Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 3

Hi Everyone! Before I continue, I wanted to thank you for continuing to read my stories. This one is going to be a little slower on the updates than the last. (Maybe only three times a week.) Also, I have a busy week coming up so it'll be at least until next Saturday that this story will get updated. In the meantime, check on Echo's story as updates are being released daily. 

Thank you again and Enjoy!

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Tom sat at his desk, quiet, facing out onto the gray sky of the city. The sun had not made an appearance that morning, although after some light rain there had been a rainbow in the distance. He didn't know what to make of that. Was it a sign that he was going to be successful or a warning that he would be punished for what he was doing?

He let out a long sigh and leaned precariously over the arm of his chair. While the chair was still sturdy, the leather had long begun to peel and so bits and pieces of it could be often found stuck to his suits. He'd thought of replacing it multiple times but stopped himself, thinking that with the carpets stained and dirty as they were and the desk that was propped up on two corners with several books, there was really no point. Not only was the furniture falling apart but so was this house that stood smack in the middle of the city among the thriving businesses and posh new office buildings. It was a startling contrast from past... to future. 

The house- he'd inherited from his parents, who in turn got it from a great aunt. It was over one hundred years old and beautifully built, smaller than others like it which sat in the same historical district, but more ornate in it's details. Because of the style of the home and where it was located, the city had long since designated it as having historical importance. This was not uncommon to the houses of this sort downtown, many of which, like this one, were no long lived in but rather used as offices. 

He'd never seen the house as a home, it had served as his father's office for as long as he could remember. In his memories, the carpets were dark and stood out against polished wood floors, the windows were clean and had thick blinds, and there was always the hustle and bustle of people coming and going, of a full staff. Today, there was still the carpets although they had long since faded by the sun that shone in from behind the broken blinds that badly needed repairing. The AC window units had never been replaced and so the summers usually meant that the back windows were open. The parking lot was overgrown by weeds, not that it was badly needed as he, his assistant, and an accountant were the only staff left. 

He turned back to his desk, the laptop sitting on it one of the few luxuries he had, much like the suit he wore. He didn't have many but he had long since decided that if he didn't look the part, he could not be taken as a serious business man. He made sure to pay his staff fairly but it had been a long time since he'd adjusted their salaries and he knew this year, without fail, he would have to do so again. Where would he get the money?

There was no way out. 

His cousin, Edwin, had repeated to him on several occasions that he should sell the house and move on. After all, Tom was an architect, a talented one, and he could easily find work with another firm. But that was easier said than done. Tom could not bear to lose this house or to let go of the business that his parents had built. Once, this had been a thriving firm... now... well there wasn't a lot of people coming to him and it was hard to sell a design with little to no capital and from a house that was falling apart.  He never understood how it got this bad or why his parents never told him that they were struggling, why they continued to spend as if they had all the money in the world. It didn't matter, Tom didn't even know the extent of their debt until after they died.