Chapter 19 #2
I kept my composure because my father was a predictable man.
He did his research and knew exactly where Crescent Falls was and how the city was thriving and growing.
The Blue Ridge resort area was bringing in forty percent return annually which was double the average of what most resort areas earned.
The city was affluent and rivaled some of the larger cities across the east and west coasts considered travel hot spots.
Developing the area I purchased meant the potential to bring in what the Blue Ridge area grossed and more.
Beachfront was prime real estate, and with shopping and restaurants, I had a gold mine.
"If no one cares, then why are you challenging me?"
His eyes narrowed on mine. "I'm challenging you because Whitney is a brand. We have a reputation to uphold and this little project of yours demeans everything we've built."
"It doesn't."
"It does." He slammed his palm down on his desk. My father pushed his chair back and stood, walking around it. "I don't understand you, Scotlyn."
"Because you don't want to understand me."
"You're right, I don't. What I want is for you to be grateful that I let you have a voice in the company. I've given you more than enough. The least you can do is stay out of the way and stop complicating my life."
"Let me have a voice? Given me enough? You haven't given me a gotdamn thing.
I've earned it. When you handed over the development division, which you had no plans of truly letting me run by the way, our revenue was down thirty percent.
We're up three times that and you still can't show me the same respect you give Alex. "
"Why would I? I built this company. It's my vision, my idea, my-"
"Fuck you and your vision. You can have it.
I'll resign right here and now. I can do this on my own.
The only reason you haven't pushed for that is because you know what I'm capable of.
With me here, you can manage my abilities.
You would rather have me as an employee than as a competitor.
Don't think I'm not well aware of that shit. "
My chest was heaving but he seemed unbothered when he smiled smugly and shook his head.
"You're truly your mother's child. You are everything I loved and hated about her.
Your mother was brilliant but emotional.
She didn't know how to separate her feelings from business.
Feelings, sweetheart, interfere with objectivity.
For years I told your mother that when she babied all of you.
At least Alex learned to be a man after she died and stopped influencing him.
You're just like her and that's disappointing because… "
I blinked several times before I fully processed what he was saying and everything in me snapped.
I slapped my father so hard I felt the sting in my hand.
"You are selfish, hateful, manipulative, and sad.
I don't understand how she ever loved you.
I wonder if she ever truly did. She didn't want us to be like you.
She wanted us to be happy. This…" I waved my hand in the air, "Means nothing if it's all you have.
I hate you. God, I hate you so damn much for making me waste so many years working three times as hard as Alex so one day you would really see me and appreciate that I'm your daughter.
" I laughed bitterly. "But you can't because you're just that fucked up and cold and honestly I'm not your daughter.
I'm my mother's child. I never was yours and I'm grateful for that.
It should have been you, not her. God, I wish it had been. "
My father smiled arrogantly and just stared at me like my words didn't mean a damn thing.
"See, this is exactly what I mean. You're just like your mother, too fucking emotional to separate your feelings from what's important.
If the board votes in my favor, and trust me, they will.
You're done with this little project, Scotlyn. "
He turned his back to head back to his desk, but his steps faltered. When he grabbed the desk, I frowned, realizing something was wrong. Before I could get to him, he dropped to the floor.
I froze but seconds later I heard Alex. "Shit, Scot, what happened?"
"He… we were arguing and he…"
Alex dropped to the floor and started shaking our father. Everything around me blurred. People were in and out of the office.
"Call 911."
"Shit, he's not breathing."
"There's no pulse."
"Get a gotdamn ambulance here, now."
"Scotlyn, sit down, honey. Come with me." I felt hands on my waist. I stood there blinking, not processing what was happening, but my mind was on a loop.
I wished he was dead…
...and now that was what was happening.
"Hey…" Alex entered my living room looking exhausted, but his expression was also tight when he sat on the sofa beside me. He dropped an arm over my shoulders and I leaned into his side, tucking my legs beside me. "You okay?"
"No," I answered honestly because this was Alex and I could.
"Yeah, me either." He kissed my forehead and sighed. "This shit is so fucked up."
I tensed and pulled away from him, moving to the opposite end of the sofa where I hugged my knees and dropped my chin on them. Alex frowned. "What's wrong?"
"This is my fault."
He jerked a hand down his face. "You didn't block his arteries, shove unhealthy food down his throat, or make him smoke cigars obsessively while polishing off way more alcohol than a man of his fitness level should consume. This is not your fault. He had a heart attack, Scot."
"While arguing with me. The last thing I said to him was it should have been him, not her, and I wished it had been."
"And he said you were just like our mother in a way that made it seem like it was a flaw and not a good thing and it's definitely a good thing, Scot. The alternative is being like him. You and I are both so much better than that."
My chest tightened. No matter how much I hated the man, I didn't truly want him to die. I didn't want that on my heart or my conscience. Like it or not, he was my father. "I could have easily left the company. Honestly I planned to pending how the board voted but this…" I choked on the last word.
"Scot, this is not your fault. No matter what you said to him.
This is not your damn fault. Don't you dare carry this like it is, because if you do, I'm going to be so fucking mad that you're letting him hurt you more than he already has.
Fuck…" Alex jerked his hand down his face again then moved across the sofa and brushed his thumb under my eyes, wiping my tears.
"Elaine heard the two of you arguing. Every damn word, and shit, I'm sorry he talked to you like that.
If you wanna be real and place blame, we both made it happen because the minute Elaine called and told me what was happening, the first thought I had was how easy both our lives would be if the son of a bitch dropped dead.
But those are just thoughts and words. If you blame yourself, you have to blame me too.
However, it won't change shit. Neither of us was the reason his heart stopped, so I mean it, Scot.
Don't you fucking dare try to carry this. "
I exhaled a shaky breath and nodded. "I'll try not to."
"Nah, fuck that, don't try, you're going to let this go. He doesn't get any more of your tears. Fuck him, Scot. Blood isn't an excuse to treat people like shit. You're not giving him a pass."
I closed my eyes, still feeling overly emotional.
Mostly because Alex was right. I was more than justified for hating him.
All my life I had never been good enough.
I was penalized for being the living, breathing reminder of who my mother was.
I had always known he felt that way. Today, hearing him say it out loud, really hurt but what happened still twisted in my stomach and chest.
"He's still our father," I said quietly and Alex sighed, pulling me into his side.
"I hate to even say this but he was right when he said that you were like our mother.
" I tensed and Alex pulled me in closer.
"Stop. What I mean is that man was a fucking nightmare.
He was selfish, detached, and devalued how amazing you are, but you still feel something for him.
That's our mother, Scot. She gave you that.
She gave us that, taught me, you, and Val how to love those who didn't deserve it.
He didn't deserve our mother and damn sure not you.
You really shouldn't fucking care but I get it and I'm glad you do because it proves you're so much better than him. "
"You are too."
"Maybe but I'm still his son."
"And I'm still his daughter, but I'm not like him, Alex, and neither are you. We're both so much better."
He kissed my forehead and pulled away to check his phone when it vibrated with a call. "This is dad's lawyer. I need to take this. You okay?"
"Yeah…"
When Alex got up to leave, I thought about something. "Alex…"
He turned his eyes on me and I frowned. "Did you know about Carlton?"
"Know what?"
"About the arrangement Dad made with him. That he only married me because of it."
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Carlton only wanted a second chance because Dad offered him help with his family properties. They had a contract with terms about our marriage. A very detailed one. It's why he filed for divorce after ten years. That was all he committed to."
"Fuck, are you serious?"
I studied my brother's face. "You really didn't know?"
"Hell no, Scot! So you think I would have been okay with that? Do you really think I would have let it happen without telling you if I did know?"
I stared at him, seeing the anger and sincerity. He didn't know and I felt relieved so I shook my head. "No."
"Good, because I didn't, and I'm going to beat the shit out of Carlton the next time I see him."
I smiled. "You don't have to do that."
"And he didn't have to play with your heart. I'm sorry, Scot. I'm really fucking sorry."
"It's not your fault. You didn't do anything."
His eyes met mine. "And neither did you."
He walked back to the sofa, kissed my forehead, then held up his phone. "I need to call Garrison back."
"Go, I'm fine."
Alex nodded stiffly. "Valerie should be landing soon. I have a car waiting to bring her here."
"Okay."
My sister was in Chicago on business, or at least that was what she said.
Based on her text, she didn't seem any more upset about what happened to our father based on the way she responded.
She simply asked if I was okay and told me she loved me.
When our mother passed, we were all so emotional and devastated.
I frowned, thinking about how our father barely even acknowledged what happened.
He was at work and told me his assistant would start working on the arrangements and would be in touch because he had a busy day and unfortunately business stopped for no one.
When the memory surfaced, it was enough to make me pull myself together. Alex was right, we were much better than our father and I refused to give him any more of myself.