Page 69 of Lush

“You’re gonna continue to be a dick here?”

Dad looked at Mom. “Pauline, this boy of yours. This is why he shouldn’t be CEO?—”

“I’ve told you several times I don’t want this fucking company. But you never actually wanted to do the work, did you? You just want to stand on the sidelines and throw your criticism at everything I do. That’s your style, isn’t it, Dad? Nitpick andbullshit?”

I hated that I still cared. That I still wanted to prove myself to a father who could never see me for who I really am. But I was done fighting for his approval.

“You think standing here spouting off makes you a man? You think it earns you a seat at the table?” Dad glared. “Let me remind you, Reese, you’ve donenothingto earn the respect you’re demanding. You’ve coasted on this family’s name your entire life. And now, suddenly, you want to act like you’re a man of importance because of this…arrangementwith Laurene?”

I felt my fists clench at my sides, the blood pounding in my ears. “You don’t know shit about me.”

“Those military schools did nothing for you.” He scoffed, stepping closer, his frame towering over mine. “You’re a liability, Reese. Nothing can fix you. What have you contributed? What have you ever done that actually mattered?”

“I think both of you should cool down.” Laurene tugged my shoulder back. “This isn’t a conversation for now.”

“Exactly,” Mom added, hands wringing. Nina put a hand on Mom’s shoulder.

“What have I contributed?” I repeated. “How about the fact that I’m still standing here, even after you tried to get rid of me at every damn turn? After you shoved me aside for Conrad and Jennie for years? After you undermined me for with employees? Talking to investors behind my back?”

Harold scoffed, stepping closer. “You were a useless kid. You never listened, and frankly, I’m tired of trying to make you into something acceptable. You think because you’ve managed to stay out of the tabloids for a few months, suddenly we forget the hell you put us through—especially after your brother?”

“Yeah, I was reckless,” I shot back, my voice rising. “But maybe if you’d given a shit about what I wanted—aboutme—things would’ve been different.”

He shook his head. “All your life, I’ve waited for you to prove me wrong, to show me you were worth the sacrifices, the name I gave you. You just never amounted to the man I needed you to be. I knew from the second your mother gave birth to you that you wouldn’t be useful.”

“You miserable piece of shit.” I took a step toward him. “You act like I was some burden you had to deal with, but youmademe this way. Can you even fucking acknowledge that?”

“You should’ve been the one to die, not Conrad. Conrad was ten times the man you’ll ever be. He understood what it meant to be an Ashbourne.”

Something inside me broke at that. The last fragile piece of hope I’d held on to—some sliver of belief that maybe, deep down, he gave a damn about me—was shattered.

“If I’m so worthless, why don’t you go dig up Conrad? I bet the worms haven’t gotten through all of him yet.”

Dad grabbed my jacket, yanking me forward. People were yelling—some scared, some shocked.

“You can’t talk about your brother like that!” he yelled, his face close, reeking of booze and anger.

“Or what?” I felt the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

“Harold!” Mom’s voice was a desperate cry. “Don’t you dare!”

“You little bastard,” Harold growled, his face inches from mine.

“You better get your hands off me before I forget you’re my father and beat the shit out of you like you deserve,” I said calmly.

“Harold, let him go,” Mom pleaded.

“This isn’t helping anyone,” Laurene told me.

The guests at the party turned their heads, their murmurs growing loud. I could feel the weight of their stares, a hundred eyes burning into the back of my skull. My heart raced, and the room felt like it was closing in.

“Look who’s causing a scandal now?” I taunted her.

Laurene’s hand cupped my face, turning my attention toward her, blocking Harold out of my line of sight.

“Is this worth fighting for?”

Harold hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Laurene. “This is none of your business, girl. Stay out of this.”

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