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“You did something to my dad. I’m going to prove it,” she says, pointing her finger at me. “Your own mom says you’re capable.”
“She’s crazy. She’ll say anything.” I need to soften my tone, even if she is accusing me of things. She’s just confused, and sad. “Look, it’s hard, I know. I miss John, too.”
Ashlyn stares at me and shakes her head. I hear her mumble, “OMG.”
I turn on the charm. “College is special. I never had a chance to go myself, but you do. Senior year is supposed to be the best. We can worry about all this business stuff after you graduate. I’ll keep everything at EventCo under control. Sound good? Nothing works if my momma shows up here. Do you understand me? That would be a bad, dangerous choice. She’d for sure bring this whole place down.”
Her mouth moves as if she wants to say something but can’t. Poor girl. I wonder what’s running through her little entitled brain.
“I don’t believe you. I don’t believe anything you say.” She opens the door to my office. “You are not my parent. You never have been, never will be. Stay out of my life.”
How dare she? She thinks she has power here. Calling my momma? Calling dentist Ron? She shouldn’t be stirring up trouble she doesn’t know how to serve. I’ll have Uncle George handle this. It’s his specialty.
I sit down at John’s desk. I wonder how long it will take to feel comfortable in my new role. I take a deep breath and look around at this gorgeous space. I think I’m used to it already.
CHAPTER 35
KATE
Sandra finally turns up with Bob by her side. I meet them at the door to my office.
“We have a situation,” I say, ushering them into my office.
“I know. Tish is here despite the fact she signed the separation agreement before we launched the IPO,” Sandra says. “I don’t get it.”
“She’s delusional and dangerous for our company, and a major distraction. I’ll take care of it. I just need proper witnesses. Let’s go.”
As I walk through the office, my employees wave at me. A few clap their hands. I’m energized. These are my people. I feel like an elite athlete about to enter the ring for the fight of her life. The undefeated champion.
Ashlyn appears as I cross through the atrium. “Mom, I need to talk to you.”
“Can it wait?” I ask. “I’m dealing with Tish.”
“She says Dad wrote a new will. That she’s your equal.”
“Impossible.” But is it?
What has he done now?
I look at my daughter and realize she’s scared.
“Honey, she’s bluffing,” I say. She must be.
“I hope so,” Ashlyn says.
My heart beats rapidly in my chest as I reach John’s office. My anger and frustration with Tish build with every step. And now, it feels something like rage. My therapist said rage is a dangerous form of anger: violent and uncontrollable. Maybe so, but I will put it to good use.
CHAPTER 36
TISH
As I sit and enjoy my office, I allow myself to dream about the future for a minute. Kate and I will settle into a routine here, or she’ll leave if she can’t handle it. As for the rest of my life, what will be? I think I’ll sell the house, upgrade to a bigger one in a fancier community. I’d like a swimming pool and a tennis court.
That’s it. I’ll start tennis lessons. And that’s how I’ll make friends. Because right now, I don’t have one. All I had was John, and then he betrayed me. I need to find a life outside of him. I sometimes wonder if I’ll always be alone. That’s what my momma said: nobody could love me.
But John did. He did. For a moment in time, I found true love.
I look up and Kate stands outside my door, a role reversal from earlier. How fun. I shoo her away with my hand and pretend to be busy with something on my desk. She is on my last nerve. Fact is, I found true love, but then she took it away.
