Page 115 of All Bets Are Off

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Dad replied. “This is all a misunderstanding.”

“No, it’s not.” Mom slid her eyes to me. “You said it was about a year ago?”

“Give or take,” I replied. “It might be a little longer.”

“That would make it Claire.” Mom leaned back in her chair, her fingernails tapping on the arms. “Did you get her pregnant, Ryder?” She didn’t sound sad when she clucked her tongue. “I warned you what would happen if you got one of them pregnant.”

I was flabbergasted. “You knew?”

“Of course I knew.” Mom rolled her eyes. “Your father is many things; a gifted liar isn’t one of them. I told him he was allowed to sleep with whomever he wanted—it just meant I wasn’t going to have to fake orgasms as he panted on top of me—as long as he didn’t get one of them pregnant.”

“Seems somebody has been a bad boy,” Ruby trilled.

My sisters seemed almost gleeful as my father’s empire crumbled around him. Under different circumstances, I would’ve laughed. I wasn’t there yet, though. I still needed to make things right with Olivia.

“You’re done at this company,” I said to Dad. “In fact, you’re going to draft your retirement announcement right now and it’s going to be effective today.”

“We’re going to lock you out of all the computers,” Opal sang.

“We’re going to take away all your secretaries,” Ruby added.

“We’re going to put you on an allowance,” Pearl said on a laugh.

“I’m the boss here,” Dad countered. “Me! You all can’t do anything to me.”

“You’re wrong,” Mom said. She seemed resigned more than anything else. It wasn’t sadness fueling her, but weariness. “You’re going to do what Zach said. Then we’re going to figure out exactly how much money you embezzled, and you’re going to sell that amount of stock to us to cover your debt.”

“No!” Dad had already done the math. He would be down to so little stock once the dust settled that he would have to start doing the one thing he never wanted to do. Live on a budget.

“Oh, it’s happening,” Mom said. “You’re either going along with our plan, or we’re calling the police to report what you’ve done.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Dad was grasping at straws now. He knew it was over and yet he couldn’t let himself admit defeat. “You wouldn’t turn me in. Think of all the bad press.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Ruby countered. “I’m thinking that when the truth comes out about what a pig you are—we have files too, Daddy—that Mom is going to look like a saint.”

“She’s going to be the queen of the strip,” Opal agreed. “Every man in town will be after her.”

“And we’ll finally be free to date whoever we want without threats from you hanging over our heads,” Pearl said.

Mom and I jerked our chins in her direction in tandem.

“What threats?” Mom sputtered.

“He said he wouldn’t allow us to keep our jobs, or pay for weddings, or keep our rooms at the casino if we didn’t date approved men,” Ruby replied. “He’s been threatening us with that for years. In retaliation, we refused to date … or marry.”

“You’re the reason I don’t have grandchildren?” Mom was on her feet, her rage palpable. Later, it would strike me as funny that her lack of grandchildren was the final straw for her. In the moment, however, I was simply impressed with her strength.

“This is a business,” Dad replied. “It has to be run like a business.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure you weren’t running it like a business when you stuck your little stick in Claire and got her pregnant,” Mom replied. “By the way, she doesn’t love you. I know you think she does, but she basically had sex with you for the money. How sad she’s going to be when she realizes you’re going to be left with nothing.”

“You can’t do this.” Dad sounded desperate now. “I won’t let you push me out of the empire I built.”

“It’s already done,” I replied. “You’re going to resign today—including dealing with your stock so we can put that money back where it belongs—or you’re going to jail. You get to decide which avenue we pursue.” I leaned forward. “Personally, I’m hoping you opt for the latter.”

“Me, too,” Ruby said. “I think a guy like Dad will have a lot of fun in prison. I bet he’ll make some great new friends.”

“They won’t let you melt down about losing a golf game in prison,” Mom said. She folded her arms over her chest. “You have sixty seconds to decide. Otherwise, I’m calling the police and we’ll just force a vote with the board to oust you ourselves. It’s not as if they like you.”

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