Read Online Ark by Julian Tepper - Free Book Online Page A

thought. She has property. She’ll have to sell it soon to pay off her debts. After that money runs out, I don’t know what we’ll do. The boutiques were a colossal failure. I told her to stop, but she kept doubling down.”
    â€œThat’s got nothing to do with me. You sold your apartment. You’ll give me that money.”
    â€œDad!”
    â€œ What? Remember who paid for you to start that record label! Remember who financed the whole thing for fifteen years before you could pull your shit together and make a dime! I gave you kids millions so you could have a goddamn life. Now you’ll give me that money, or you can forget about an inheritance.”
    Throughout the years, his father hadn’t shown any bitterness toward Shout! Oliver had never seen Ben’s financial backing as anything but belief in the company and its mission. He wouldn’t think anything differently now. He said, “Dad, if I give you that money, I’ll be ruined.”
    â€œYou’ll be all right.”
    â€œNot if I give you everything I have.”
    â€œYou’ll get it back soon enough.”
    â€œBut what about now? Oh, Dad, come on. I need that money to live!”
    â€œ I need it to live!”
    â€œWell, how about half of what I get after taxes? How about that?”
    However, Ben said, “No. I want it all.” Then he walked off toward the back of the loft.
    Oliver followed after him, protesting. But then suddenly he was quiet. There was his mother, lying on the sofa. Seeing her son, she reached out her hands, and Oliver took them. He kissed her on the forehead.
    â€œHow are you, Mom? It’s great to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”
    Eliza touched his cheek. She kept her hand there, gazing at her son. Her eyes were wet with tears at one moment, but at the next they were scanning Oliver’s body. She pointed out that his shirt and his jeans were black. “Oliver, darling, the drivers won’t be able to see you. They’ll plow right into you. Ben, bring me one of your red flannel shirts. Oliver has to borrow it.”
    â€œWhat?” Ben called from the other room.
    â€œYour red flannel shirt! Bring it to me.”
    â€œMom, don’t strain yourself. It’s okay. I’m not going to get run over.”
    â€œBut it’s almost dusk. How will the drivers see you? They won’t. Just borrow the shirt, please. Ben! Ben! Bring me the shirt, please.”
    â€œMom, you know Dad’s hard of hearing.”
    â€œThen go into his closet and take it yourself. For me, please. I’ll sleep better.”
    Oliver put his lips to his mother’s hands. “All right,” he told her. “I’ll do it. You don’t have to worry.”
    â€œThank you,” she said, smiling at her son. She asked him about his apartment. So the place had been vacated. Was he all right? He had spent so many years there. Surely he was hurting.
    â€œIt’s not so terrible. I have my home in Los Angeles. That’s where my life is,” he said.
    His mother asked him what he’d done with all his things.
    He said, “It’s all been put in storage.”
    â€œI see. Is that expensive?”
    â€œIt’s not cheap.”
    â€œHmm. But you have money now. Did you do all right?”
    â€œI did fine,” he told her.
    How fine had he done? He wasn’t advertising the number. Had he made more than a million?
    â€œAround a million,” he said.
    â€œOf course, the government will take their share. Was a realtor involved?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd so the realtor will get her cut. Well, it’s never as much as you think it is.”
    â€œThat’s true,” he answered her.
    â€œIf I sold the loft, maybe I’d get six or seven. But after all was said and done, maybe I’d see four. Not that I wouldn’t take it. Right now, anything would help.”
    â€œMom, I love you,” he said,