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“You can’t just walk away from us. Everything we’ve created. What about Ashlyn? The company?”
“Ashlyn will be fine. I’ve already talked to her.”
What?“You’ve spoken to our daughter about leaving me?” My god, he told our daughter first. How long did Ashlyn know the truth? How foolish I’d been. What a joke I was to my daughter. To everyone. What the hell did John think he was doing?
Jody arrived, handed John the check, and turned to me. “You can’t be finished, Kate. You’ve barely touched your meal. Was something wrong with the fish?” It was then she must have noticed the tension. She grabbed the credit card from John and fled.
“Ashlyn will be fine. She’s focused on her own life at college. We’ll work out all the details. I want you to know this will have no reflection on EventCo, nor will it affect what we’ve built together there. We’ll have the attorneys protect everything. EventCo is on a huge upward trajectory, with lots of investor interest. Soon we’ll both be rich beyond our wildest dreams.” John stood, reached out to touch my shoulder, but I pushed his hand away. A bolt of electricity shot through me. A jolt of realization.
My husband is leaving me.
For her.
I stood up. “Why?”
“The truth? I’ve found my soul mate, as corny as that sounds.” John shrugged as he shoved his hands in his pockets. And then the diabolical grin reappeared. “I’m in love.”
How can you compete with that?
“You’re in lust,” I retorted as he turned and walked out of the restaurant. I knew about their affair. But I never would have imagined it would come to this.
That he’d pick her over me.
And now he’s gone, and Tish thinks she can saunter into his place. But she’s wrong. She will not take the company I worked so hard to create.
Never going to happen.
I walk to the kitchen window and try to appreciate the beauty outdoors. The sunset’s orange glow, the green grass, the new mom pushing a baby in a stroller along the sidewalk, the privileged peace of the suburbs.
But I’m not at peace.
I take a deep breath as the doorbell rings. That will be Bob. Bob will have good news.
And then none of us will see Tish ever again.
But when I open the door, Bob’s face tells me the game isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
“I found the notary. She’s lying. We need to go after her,” I say to Bob as I open the door. “You don’t look like you found anything to help us.”
“It’s going to be tough,” Bob says.
I remember that look in John’s eye the night he left me. And the fire builds. “I’m tough. Tougher than she knows.”
CHAPTER 41
TISH
I don’t enjoy it when Ashlyn gets out of line. Sure, she’s mad I was at the office, in her daddy’s office, but she’ll get used to it. And what about me? My needs. My grief. And then, she takes it a step further and threatens me. The nerve. Uncle George told me to calm down when I told him what I wanted him to do. Said it was a mistake. I told him to handle things or I’d find another lawyer. I predict he’ll handle it.
I pull into my garage, but I’m restless. And hungry. I hurry inside the house, into the kitchen, and yank on the refrigerator door. I am greeted as usual by empty shelves. I need to learn this work-life balance thing now that I’m an executive. I need someone to do the grocery shopping for me. As I stand staring at the empty shelves, I feel the heat start pumping from the ceiling. I know what’s next. Music will blast from the speakers any minute.
I slam the refrigerator door and remind myself to stay calm.Heat is good for the skin,I tell myself as I push open the kitchen windows. This situation makes me furious. I don’t believe in letting ghosts get the upper hand. I believe in winning, and I will outlast this hot haunted house, and all of these people who are out to get me.
Nobody better try to mess with me. Not Kate, certainly not Ashlyn. I’m a step ahead, and I just may have a few more tricks up my little old sleeve.
CHAPTER 42
ASHLYN
