Chapter 6: The Secret Patricia Was Never Supposed to Know
Camille stood motionless in her kitchen.
The refrigerator hummed behind her. Outside, headlights swept across the living room wall as a car passed the house.
“Patricia,” she said slowly, “who told you about my loan agreement?””
Her mother-in-law exhaled impatiently.
“That's not the point.””
“It is exactly the point.””
“Derrick is my son. If he's having financial problems, I have every right to know.””
“Knowing that he has financial problems is different from knowing the terms of a private agreement between us.””
Patricia gave a bitter laugh.
“You always do this. You make everything sound like a legal case.””
“Because you just asked me to abandon a financial agreement you weren't supposed to know existed.””
“Don't be dramatic.””
Camille put the glass down.
“Did Derrick show you the agreement?””
Another pause.
Then Patricia said, “He told me enough.””
Camille felt the last remaining piece of her trust shift.
“Did he tell you that the money came from my personal savings?””
“He said you helped him.””
“Did he tell you that the agreement requires repayment?””
“He said you'd work something out.””
Camille closed her eyes.
There was the answer.
Derrick had not merely misrepresented her financial position to his mother. He had discussed a private loan with her and apparently presented it as an informal arrangement he could change whenever it became inconvenient.
“I'm not discussing this further until I speak with my attorney,” Camille said.
“You wouldn't dare take legal action against your own husband.””
“I'm protecting money I lent to his business.””
“After everything this family has given you?””
Camille almost laughed.
“Patricia, you told me to leave a dinner I paid to organize. Your son agreed. Now you're demanding that I surrender money I lent him because you're embarrassed by the consequences of your own behavior.””
“I am not embarrassed!””
“Then you shouldn't have a problem explaining your message to everyone.””
Patricia went silent.
Camille continued.
“I saw the group chat, Patricia. Marcus showed Derrick. I know what you said about teaching me a lesson.””
“That was a private conversation.””
“You sent it to eighteen people.””
“You're twisting everything!””
“No. I'm finally reading what you actually wrote.””
Camille ended the call.
For several moments, she simply stood there, listening to the quiet house.
Then she opened her laptop again.
Her attorney responded to the forwarded email, requesting the signed agreement and a brief summary of the latest developments. Camille sent the documents and explained that she wanted to preserve the existing terms while avoiding unnecessary conflict.
She did not ask to seize Derrick's business.
She did not threaten to ruin him.
She wanted the agreement honored and her private finances kept private.
Her attorney's response was straightforward: do not agree to change the loan terms under pressure, keep communications documented, and avoid making any decisions until the relevant records had been reviewed.
Camille thanked her and closed the laptop.
A knock sounded at the front door.
She froze.
Nobody was expected.
She approached the door and looked through the peephole.
Derrick stood outside, his blazer hanging open, his face drawn with exhaustion. He held a small paper bag from a bakery near their house.
Camille unlocked the door but left the security chain in place.
“What are you doing here?””
Derrick looked at the chain.
“Can we talk?””
“We've been talking all evening.””
“Not like this.””
She studied his face.
He looked less confident than he had at the restaurant. Without his relatives around him, he seemed to have lost the certainty that someone else would always fix whatever went wrong.
“I brought you something,” he said, lifting the bag.
Camille didn't move.
“What is it?””
“Your favorite lemon cake.””
She stared at him.
“You brought me cake?””
“I know you're upset.””
“I'm not upset because I missed dessert, Derrick.””
He lowered the bag.
“Can you please let me in?””
Camille removed the chain but stayed beside the doorway as he entered.
Derrick placed the bag on the kitchen counter and looked around the room. His eyes paused on their wedding photograph.
“Have you eaten?””
“Yes.””
“Did you get my messages?””
“Yes.””
He swallowed.
“Camille, tonight got out of control.””
“No. Tonight revealed what was already happening.””
He pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Mom shouldn't have pushed you to leave.””
“She shouldn't have touched my chair. She shouldn't have insulted me. And you shouldn't have told me to go.””
“I know.””
“Do you?””
He looked up.
“Yes.””
“Then tell me why you did it.””
Derrick rubbed his palms against his trousers.
“Everybody was watching. Mom was angry, and I thought if you left, she'd calm down.””
“So you sacrificed me to keep her comfortable.””
“I didn't think of it that way.””
“That's the problem.””
He stared at the table.
For once, he didn't immediately argue.
Camille sat opposite him.
“Did you tell Patricia about the loan?””
Derrick's shoulders tightened.
“She asked how the business was doing.””
“That isn't what I asked.””
He nodded reluctantly.
“I told her you had helped me financially.””
“And the agreement?””
“I mentioned it.””
“Why?””
“Because I was worried.””
“About what?””
He took a long breath.
“The business has been struggling again. I missed a payment, and I thought I could catch up before you noticed.””
Camille stared at him.
“You thought I wouldn't notice a missed payment on a loan I made?””
“I was going to fix it.””
“You always say that.””
Derrick leaned forward.
“I didn't tell Mom to use it against you.””
“But you gave her information that wasn't hers to use.””
“I trusted her.””
“And I trusted you.””
He looked away.
The words hung between them.
Then Derrick opened the bakery bag, took out the small cake box, and placed it on the counter without opening it.
“Mom says you're going to take the business to court.””
“I haven't threatened to do anything. I've asked my attorney to review the documents.””
“Can you tell her not to?””
“Your mother is not a party to our agreement.””
“She thinks you're trying to punish me.””
“I'm trying to protect myself.””
Derrick stood abruptly.
“Why does everything have to become a battle with you?””
Camille rose more slowly.
“Because every time I establish a boundary, you call it a battle.””
He looked at her, breathing hard.
Then his phone rang.
Patricia's name appeared on the screen.
Derrick answered immediately.
“Mom, I'm talking to Camille.””
Patricia's voice was loud enough for Camille to hear from across the kitchen.
“Did she agree to stop the loan nonsense?””
Derrick hesitated.
“No.””
“Then why are you wasting your time? Tell her she has a responsibility to this family.””
Camille watched her husband's expression change.
He looked embarrassed, then irritated, then strangely defensive.
“Mom, not now.””
“Don't you dare take her side after everything she's done to you!””
Derrick shut his eyes.
Camille stepped toward him.
“Put her on speaker.””
He looked startled.
“What?””
“Put her on speaker, Derrick.””
After a moment, he obeyed.
Patricia's voice filled the kitchen.
“Camille, you need to understand that marriage isn't just about money. It's about loyalty. If you truly loved Derrick, you would stop threatening his future.””
Camille looked directly at her husband.
“Patricia, I have one question for you. When did you decide that loyalty meant I had to keep paying while your family treated me however it wanted?””
“Don't twist my words.””
“I'm asking a simple question.””
“You've always been too sensitive.””
Camille nodded slowly.
“That's what I thought.””
She reached for the phone.
Derrick pulled it back.
“Camille, don't.””
She looked at him.
“Why? Are you afraid she'll hear me say something you don't want her to hear?””
He said nothing.
Patricia suddenly spoke again.
“Derrick, tell her what happens if she refuses.””
Camille went still.
Derrick's face drained of color.
“What are you talking about, Mom?””
Patricia seemed to realize her mistake.
“Nothing. I mean the business. You know what I mean.””
“No,” Camille said.
“I don't. Explain it.””
Patricia's voice hardened.
“You don't know everything about that loan, Camille.””
Camille felt her heartbeat quicken.
“What don't I know?””
“Ask your husband.””
The call ended.
For several seconds, neither Camille nor Derrick moved.
Then Camille slowly turned toward him.
“What is she talking about?””
Derrick looked toward the front door.
“It's complicated.””
Camille felt a familiar chill settle over her.
“Don't use that word again.””
He pressed his hands together.
“Camille, there are things I haven't told you about the business.””
“What things?””
He opened his mouth, but no words came.
Camille stepped back.
“Derrick, if you used my money for something you never disclosed, I need to know now.””
He finally looked at her.
And the fear in his eyes told her that the unpaid loan was only the beginning.
May you like
“There's another account,” he whispered.
“And Mom has access to it.””
