in LA, and increased right after he abandoned you again and went to Maine. One was sent just last week. I'm so sorry, Paige. The facts are just that. But the rest of it, the meaning, I just don't know. I wish I could give some explanation to you that makes sense, and wouldn't hurt you further. For you, for Ralph. But, uh, I just have… nothing."
He knew this one would hurt her, possibly more than the possibility of Betty being involved in her father's death, because this was Ralph, and she had let Drew back into his life. With her father, she would blame Betty. But with Ralph, she would blame herself. How he had so desperately wanted to protect her from all of this, from the information, from Betty.
"Betty, what the hell did you do!" Teddy shouted at her, wrapping a protective arm around Paige. Betty stood in her stoic resolve, careful not to let her tough as nails exterior drop or cause a wrinkle in her blazer.
"Did you threaten him?" Paige spoke, her voice barely audible in her weakened mental state, in the harshly silent room as she stared off. "Did you threaten Drew? Like you did Walter." Betty just stood silent, a smug glow about her. "Damn it bitch! You owe me that much. Did you threaten him!"
"I didn't have to! That boy, all I had to do was offer. He took it before I even said three words. He was looking for an out long before I gave him one! Same with that other ditty of yours… what's his name… oh right, Timothy. They always take the deal, dear." This time, Walter lunged at her, and Richard forcibly held his arm back. "Well, except this one… clearly. The boy's father was easy. $10,000 monthly for seven years, and he disappears without so much as an explanation. He jumped at the chance. But then the payments stopped, and he was going to out me. Said if I didn't continue the payments he would find you in Los Angeles. Blackmailed me. I didn't believe he would do it. But then my investigator saw the two of you… together. I offered him the money if he disappeared again, and just like that, he was moving to Portland. Bye bye to the perfect little happy family. The next one was far easier. Mr Armstrong, while he holds himself to be a man of honor and integrity, was willing to give you up for his medical bills being paid off."
Paige just stood. Silent. Staring off into nothingness. A shell of her. The room a deafening silence. Faces of pure shock, disgust, disbelief spread throughout.
"Paige…" Julia, awash with tears in her eyes, tried to get her attention, reaching a hand out to touch Paige's shoulder. For her part, Paige didn't blink, didn't move. Just stood. Quiet. "...Paigelet… what can I do?"
"Betty, all of this... Everything you've done... What you've done to Paige, to Ralph… to me. I don't even know you." Teddy cried, shaking his head in horror. "Why? Why would you do this?"
"Because she hates my daughter, Daddy. Because she is a cold hearted, miserable person, who has no concept of love, and always has been that person. She's just great at masking it. So miserable, so cruel, that all I ever wanted was to leave. Leave here. Leave her. This family. The money. The lifestyle. Run away and never look back. And I'm still running. Paige didn't ruin me, Mother, you did. And because I was never half the person Paige is, I failed to do it, to break free of you, of all of this, of the run. And I made some bad decisions as a result, and it cost me dearly. Cost me the most precious thing to me, her, and my beautiful grandson. But Paige was never the reason I messed up my life, nor was Paul. I messed up my life running from you. And I ruined Paul's and Paige's lives in the process."
"Veronica! Don't say such things. You had a beautiful life!" Betty demanded, cautiously stepping forward. "Ronnie, I don't understand… How? How are you here? Alive? We saw you on the television! We saw you die…" Betty asked, this time no hostility in her voice, just a mother seeing her dead child again. The first semblance of true emotion seen from her since Paige had first walked in.
"Because of them, Mother. They didn't kill me. They saved my life that day. What you saw was a carefully made plan, by the two of them. They saved my life, gave me a second chance, a fresh start, a new life. And you were about to steal theirs for it. Clearly their plan worked for me, and as much as it hurts me, it worked again today. It's over for you, Mother. Whatever is to come of all of this today, you are dead to me. Far more than the dead I've been. After what you've done to my family, nothing will bring you back from the dead for me." Veronica's words dripped with pain, venom, and surety, as she once again moved to physically guard Paige with her body.
Betty sat down, heavy in thought. Her shoulders slumping some, far from her perfect posture.
"So, what happens now, Mr. O'Brien?" She was so dejected, pained, filling with regrets.
"That's up to you. Deputy Director Cooper is willing to discuss plea dealings for criminal charges…"
"These are serious charges, ma'am. You'll have to serve some time, but if you cooperate, maybe you won't die in prison. Might even be able to repair your relationships. Perhaps relate to your daughter on a new level." Katherine added.
Walter looked on confused, then the light bulb turned on.
"Oh, I get it. The jail thing. Clever." Walter proclaimed, proud of himself for making the connection, to which Veronica laughed under her breath.
Paige took a deep breath and stepped forward, making Betty wince and the others put their hands out prepared to hold her back.
"You will never contact me, my son, or my family again. Ever. The payments to Drew stop immediately, and I want a written statement and full accounting as to what transpired should he try to gain any custody now that his cash cow is going to prison." Paige laid out, feeling so confused still, but empowered.
"Consider it done." Betty relented.
Paige stepped impossibly close to her, placing her hands on either arm rest of the chair Betty sat in, bending down to whisper harshly, in a volume only Betty could hear given the crowd.
"I will be looking, with finer than a fine tooth comb, with the full weight of five of the smartest people in the world, a billionaire tech mogul and his entire empire, and the full support of the US government, and if I find one ounce of evidence that you had anything to do with my father's death, be it you walked the same sidewalk that day or sneezed in his general direction… or that you did anything to my son, and… hear this clearly. I will find you, and I will kill you myself without any hesitation with my bare hands, slowly, and painfully, laughing as the life leaves your body. Then, I will go home, and I will sleep so soundly after doing so. Do you understand me, Nana?"
Worried by the fear on Betty's face, and slow audible swallow, not for her, she could get hit by a train for all he cared, but for how far Paige would go past the lines of her humanity given all she had learned, he stepped forward.
"Paige…?"
Paige straightened up, stepping back to Walter, staring Betty down with daggers in her eyes that told her just how true her words would be.
"Y-yes, Paige… I understand. Loud and clear." She swallowed, breathing rapidly, as she straightened herself out in the chair. She was scared by whatever Paige had said, that much was obvious to all in the room, and it really worried Walter.
Paige didn't respond other than to stare at her through squinted eyes, her mind a mess. That cooking pasta had boiled over, and now her mind was nothing but limp, tangled noodles in a burnt pot, trying to call itself dinner.
"Mrs Thompson, please stand." Katharine instructed, removing her cuffs from her side.
Walter stepped up, grabbing Betty's wrist, and leaned in close to her, his voice not a whisper, but not loud either.
"Whatever she just told you… just know, you mess with her or Ralph again, and whatever just had you looking so afraid, will be the least of your worries. I've heard that prison can be a… scary… place when your transfer orders get mixed up, or you're placed in a cell with the wrong person. Perhaps, your medication orders in the system are wrong… I read recently about a computer error at a maximum security prison north of here… a simple virus infiltrated the system. Made the cell doors unlock, and the guard's sent to details all away from an area… some poor prisoner was killed. I believe the article put it as ' gutted like a pig'. Shame, so many mistakes can be made in the digital age. Would hate for that to happen… to you, ma'am."
"I understand, Mr O'Brien. You have my word."
The room watched on as Walter stepped back, wrapping his arm protectively around Paige's shoulders, his hand locked onto her upper arm, afraid to let go. Then tension in her body standing against him was only matched by that of the room, which was palpable. No one, since their attentions had first been grabbed had moved, aside those who had been involved in the discussions. Nearly the entire guest list staying at the inn had arrived to the dining room, and had witnessed all or at least a great deal of the events.
Bill and Harold, had at some point moved up to try and console Teddy, but remained speechless, like everyone else. No words would be adequate enough.
As Katharine cuffed Betty, informing her of her rights, Veronica turned away, instead looking to Paige and Walter. Paige, despite her anger and tension, leaned her body weight against Walter, seeking refuge in his stiff side embrace. A steady stream of tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks, and without even looking, Walter used his free hand to wipe her cheek. The sight gave Veronica some comfort.
Teddy remained seated, but as Betty was arrested, he dropped his head into his hands between his knees and sobbed silently.
"Paige. I'm so sorry about all of this." Katherine started as she began to walk Betty out, stopping just a few feet shy of Paige. "I promise you, you have my and Homeland's full support and commitment in investigating this fully. If you need anything, you call me."
"Thank you, Katherine. I appreciate it."
You say thanks. And that you appreciate it.
Walter wondered if she was saying that because she didn't know what else to say, like he had been when she taught him that sentence. Not that he would know what to say either. He didn't even know what to say to her, now. This had been… brutal.
Katherine led Betty through the room, all eyes on her as she did. Leonard, the only one to move, promptly opened the door for her, following her out. Betty took one last solemn look at Veronica before leaving, and leaving the room in a stunned silence.
"Paige, sweetheart…" Veronica tentatively approached Paige, whose body was present but mind and soul were anywhere but.
"I uh…" Her forehead was pulled tightly in deep thought, her eyes narrowed, mouth taut with unexpelled emotion, as she briefed a look around the room.
Everyone.
Everyone had seen all of that.
Everyone had heard all of that.
And they were all looking at her with such pity.
She had blown up Julia's wedding, who was crying.
She had blown up Papa's marriage.
And they all hated her before.
She was going to crawl out of her own skin.
Taking a quick glance at Walter, squeezing his arm, she walked off toward the doors to the terrace, alone. Her walk quickly becoming a run as the mid-morning sun hit her face.
"Paige!" He called after her, starting to follow when Veronica's arm stopped him.
"Give her a minute, Pinocchio. That was… a lot."
"I'm worried about her being alone right now." He admitted, watching through the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the exterior wall as she sprinted from the terrace down to the fields and through the rows of grapevines.
The same path they had taken through laughter yesterday, she was now taking through grief.
"I know, sweetheart. I know. Me too. But, Paige is a strong girl, she just needs some time."
"Lovebug…" Teddy's voice, small and weak, caught their attention, and they both looked over to see him standing beside them, face full of fresh tears.
Walter noted that Teddy appeared to have a special name for Veronica as well as Paige, and wondered if everyone was bestowed such a unique moniker or if it were just them.
"Hi Daddy." Presenting him with a smile that carried the weight of the morning, she took one of his hands in hers.
"Everything that's happened. I should have seen it. I should have known. I'm so sorry, Veronica. For everything. But if there is any comfort from all that just transpired, it's that you, my sweet girl, are alive. And well, that is my answered prayer. I don't care about anything else right now."
"Oh Dad…" Veronica stepped forward to wrap her arms around him, as a sob broke from his lips, and his body shook, clutching so tightly to her. "I don't blame you, Dad. I know. She pulled the wool over everyone's eyes."
She continued to softly speak with Teddy, and Harold and Bill followed suit, embracing their sister. Others coming to move about the room finally, the voices becoming louder. Walter watched on briefly, but his eyes were locked on Paige out the window.
"Walter…" Richard spoke, as to not startle him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Richard. Thank you, for being here. For getting Veronica here. For all of your help on this. I owe you a great debt."
"No, no, call it even for blasting you into space." Walter smirked. "Really, Walt, I'm happy to help. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances. For what Paige is facing." He nodded out to the sight of Paige losing herself in the fields.
"Me too."
"Whatever it takes, Walter, we'll make sure she gets the answers she needs, and Mr Thompson's business back on its feet."
"Sir." Teddy interjected, overhearing the last bit. "Theodore Thompson, uh, Teddy, I greatly appreciate what you've done to help my granddaughter. And your offer with my company."
"Richard Elia, sir. It's great to meet you, though I wish it were on different terms. As I was saying to Walter, whatever you or Paige need, we will get this sorted out. I know you're going to have a lot on your plate, so whatever you need, Sir."
"I think right now, for the first time in this family, we need to focus on Paige and not me, not Betty, not the business. Just Paige." Teddy mused, mirroring the other men, staring out at Paige in the field, running just to run.
"Absolutely sir. Here's my card, with my cell." Richard pulled his business card from his pocket, writing his personal cell number on the back, and handing it to Teddy. "We'll set something up for you as soon as you're ready. I am well versed in your company, Mr Thompson, I know my investment will do well."
"Richard, what you've done for my daughter, my family, me…" Veronica started, placing a hand on his forearm, of which Walter noticed immediately with a quirked brow. "I could never properly thank you."
"My role in this is quite small, Veronica. No thanks are necessary. Paige and Walter have become like family to me over the years. Least I could do." Walter side eyed the exchange as Richard placed his hand over Veronica's and she hated her eyes at him.
Oh boy.
He wished Paige were here to decipher this one.
"I'm going to go find Paige, check on her." He asserted, before awkwardly stepping away from the crowd, following in the steps Paige had taken, the gossiping whispers dissipating behind him the further he got.
She didn't make it very hard to find her… if you knew where to look.
"I thought I might find you here." He carefully approached her from behind, finding her sitting on the ground, her knees drawn up tightly to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them, her chin resting on them.
She didn't speak. Didn't move. Didn't acknowledge his existence at all. Just sat. He questioned if she had even heard him.
Slowly, he stepped forward, lowering himself to the ground beside her.
Their spot.
Where they had watched the sunrise.
Where they had danced in the sprinklers.
Where they had started their magical day together before everything fell apart.
Together they sat for several long, long minutes, in silence. No words. No sounds. Just silent comradery, together in their spot watching the birds fly, the clouds shift, and breeze rustle the leaves on the vines.
And he watched her.
There were no more tears. Her eyes dry, red, swollen, dark puffy bags beneath them, her cheeks stained with the tracks and drained of color. She looked sullen, worn, and completely defeated.
What killed him most, was she wouldn't look at him.
He had brought this on her.
He should have just given up Scorpion. If he hadn't fought for Scorpion, she would have never of had to go through all of that.