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“I’m Mike,” the other one says, pulling my attention. I turn to face him, and he winks, offering me his hand.
Slimy bastard.
“Nice to meet you, Jordyn. Marvin, you failed to mention how beautiful your daughter is.”
“She is lovely, isn’t she?” My mother smiles, and I swear even I almost believe this “proud mom” thing she’s trying to portray. Almost. I still know the evil, cold-hearted woman who lives beneath the fake veil of happiness.
Thankfully, our salads are served, and the conversation turns to lawyer talk. I make out that both John and Mike work for my father. Not that I needed their conversation to confirm that. My mother has been very vocal about wanting me to meet a nice lawyer who my father can one day pass the family firm to when he retires.
Dinner drags on. I’m completely ignored. I’m used to it, but tonight it’s putting me on edge. I know there’s a catch. No way would my mother orchestrate this dinner, and all I have to do it sit through it.
I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Once our dessert plates are removed, my mother’s plan is revealed. “Jordyn, why don’t you take John and Mike to the formal sitting room and have a chat?”
Fuck you.
Lifting my napkin to my mouth, I wipe gently, and place it on the table, before scooting my chair back and standing. “Of course.” The words taste like sandpaper on my tongue.
John and Mike are quick to stand and follow me down the hall and into the formal sitting room of this giant-ass house that is far too large for just three people. Hell, it’s not too small for ten people.
“So, fashion?” Mike asks.
I nod. “Yes.” I’m not giving them an inch so they can assume they can take a mile. My heart isn’t up for grabs, and neither is my body.
“What do you plan to do now that you’re home?”
Move to Willow River, marry Ryder, have some babies, and live happily ever after.
“I’d like to open my own boutique.” It’s not a lie. I would like a small boutique. I don’t like the cutthroat business of fashion. My mother encouraged my degree. Claiming that when I’m married, the knowledge would come in handy for charity balls. She goes along with my boutique spiel because she thinks that’s never going to happen.
“That’s going to be hard, raising a family, and taking over your mother's charity work, while running a boutique.” Mike laughs.
“And what makes you think I want to be married, have a family, or take over my mother’s charity work?”
“I assumed,” Mike says.
I glare at him, and he just shrugs, not the least bit worried that he offended me.
“You didn’t know we were coming tonight, did you?” John asks.
“Nope.”
He nods. “I guess you don’t know about the partner position that we’re both up for either?” he offers.
“You’d be right again,” I tell him. “So, what? One of you catches my attention and you get the promotion?”
Mike shrugs. “It was implied, but nothing was concrete.”
“I’ll save you the trouble. Neither of you.”
“Oh, it will be one of us,” Mike speaks up.
I ignore him, fighting back tears. If I thought I hated my mother before tonight, I don’t know what the next step from hate would be, but I feel it right now. The three of us sit in silence. Finally, my father steps into the room.
“How about a drink in my home office?” It’s posed as a question, but it’s not one. He doesn’t wait for either guy to reply. He knows that they’ll follow him without question. They are willing to do whatever they need to do to get to the top.
I heave a sigh of relief and slump into my chair. This is so fucked up. We have to do something. That PI needs to dig deeper, hire more help. I don’t know, but I can’t keep living like this. I can’t keep being a pawn in this game.
It’s my life.
“Which one?” She doesn’t bother explaining what she means. She knows I’ve figured out what tonight was all about.
I look up to find my mother standing in the doorway. “Neither.”
She smiles. “Pick one, Jordyn, or I’ll do it for you.”
“I don’t want to marry someone I don’t know.”
“I’ll choose for you.”
“I’m surprised you’re even giving me a choice. There is nothing in my life that I’ve chosen for myself.”
“That’s not true. I’m allowing you to be friends with Gianna when we both know that she’s beneath you.”
“Do you hear yourself? Do you care that you’re tearing down good people? Gianna is one of the nicest, most loyal people I’ve ever met.”
Mother tosses her head back in laughter. “Loyalty? Come on, Jordyn, I raised you better than that. Life isn’t about loyalty. Life is about getting to the top and staying there. You are an Astor, and the man you marry will take over the firm when your father finally pulls himself away from his work. You will rise to the top, and you are expected to represent this family as you’ve been trained to do.”
