Page 45 of Lost Times

“None, because I’m not leaving him for anything. This may be a foreign concept to you, but I care for him, and that means no amount of money will make me leave.”

He scoffed, “Everyone has a price. If not money, then what do you want most? Say it, and it will be done. After you’re out of his life.”

Ludwig’s mother stood tall, glaring down her nose at me as she spat. “Our son has been notably changing; calling days off, not using his extra time for our clients as he used to. It’s unacceptable, and it’s painfully obvious that you’re the cause.”

So they were trying to get rid of me. Well, sucks for them because it wasn’t going to be that easy.

Squaring my shoulders, I glared them down. “I’ll repeat myself, since you obviously didn’t hear the first time. I’m not leaving him for anything. I don’t want anything from you two. Anything I want, I can earn myself. Nothing is worth losing him.”

His father’s scowl was stormy, but his mother smiled, the crafty look sending tingles of fear through me. When she spoke, my stomach dropped.

“A change of tactic is in order. You don’t want anything? Fine, but if you continue your relationship with our son, you won’t be allowed to work here any longer.”

I should have seen that coming. These two were the peak of awful, and this was well within their capabilities. But flashes of Ludwig’s sleepy smile came back, and I held strong to my decision.

There were other jobs, and for all I knew theycouldn’tfire me. They’d handed over control of the company to Ludwig after all. I wouldn’t let them get under my skin.

“Then so be it. Put in the paperwork to have me fired, but I’mnotleaving him. You both are the worst parents I’ve ever come across in my life, and I’ve met plenty. You should have supported your son in a healthy way, encouraged him to do thingsotherthan work, but you don’t care about him. Only yourselves. I refuse to be like you two. Nothing you do or say will make me leave him, so whatever you’re planning as bribes or threats, get them out of the way so I can refuse you again. I have work to do, and this is wasting valuable time.”

Her smile fell, and she sputtered. “He’ll leave eventually. He isn’t fit to be a parent, and he’ll get bored of you and the brat.”

Again, flashes of him hit, this time when he was curled up on the couch with Jasmine. The two had been in their own little world, and he’d lookedhappy.

Not letting the woman’s poison sink in, I lifted my chin. “Then he leaves, but I’m not leaving first to avoid a hypothetical situation. As for how fit he is, he’s leaps and bounds more so than you two. He cares about Jasmine, a foreign concept for you I’m sure, but that on its own makes him far more suited to parenthood than you.”

His father recovered, scowl firmly in place again. “He’ll never have time for either of you, not with his work-.”

I couldn’t help it, I barked a laugh. “And whose fault is that? You’re the one who taught him he had to do everything alone! Head of companies like this are supposed to delegate, but he’s been handling it himself because ofyou. Even without that though, I knew what I was getting into when we started dating. I’m not about to cry about it now.”

He’d also made time, calling off certain days like Jasmine’s game coming up. I wouldn’t tell them that, of course, but it just showed that he was trying. I would never be angry at him for that.

His mother opened her mouth, probably about to spit some kind of new threat she’d concocted, but the words never left her lips. The door behind us opened fully, and in walked Ludwig. His parents tensed in sync, the air of ‘busted’ almost palpable as he moved to me first.

Worry marred his face, along with a gratitude that seemed to seep straight to his soul. When I saw that, I realized. He’d heard all of that. Heat inched over my cheeks, but before I could be too embarrassed over my impassioned defense, he cupped my cheek and asked.

“Are you okay?”

His parents sputtered behind him, but he paid them no mind. I nodded, watching as some of the worry eased, a tiny smile taking its place as his thumb stroked me. “Good, and thank you. For everything you said. You’re right that I’m not going anywhere, now or in the future. You’re alsonotgoing to be fired, as that’s only a duty I can do, and they gave away their rights to it when they passed the company to me.”

Then his smile fell into a scowl, but this one was different than his usual. It was sharper, harsher. And when he turned to face his father, I could all but feel the anger frothing off him.

When he spoke, it rang in his voice too. “How dare you two.”

His mother tensed, waving her hand and trying to dispel the tension. “Now, son, there’s no need-.”

He cut her off, his back to me and shoulders tight. “No need?! You came to a work environment and dragged our personal lives with you. Not once have we acted anything but professional here, there has been no favoritism shown, and you can even check the records that she gets paid the same amount as any of the others in her position. And yet you came here to bribe and threaten her into leaving.”

Finally, his father jerked out of his stupor to growl. “Having her here is bad for the company!”

Ludwig faced him, shaking his head. “No, having her here doesn’t affect the company at all. All the work is getting done on time, as it was before I hired her, and I’m still expanding the company outward despite your constant fighting me on it.”

Wait, his father was roadblocking new expansions?

Confusion bit, but I shoved it to the side.

Not the time, I could ask more on that later. Right now we had another issue to deal with. Focusing back on Ludwig, I watched as his fists tightened at his sides until his knuckles turned white.

“You had no reason to do this other than wanting to interfere in my life, and I won’t tolerate it. If you try this again, if Thalia receives one more word of threat from either of you, I’ll be calling the police.”

---