Page 91 of Why Not Forever?

“Not if I have anything to say about it. That man will never work in this industry again, is how he is. He left in the middle of a Board meeting. Something about never having wanted Sterling in the first place and trying to quit four times. He left. Packed up his things and walked out.”

“Tanner quit Sterling?” I say, noticing Derek on the way past my door. He stops when he hears me, peering in. I nod and he comes inside. I put the phone on speaker and he takes his cell phone out, sending a text. I assume to Spencer and Adalie.

“That’s what I said, isn’t it? Your husband walked out. I won’t be giving him any portion of my company now. If he thinks the transfer is going to go through after what he did today, he’s delusional.”

“You just said he said he never wanted it.”

Spencer and Adalie come into the office, so I’m surrounded by my friends.

“He’s lying. This is an amazing opportunity. He came from nothing. I’ve given him everything, and this is how he repays me?”

I blink, staring at my phone. “Are you for real right now?”

“Absolutely. I’m blacklisting that asshole. He’s never working again. And you’re going to divorce him.”

My eyes widen. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I’m not having someone in the family who can walk out on our business.”

“I’m sorry. Did you sayourbusiness? Because last I checked, I don’t work for Sterling.”

I feel it coming before he says anything. The manipulation. It’s exactly the same thing he would have done to Tanner all those months ago when he told Tanner to marry me.

“It can be.”

I meet my friends’ eyes. They’re watching me with various amounts of shock, anger, and disgust on their faces.

I cross my arms over my chest before I say the same words to my father that I said to Tanner all those months ago. “What, exactly, are you proposing, Dad?”

“You’ve always wanted in on Sterling, Victoria. Divorce Tanner, take back your maiden name, and I’ll make you CEO instead. I’ll hand the reins to you. After a short training period, of course.”

I huff a laugh. “Of course.”

“So you’ll do it?”

I let the question hang for a moment.

“No.”

“What did you say?”

Spencer grins. Derek smirks. Adalie has a hand over her mouth, probably to keep from laughing, judging by the sparkle in her eyes.

“I said no. No, I do not want Sterling. No, I will not divorce my husband. In the last few months, I’ve come to realize that I love Tanner, and I want nothing to do withyourbusiness. I have my own and I’m quite happy here.”

“What am I supposed to do? Your mother has a trip planned for this spring. She expects me to go with her.”

I shrug, even though he can’t see me. “That sounds like a you problem.”

He splutters and for the first time in my life I’ve rendered my father speechless. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning at the sound.

“I have work to do, Dick. I’ll talk to you later. Tanner and I will see you at the next family dinner. Goodbye.”

I hang up.

Adalie breaks into applause. Derek and Spencer join her. I stand and offer them a bow.

“Lis is going to be pissed she missed this,” Spencer says. “Especially the part where you called him Dick.”

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