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“I don’t think its strength, Nate. I think it’s me proving that I am something. Something more than what my mother thinks. My dad was the only one in my life that made me feel like I was worthy. Not having him, my rock around anymore is crushing. I know it’s been almost a decade but I still miss him every day.”

She's amazing and has no idea. There's so much more to her than I thought; more depth. This woman stole my heart at the toss of her crimson hair. It seems every time she opens her mouth I find myself falling deeper and deeper for her.

“I know what it’s like to lose someone you thought the world of. My mom was that for me. She was the embodiment of bravery. She was strong, fearless and she never wavered. She held our family steady, even when my father was the reason for all the distress. I cannot stand him. Being in the same room as him makes my skin crawl and my blood boil. He’s like your mother I guess; an opportunist.”

“It sounds like they were made for each other.”

I laugh, “You aren’t kidding. My mother, Juliana Rose Whitmore—"

“Whitmore, Whitmore?” she questions.

“Yes, Whitmore, Whitmore.” I smile at her. This might be the first time that she's putting together who I am.

“Sorry, continue.”

“She was a natural beauty. My God, I never thought anyone would ever hold a candle to her beauty, both inside and out. There was this presence about her. She was elegant, but down to earth. She was always approachable and never let the fact that she grew up privileged tarnish the goodness she possessed. I've seen the same beauty in you, Laney."

“You’re too sweet.” she tells me.

“My mom came from old money, like Vanderbilt old. She and her family were always the who’s who of New York social elite. The money didn’t matter to her. She was just good, honest, and wholesome.”

“Like my father.”

“Yes, like your father. I think that was the one thing I admired most about her; the money didn't faze her and I’ve never really cared about it. It was always more my father's thing. It always seemed to matter to him. It still does.”

“Some people are like that, Nathan. The amount of zeroes attached to their bank account will be the only thing that matters to them."

“You’re right. My mom was young when she met my father. He was older, he seemed dignified to her and her young mind. She saw love and he saw money.”

“How much younger was she?”

“Fifteen years younger.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Yeah, my grandparents didn’t care for my dad. The age factor might have been the first sign of what his true plans were when it came to their daughter.”

“How could they? I’m sure they saw straight through him.”

“Yes. You’re right. My grandfather didn’t allow my father to just weasel his way into the family. He had to work at it and he didn’t like the hours he had to put in. He still doesn’t. He thinks because he was married to my mother he should be able to come and go as he pleases. That he's earned the right, but to me, he hasn't earned anything more than what I'm offering.”

"So he still works at the company?"

"Yes, he's still at the same building my grandfather hired him to run. He's still running it, under me and the board that I've personally hired to run Whitmore. Corporate life isn't my passion so I hired people to run the business, and to make sure my father doesn't try anything to gain control of the company. That's almost a daily battle."

We stop talking about my father and I tell her more about the amazing woman my mother was. About how she gave back to the city, made it her mission to make sure children didn’t go hungry. I tell her about the man my father was and still is. “When I was five, my mom had my little sister. Both my sister and I were the apples of her eye. She loved us...we were her everything. She was happy being a mother to us.”

“You were lucky to have such an amazing mother.”

“Yeah, it killed me when I decided to leave and enter the military. I had to get away from my father. I couldn’t stand to see him treat her so badly."

"How was he with her?"

"There was a lot of belittling. He would take verbal jabs at her, and she would always look the other way. She was raised with manners and respected that he was her husband; he just didn't feel the same way towards her. He didn't care where we were, if he was in a mood then he would let my mother know it."

"That's awful. My mom never said anything negative to my dad. I'm sure it's because she was afraid to lose the things that she valued, like his money."

"I don't think he ever feared her leaving him. That's not how she was raised, once married, you stay married." The look on her face as I said those words to her made me regret them immediately. "I understand why your marriage didn't work out. I don't think less of you for not sticking it out."