Page 147 of Lavish
The silence that followed was deafening.
“Do you think he’d chooseyouif his company wasn’t in flames?”
Erik shifted uncomfortably. “Mama?—”
“Tell me, Serena. Do you have feelings for him?”
I froze.
“Yes or no?” she snapped.
My fingers curled into my palm. My first instinct was to say no. To lie. To fold.
But I didn’t.
“Yes, I love him.”
Mama’s lips thinned. “You just can’t do what’s right, can you?”
She looked between us and shook her head.
“Erik, you’re taking over King Developments. Serena, you will step down.”
“What!”
Erik looked just as shocked.
“You’re compromised. Emotionally. Professionally.”
“Compromised?” I echoed. “I’m compromised?”
“I put you in that marriage to keep this family alive, not so you could get swept up playing house.”
That hit like a slap.
“You forced me into that marriage,” I hissed. “Did you know all of this is really just our fault?”
“Watch your tone,” she warned.
“Why? Afraid I’ll finally say what everyone else is too scared to?”
“Miles didn’t put his family in this position. Erik did.Youdid. Chasing legacies, pretending we’re above people whobledfor this town just like we did.”
Mama’s lips curled. “You’ve forgotten who you are.”
“That may be true,” I said, stepping forward, “but you forgot whowewere first. You forgot we were human.”
“You didn’t need to get sucked into his pity party.”
“Did you say the same thing to Laurene?” My voice sharpened like a blade. “Or was the goalpost different for her than it’s always been for me?”
Her expression didn’t flicker, but I saw the way her fingers clenched at her sides.
“You really do have feelings for this boy?” she said with disdain.
“Miles,” I corrected her, chin lifting. “His name is Miles. And he wasn’t just some boy. He was ourfriend. His family was ourfamily. Their blood, their roots—they’re in this soil too.”
She opened her mouth, but I cut her off, the words pouring out like a dam breaking.
