My knee bounced under the dinner table as one of my parents’ staff filled our soup bowls with creamy shrimp and crab bisque.
Linden subtly reached under the table and placed his hand on my leg to settle me down. Of course, Chloe took note and smirked.
Dad sat at the head of the table, and Mom sat next to him and across from me. Every time I saw Mom, she looked younger and younger with all the work she’d had done. Her hair was freshly highlighted to a bright blonde, which she wore up in a twist at the back. She was a beautiful woman, and if it made her happy, then so be it. You had to find your happiness where you could with Dad at the helm, who loved to take you down a few notches and made you feel small.
“So, can we move on with this? I had to cancel plans tonight,” my fearless sister said.
“Don’t worry, missy. You’ll find out soon enough,” Dad said, to which Chloe rolled her eyes. Whatever he needed to discuss,my sister couldn’t give two shits about it. She’d created a life for herself, and she was happy. I wanted that. I wanted exactly what she had.
Dad looked at my mother, who was softer around her. “Do you want to start, dear?” he asked her.
She wiped her mouth and took a sip of her white wine before pinning her brown eyes on me. “Hugh, you are thirty-five years old. Your father and I have been talking, and we think you’ve been a playboy long enough. It’s time to settle down—all of you. I have two children who refuse to get married and have kids. I have a nephew who does the same. All of you are in your thirties. It’s time to start thinking about families. You need children you can pass down the family fortune and business to.”
What the ever-loving fuck?
“O-kay… I’m outta here,” Chloe said, standing up and tossing her napkin onto the table. “I’ve already told you I have no interest in marriage and having kids. I’ve seenyourhandiwork.”
“We have raised you and given you everything that you could ever desire!” Father snapped.
“Psh, desire? We needed love, empathy, and compassion. Ever heard of those? Instead, we receive cold indifference, yet you expect absolute obedience. There’s a reason I left and started my own life as soon as I could.”
Before she walked out, Mom yelled, “Sit down. We’re not done. Then you can go.”
Chloe stood there with folded arms, debating whether to listen. With a shrug, she sat back down.
“Once each of you gets married, we’ll give you five million, just like your grandfather did for your father. You’ll receive an extra million for every child you have,” Mom finished.
What the fuck was going on? Was I living in an alternate reality? Yeah, they’ve nagged us to settle down before, but thiswas insane. They thought buying us would be a great idea? They clearly didn’t know their children.
“Ha!” my sister barked. “You two are pathetic. You’re so desperate that you’re resorting to bribery. Don’t want it. Don’t need it.”
Father’s face fumed red, and his hand was fisted on the table, trying to stare my sister down. If she had anything that belonged to him, it was stubbornness. “I could disown you.”
“Oh, don’t threaten me with a good time.”
“Dammit, Chloe!”
“You can’t fucking buy your children! You can’t force them to marry and have kids. Why couldn’t you just love us as we are? Jesus.”
She was right. And I was fucking over this. I was over this job; I was over being my father’s doormat, and I was not about to be forced into some marriage.
“I’m out, too,” I said softly, feeling strangely at peace for the first time.
My sister’s jaw dropped before her hands rushed to her face to muffle her laugh.
“Now see here—”
“No,youwill listen,” I said, standing, my appetite suddenly lost. “I’m tired of you all controlling our lives. My life has revolved around trying to please you, and do you know what I’ve finally come to realize? I never will. I willneverbe good enough. Fuck it. I should’ve done what Chloe did, and just left to venture out on my own… I quit. I quit this job and this family. If you want me in your lives, you need therapy to work on the damage you caused your kids.”
Linden stood with me, and as much as I wanted to grab his hand, I stayed still. “I’m leaving, too. I am forever grateful you took me in when my parents died. You took care of me and met all my needs, but like Hugh and Chloe… they’re hurting. I lovethem both and want to see them thrive. And I want to thrive, too. I only took this job at Cross Corp to pay back everything you did for me, but I’m tired. There’s no joy in it. I’m a creative person, and I want to have a creative career.”
Mom started crying, which was odd, since she never cried. Was it a manipulative tactic, or was it genuine? It was hard to tell. She wasn’t nearly as bad as Dad, but she followed his suit in everything.
“So that’s it? You’re just going to up and leave everything? The money? The job? Your family?” Dad snapped.
“Yes. I don’t care about the money or the job,” I explained. “But I’ve cared enough about you and Mom to try to make you happy. You never were. If you want me as a part of your lives as your son, with love and care, then I will be. But if you keep controlling our lives, I want no part of it. I’ll get the projects in order and give you time to find my replacement before I leave the company.” I stepped away from the table and pushed my chair in, trying to hide my shaking hands. “Thank you for dinner.”
With that, I walked out with Linden close behind. Dad and Mom said nothing. They didn’t call us back, apologize, or fucking anything. They were probably in shock. And I was fine with that. I had to be.
