Claudia approaches, trying to come to his rescue. She laughs nervously, her hand fluttering as though to wave the tension away. “Well, you know,” she begins, her voice too loud, “managing the diner is so stressful?—”
“Olivia’s on a full scholarship,” I say, cutting her off. My tone remains calm, but the steel beneath it is undeniable. “She’s never asked for a cent from you, has she?”
Ronald’s face darkens, and Claudia’s laughter dies in her throat. The silence that follows is deafening, a void neither of them seem willing to fill.
Good.
Let them choke on it.
I glance at my darling girl, her gaze fixed firmly on the table. She isn’t defending herself. She doesn’t need to. I’ll do it for her.
“Where are the twins?” I ask, leaning back but keeping my attention sharp. “If the family is in such dire need of help, I would have thought they’d be here contributing.”
Claudia blinks, caught off guard, but quickly recovers with a flustered laugh. “Micheal and Sampson? Oh, they’re out with their friends. I figure they should enjoy being kids while they can.”
The words settle over me like a dark cloud, each syllable sharpening the edges of my anger.Enjoy being kids.My gaze shifts to Olivia, who still hasn’t looked up, her silence is a screamin its own way. She hasn’t been afforded that same luxury. While her brothers gallivant through their carefree adolescence, she’s been tethered to this place, carrying burdens far beyond her years.
“And Olivia didn’t deserve the same?” My voice is calm, but each word cuts through Claudia’s pretense like a blade.
Claudia’s face freezes for a split second before she forces another laugh, shrill and empty. “Well, of course, but Olivia’s always been so responsible, so mature. She’s different. Special.”
Special. The word tastes sour, as though she’s praising Olivia while simultaneously absolving herself of guilt. I don’t miss the way Olivia’s shoulders hunch as she tries to shrink into herself.
Claudia scrambles to pivot, her voice turning syrupy as she continues, “And we’re so proud of her! Halford University—such a big deal! She’s going to secure a great job after graduation and really help the family. We’re counting on her.”
Counting on her.The words ignite something dark and primal within me. This isn’t pride—it’s entitlement, a transactional expectation that reduces Olivia to nothing more than a means to an end.
Help the family.As if her accomplishments exist solely to serve them.
I force my expression into a veneer of polite detachment, masking the storm brewing beneath. “I see,” I say lightly, though my thoughts burn with fury.
Watching Olivia withdraw further is unbearable. Each interaction chips away at her spirit, her radiance dimmed by their constant taking.
Ronald mutters something under his breath and retreats to the kitchen, leaving Claudia to fumble with her forced cheer. I seize the opportunity, rising to my feet and pulling Olivia with me.
I take out my wallet and leave enough cash on the table to cover the bill three times over. Claudia’s face lights up at the sight, but my focus is already on Olivia.
“Ready?” I ask, placing a protective hand at the small of her back. She nods wordlessly, and I guide her out of the diner, the oppressive weight of her parents’ presence lifting with each step toward the car.
As I open the passenger door for her, I catch her mother’s gaze through the glass, her opportunistic glee still plastered across her face. Disgust rolls through me, but I keep my composure as Olivia slips into the seat.
Sliding into the driver’s side, I close the door with finality, shutting out the noise of Bennett’s Place and everything it represents. Olivia’s silence persists, but I don’t press her—not yet. I will wait until we’re far from here, where the stench of greed and entitlement can’t reach us.
But one thing is certain. This town, this family—they don’t deserve her.
And I will ensure that when we leave, she will never look back.
SIXTEEN
olivia
The car isquiet as we pull away from the diner, the low hum of the engine filling the space between us. I stare out the window, watching the sparse houses of Ashby dissolve into a blur of trees. My chest feels heavy, every breath strained under the weight of my parents’ words.
Nathaniel stood up for me, as he always does, his calm voice sharp enough to cut through my father’s clipped dismissals and my mother’s syrupy manipulation. Yet instead of feeling empowered, I feel raw, as if their comments have sunk deeper than before.
Beside me, Nathaniel reaches over, his hand brushing mine lightly before he speaks. “Olivia,” he says softly, threading through the silence. “Let me take you somewhere. Anywhere you want. Tonight is yours.”
I turn to him, blinking away the sting behind my eyes. “What do you mean?”
