Page 80 of Myself

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

BECCA

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Monday morning, I get up, get dressed, and make my way to my father’s office. I needed to talk to him about what happened on the boat Saturday night. I pass by Ryder’s office, and his door is closed. I make my way down the long hallway and to my father’s door. I knock on it softly but have no reply. I turn the doorknob and open it.

I walk in to find him standing with his back to me as he looks out over Manhattan. I go to open my mouth to speak when I hear my mother’s voice.

“You are going to allow this to continue?” she demands.

I look around here, but she’s not present. Then I realize she is on his office speakerphone, sitting on his desk.

“I don’t have a say. And neither do you,” my father responds sharply.

“Bullshit!” she snaps. “Do you have any idea how much Ryder embarrassed Vicki? Over that white trash?”

“You were once white trash,” my father responds flatly, and my mother gasps.

“Don’t think I haven’t done my homework,” she responds, and my brows arch. “I know she works at Talia’s, and I also know that you guys are in the process of buying it. I highly doubt Ryder has informed her of that. He’s just like you—Everything is strictly business. What do you think she’ll do when she finds out he’s been hiding that from her?” What? Why would Ryder buy Talia’s? “She’ll drop him so fast ...”

“Don’t you dare!” he growls. “What Ryder and I do at this company is none of your goddamn business,” he adds.

“It is when it involves my son.”

He snorts. “Since when do you fucking care what he does?”

“Since he fell in love with some whore,” she shouts. “She won’t do anything for this family.”

“Do anything for this family? Or do anything for you?” he snaps, and I smile at the fact he’s taking up for Ryder. If only they knew that they have already broken up.

“I’m going to tell him ...”

“Go ahead. You’ll get nothing.”

The room grows silent, and I frown. Get nothing? What does that mean? “You think you can manipulate me?” she asks slowly.

“No. I don’t think. I already have,” he says simply. “You know those papers I had you sign a while back? You thought they had to do with this company. It was really an NDA. You should start reading over things before you just sign your name.” He snorts. “Not surprised, though. All you care about are the dollar signs. Anyway, you leak one word, and you will get nothing.”

“You son of a bitch,” she screeches. “I’m done signing anything. I told you I’m not signing those papers.” Papers?

“You will sign them,” he says simply. “I’m done. I’m done with you and your manipulative ways. You were never really in my life, to begin with, so it’s not like you will be missed.”

She lets out a screech so loud my ears ring. Then she hangs up, leaving nothing but a dial tone to fill the silence in the room. I quickly but quietly shut the door before he can turn around and see me.

I lean my head back against it and let out a long sigh. They’re getting a divorce, yet for some reason, I can’t process that right now. All I can think about is what Ryder is doing to Ashlyn and how she has no freaking clue what is coming.

I make my way down the hallway and barge into my brother’s office. He stands from his chair behind his desk quickly with his office phone attached to his ear. “I’ll have to call you back,” he says into the receiver and then hangs up. “Becca? What are you doing here?”

“How long?” I demand.

He runs a hand through his disheveled hair. His clothes are wrinkled, and he’s not even wearing a suit. He looks like he slept on the floor. “I’m not doing this with you.”

“How long, Ryder?”

“It’s over,” he growls, thinking I’m asking about him and Ashlyn.

I walk up to his desk. “How long before you buy Talia’s?”

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