‘It is not a possibility because I am not a criminal,’ she said heatedly.
‘What do you need it for?’
Kate took a deep breath to soothe the outrage surging through her. ‘I have a younger sister,’ she said. ‘Milly. She was in the car accident that killed our parents ten years ago.’ She swallowed hard but made herself continue. ‘She survived but she suffered catastrophic brain injuries. She can’t live on her own. She needs twenty-four-hour care. The insurance pay-out only covers the most basic of facilities, which just aren’t good enough.’
For a few long moments, Theo said nothing, just frowned. And then he nodded, as if something in his head had slotted into place. ‘Your brother used to fund the rest.’
Ah. So he did know who she was.
Well.
‘He did,’ she said, steeling herself against the surge of grief that still sometimes shot out of nowhere and walloped her in the chest. ‘And there was some money from his estate, but it’s run out.’
‘His flat?’
‘Rented. A few months before his death he gave it up and moved in with me.’
‘Life insurance?’
‘He didn’t have any.’ If only. ‘Believe me, if there was any money anywhere I’d have found it. After he died I discovered that he’d been taking out high-interest loans. They need repaying, like, yesterday.’
‘I see.’
Did he? she wondered, swallowing down the tight ball of emotion that had lodged in her throat. She doubted it. The gut-wrenching combination of despair, guilt, anger, grief and dread she’d felt when she’d found out what Mike had done had to be unique. Besides, had Theo ever needed money so badly he’d do anything to get it? Unlikely. He’d made his first million by the age of seventeen and his fortune had rocketed year on year since.
‘You’ll have it.’
She stared at him in bewilderment. What was he talking about? Have it? Have what? ‘I’m sorry?’
‘Give me the details and I’ll pay off the debt and set up a trust fund to pay for whatever your sister needs for however long she needs it.’
What?
Oh.
Right.
Wow.
‘Are you serious?’ she asked in stunned disbelief.
‘Yes.’
‘Why would you do that?’
His eyes clouded and she caught a glimpse of what bizarrely looked like...what? Guilt? Anguish? Regret? As if. By all accounts he didn’t do emotion any more than he did friends, so who knew? It was most likely irritation that he’d had to interrupt his no doubt busy schedule to deal with what he perceived to be a problem. ‘Because I can,’ he said eventually.
That was undeniably true. He was one of the ten richest men in the world according to one newspaper article she’d read. What she needed might amount to millions but to him it was a rounding error. Nevertheless, what ultra-successful reportedly ruthless businessman did something like that?
‘Do you really expect me to believe you’re that altruistic?’ she asked, unable to keep the scepticism from her tone.
‘I don’t particularly care what you believe.’
Nice. ‘Well, thank you,’ she said primly. ‘But I can’t accept it.’
‘Why not?’
Hmm. Where to start? B