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I smiled. “I’ve put my bid in for chief.”

Dad’s brows drew down. “Of course you’ve put your bid in for chief, I expressly told you to do so. What kind of announcement is that? What about Neil?” he asked, looking confused.

“What about him?” I asked, looking back and forth between them.

“You’re not getting back with Neil?” Mom said, her eyes darting nervously to Dad.

“What? No…”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake, Alexis,” Dad said. “What was the point of this dinner?”

I blinked at him. “I…I thought you’d be happy. About the chief thing. You wanted me to run. I’m officially running.”

“Bringing us here to tell us you’re doing what you should have been doing in the first place is not worthy of a dinner announcement,” he said.

Mom licked her lips. “Sweetheart, we were under the impression that you were getting back with Neil.”

I pressed my lips together and let out a slow, patient breath through my nose. “Mom? Dad?” I put my hands on the table. “I am never getting back with Neil.”

“Why the hell not?” Dad snapped.

It was so loud, people from other tables turned to look at us. I gawked at him in shock.

He pointed a finger at me. “You’ve given that relationship about as much effort as you’ve given your career. You’ve done the bare minimum, and you wonder why it isn’t successful.”

Mom put a hand on his shoulder. “Cecil…”

“No, Jennifer, she needs to hear this.”

His face was red.

“That man deserves your respect. You don’t even return his text messages. He’s made every attempt possible to make amends with you—and if you don’t want to make them, that’s your business. But until you’ve exhausted couple’s counseling, do not sit here and act like you’re not part of the problem.”

I felt my face growing hot. “Dad, he was abusive—”

“Did he hit you?” Dad asked. “Call you names?”

A lump was forming in my throat. “No—”

“Did that man ever lay a finger on you?”

I felt tears welling in my eyes. “No.” I swallowed. “He was mean, Dad. He’s still mean. He acts differently when you’re not there—”

“He’s probably just frustrated with you, and frankly I don’t blame him. Honestly, I don’t know what we did to deserve children like this. I really don’t.”

Mom was rubbing his shoulder. “Let’s just calm down—”

“We coddled them, Jennifer. They’ve never had to work for anything. Lazy.”

My mouth fell open. “I was valedictorian. I graduated first of my class at Stanford. I’ve worked my ass off to get—”

Dad jabbed a finger at me. “Don’t you dare take that language with me, young lady. I have had about enough of this back talk from you. So help me, Alexis, I will cut you off like I’ve cut off your brother. I have zero tolerance for this disrespect.”

I blinked at him. “What do you mean you’ve cut off my brother…”

“Your brother has made his choice,” Dad said. “He’s not welcome in our home until he’s rid himself of this woman he’s run off with.”

I gaped at him. “That woman is his wife!”