Page 25 of Forbidden Grumpy Boss

“Yeah.” I nod.

“Look, Leah, I get it. That kid could use a break, but pretending to marry Silas? Are you out of your damn mind?”

“I must be.” I bite my lip, absentmindedly twisting a strand of hair around my finger. “Anyway, I’m not agreeing to it. I just . . . needed to vent.”

“Girl, vent away. Just remember who you're dealing with. Silas is, like, a walking red flag, okay? One that flashes neon.”

Before I can respond, Penny glances at the clock on the wall. “Wait, where are you off to? You’re all dressed up.”

I grimace. “Ugh. My dad’s hosting a dinner.”

“Wait,” she starts, frowning. “Your dad? You haven’t seen him in—”

“Five years, yeah. But I have to see him tonight.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s the anniversary of my mom’s death.” I look around the room, blinking quickly to keep my eyes dry.

Penny’s face falls, and she reaches over to squeeze my hand. “Leah. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize it was that time again. You okay?”

“Not really. But I have to go. I mean, it’s been five years. He holds this dinner every year, but I never show up because I’m never in New York. But now that I am—"

“You have to go.” Penny scrunches her nose.

“I think he’s actually expecting me to show up and pretend we’re a normal family or something.” I huff. “But I’m doing this for my mom, not him.”

Penny nods like she understands.

“Wish me luck.”

She pulls me into a hug. And for a moment, the weight of everything feels just a bit lighter. “Good luck dealing with everything. You’ll need it.”

I laugh, though it’s more bitter than light. “Trust me, I know.”

***

The moment I pull up to my father’s mansion, a wave of irritation settles in. It’s all so . . .him. The sprawling driveway, the manicured lawns, the ostentatious fountain. All of it screams wealth, power, and the fact that he’s moved on without so much as a glance back.

And let me guess, he has a new girlfriend.

I press the doorbell as if it offended me earlier, and the door flies open almost immediately. A woman is standing there, and she looks like someone who stepped off a reality TV show—fake tan, fake lips, and more silicone than any human should need. She’s wearing a skintight black dress that’s about two sizes too small, and grins at me with bleached teeth that could probably glow in the dark.

“You must be Leah! Oh my God, Harv’s told me so much about you!” She squeals like we’re long-lost besties.

“Has he now,” I say, deadpan, already regretting this decision. “Nice to meet you.” I offer my hand, even though that’s the last thing I want to do.

“Fuck that.” She slaps my hand away and pulls me into a tight hug, her huge breasts pressing into my chest like two bags of sand. “I’m Lizzie.” She pulls back and grins. “Lizzie with anI,and anE.”

I step inside without another word, examining the familiar sight of maids setting the dinner table. Nothing’s changed. I avoid looking at the family portrait in the living room. I don’t want to see how happy Mom looked.

“I hope you like pie,” Lizzie says, grinning.

I want to yell at her that this is a remembrance dinner, likeshut your damn mouth. Instead, I just smile tightly at her. This will be over soon. I pour myself some wine set on the table and down it all in one big gulp.

But as soon as I think that, Dad appears on the staircase, looking surprisingly older. Maybe I haven’t noticed it before, or I just haven’t seen him long enough. But his usual confident swagger is still there, as if this dinner isn’t a reminder of everything he ruined between us.

“Leah,” he says, approaching with a smile that looks a bit sad. “I’m glad you came.”

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