"Mother," Julian warned, his voice tight.
"I manage just fine, Mrs. Sterling," Eleanor replied smoothly, though her heart pounded. "I believe in building a life on shared values, not just shared bank accounts."
Miriam offered a smile that didn't reach her cold eyes. "Values are wonderful, dear. But values don't pay the mortgage in this city."
Over the next few months, Miriam’s hostility escalated from subtle jabs to open warfare. She would drop by Julian's apartment unannounced when Eleanor was there, leaving brochures for high-end matchmaking services on the counter. She constantly belittled Eleanor's lifestyle, her career, and her background.
"She's an anchor, Julian," Eleanor overheard Miriam hissing in the kitchen one evening. "You are meant to climb. She is going to drag you down to the gutter. Look at her! She has nothing to offer you!"
Julian defended her furiously. "I love her, Mom. And if you can't respect her, you can't be in my life."
Eleanor listened from the hallway, leaning against the wall, tears prickling her eyes. Julian was risking his only family for a girl with no money, no status, and no future. He was risking it all for a lie.
She knew the time for the experiment was coming to an end. It was time to find out exactly what the truth was worth. It all unraveled on a brisk Friday evening in late autumn.
Julian had just finished a grueling eighty-hour work week. He had just been passed over for a promotion at V-Corp because a senior director had given the position to his own nephew. Julian was exhausted, defeated, and barely holding it together. He and Eleanor were walking down a busy, upscale street in the commercial district, looking for a cheap place to grab dinner, when they were ambushed.
Miriam was standing outside a high-end boutique, holding a shopping bag. When she saw them, her face hardened. She marched over, her heels clicking aggressively against the pavement.
"Julian," she snapped, ignoring Eleanor entirely. "I've been trying to call you all day. Did you get the promotion?"
Julian sighed, rubbing his temples. "No, Mom. They gave it to someone else."
Miriam’s face flushed with anger. "Of course they did! And look at you, wandering the streets looking like a vagrant with... her." She finally turned her glare to Eleanor. "I told you. I warned you. When you associate with failure, you become a failure."