“We’ll be holding a press conference shortly,” he says.“It would be incredibly meaningful if you could speak.The public views you as someone important to him, important to the organization.”
Important to him...Important to the organization...
“Plus,” the PR director adds, “it would help reinforce the narrative that...”
Something in me snaps at that fucking word.Narrative.
A clean, perfect break.
I stand so fast the chair screeches backward, skidding across the tile hard enough to make the entire waiting room jolt.Chase stumbles back but catches himself.
All conversation stops.
Every teammate.
Every nurse.
Every family member.
Every bystander.
All eyes whip to me.
My voice comes out rough, cracked, scraped raw by grief and fury.
“A press conference?”I repeat.“You want me to help your narrative?”
Ray lifts his palms, wary.“We understand emotions are high...”
“You don’t understand anything,” I bite out.“You don’t get to stand here like you were part of his life.”
“Miss Lane..."
“No,” I snap.“No more...No more statements.No more branding me like I’m another asset in your fucking portfolio.”
A ripple of shock spreads through the room.Marcus takes a step forward, protective.Kenzie grips Chase’s sleeve.Eli whispers my name like he’s afraid I’ll shatter.
But what they don't understand is that I already have, and now I’m sharp.
“You didn’t care about him,” I continue, voice shaking with violent clarity.“You cared about what he could do foryou, what he could sell foryou.What image he upheld.”
“Tessa...”Nate's coach says with a soft voice, but I do not care.
“You worked him to the bone,” I snarl.“You controlled his every move.You pushed him until he didn’t even recognize himself.”
Ray steps in closer to me, "Tessa, I know you are upset.We want to take care of you.The Kodiaks see you and Nate's baby as family."
Gasps ripple through the room, and I see red.My hands start shaking so violently that the ultrasound picture slips free and lands on the floor between us.
“Tess,” Eli murmurs, stepping closer.
But I’m not finished, I look at the man who treated Nate as a paycheck, dead in the eyes.
My voice drops to something lethal.“You squeezed him dry.You turned us into a storyline before we ever stood a chance.You took the time we should’ve had and fed it to the media machine for profit.”
Ray pales, as flashes go off around us.I hear a murmur, a sound growing around us, but my pain and hurt have shifted to rage, and it is focused on the men before me.
The PR director shifts back.“We meant no disrespect...”
