“What about me?”
“The family trust was backed by company assets. Those assets now belong to C.B.
Capital Partners.”
Her mouth fell open.
“You’re cutting me off?”
“I’m ending the arrangement where everyone in this family lives comfortably because someone else is always paying.”
“You’re a monster.” “No.”
I stood.
“I’m simply not volunteering to be the family sacrifice anymore.”
I walked around the table.
The turkey had gone cold.
Wine had stained the white linen.
The lavish Thanksgiving dinner suddenly looked absurd.
Julian waited near the doorway.
He offered me his arm.
“Ready?”
I looked back once.
My father sat hunched over the signed contract.
Ryan stared at the floor.
Natalie wiped mascara from her face.
My mother looked smaller than I had ever seen her.
For years, I had imagined revenge.
I thought I would want humiliation.
Begging.
But standing there, I realized I wanted something far simpler.
Distance.
Freedom.
A life that didn’t require their approval.
I turned away.
“Let’s go home.”
Julian and I crossed the marble foyer.
Past the enormous staircase.
Past family portraits that had always reminded me who mattered in that house and who didn’t.
Outside, heavy rain was still falling.
A black car waited in the circular driveway.
Before getting in, I looked back at the mansion.
For twenty-six years, I had believed that house represented everything I had failed to become.
Wealthy enough.
Elegant enough.
Important enough.
Loved enough.
Now it was only a house.
Julian opened the car door.
I slid inside.
He joined me and took my hand.
“You okay?”
I looked down at my fingers.
The skin around my knuckles was still red from washing dishes.
I smiled.
“I think I finally am.”
The car pulled away.
The estate disappeared behind the rain.
