Page 149 of Brighter Together

“You can.”

I take a breath.

This is where I need to remember why Nick is standing beside me.

Not so he can physically restrain me.

So I don’t let these people turn me into somebody I’m not.

“I don’t do business with people who abuse members of their own family.”

The room goes completely silent.

Lee gives a short laugh.

“I have no idea what Ella has been telling you, but—”

“I saw the bruises on her neck.”

That stops him.

His father looks at him.

Only briefly.

But he looks.

So either he didn’t know exactly what happened yesterday or he didn’t expect me to say it in front of other people.

I don’t particularly care which.

“Whatever disagreement exists between Ella and this family is none of my business,” I continue. “What is my business is the fact that your firm submitted a proposal created by a person you had previously pushed out of this company, then tried to use her relationship with me to influence the tender.”

One of the people at the table shifts uncomfortably.

Lee’s jaw tightens.

“She gave us those plans willingly.”

“No. She gave you those plans because you spent years teaching her that saying no to this family made her selfish.”

His father’s expression turns cold.

“That is a very dramatic interpretation of a private family matter.”

My hands curl at my sides.

Nick moves slightly closer.

Not enough for anybody else to notice.

“I’m not interested in your interpretation.”

Lee steps forward.

“So this is because you’re sleeping with my sister?”

There it is.