8. Maxwell #2
More documents join the pile. "Bought her clothes, jewelry, provided housing, transportation, everything she needs."
Frank picks up a jewelry appraisal, his hand shaking slightly. "This necklace is worth twenty-five thousand dollars?"
"That's a conservative estimate. The earrings are another fifteen thousand."
Nancy's voice cracks. "You're bribing her?—"
"I'm providing for her." I lean forward, hands on the back of the sofa. "There's a difference."
Frank throws the appraisal down. "You're using money to control a teenager?—"
"She's not a teenager." My voice goes cold, dangerous. "She's nineteen, legally an adult. And I'm not controlling her—I'm giving her freedom from financial stress."
I produce the final document, place it deliberately on top of the pile. "And this morning, I finalized a trust fund with Millie as primary beneficiary. Fifty million dollars."
Frank's eyes widen. "Fifty million?"
"Yes." I straighten, adjust my cufflinks. "If anything happens to me, she's taken care of. If we end this relationship, she still keeps everything I've given her, plus the trust fund."
Nancy stares at the document like it might bite her. "You're trying to buy her?—"
Millie interrupts, standing now. "He's not buying me. I didn't know about the trust fund until right now."
She looks at me, shock and something else—wonder—in her eyes. "Fifty million?"
I cup her face, thumb stroking her cheek. "You're mine. I take care of what's mine."
Frank moves between us, breaking the moment. "This is sick. You're using money to control a teenager?—"
"She's. Not. A. Teenager." I enunciate each word carefully. "She's nineteen, legally an adult. And I'm not controlling her—I'm giving her freedom from financial stress, from worry, from every burden she carried before."
Nancy approaches Millie, hands outstretched. "Honey, this isn't right. He's your stepbrother. What we have is a family now?—"
"We're not family." Millie steps back, closer to me. "You two getting married doesn't make Maxwell my actual brother."
"Whether you're blood-related or not, this is inappropriate." Frank's voice rises. "The age gap alone?—"
"Is legal and consensual." I move beside Millie, hand on her lower back. "I'm not apologizing for our relationship."
Nancy's eyes fill with tears. "Maxwell, please. Think about what you're doing. This will destroy our family."
"Then maybe the family shouldn't have been formed in the first place."
The blunt statement makes Nancy flinch like I've struck her.
Frank's face goes dark red. "That's enough. Millie, get your things. You're coming home with us."
"This is my home." Millie's voice is quiet but firm.
"You don't know what you're saying." Frank points at me. "He's manipulated you?—"
"I haven't manipulated anyone." I pull Millie closer, possessive. "Millie made her choice."
Nancy moves closer, tears streaming now. "Millie, please. You're my daughter. Don't throw away our relationship for... for this."
Millie's own eyes fill with tears. "I'm not throwing it away, Mom. But I'm with Maxwell. I love him."
It's the first time she's said it aloud in front of me, in front of anyone. My hand tightens on her waist.
Nancy's face hardens, tears still falling. "Then you have a choice to make."
"Nancy—" Frank starts.
"No." Nancy's voice is steel now. "She needs to understand what she's choosing. Millie, if you stay with him, you're choosing to destroy this family."
"Mom—"
"It's him or us." Nancy's voice cracks. "You can't have both."
The ultimatum hangs in the air. I want to intervene, to shield Millie from this, but she needs to make this choice herself. Needs to choose me without my influence.
Millie looks at her mother, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to lose you."
"Then come home." Nancy reaches out. "End this... whatever it is with Maxwell."
"I can't." Millie's voice breaks. "I love him."
"Then you've made your choice."
Frank tries to step in, hands raised. "Let's all calm down. Maybe we can?—"
"There's nothing to discuss." Nancy cuts him off. "She's choosing him over her family."
Millie wipes her tears, and I watch her spine straighten. "You're right. I am choosing him. Because he's the only one who's given me what I need."
"Money?" Nancy's voice is bitter. "He's given you money?—"
"No." Millie's voice is stronger now. "Love. He's given me love. Unconditional, overwhelming love."
She looks up at me, and I see the certainty in her eyes. "You can't provide me the one thing I want from him the most. Love."
I pull her close, my arm around her shoulders protective and possessive.
Nancy's face crumples. "If you walk away from this family, don't expect to come back."
"Nancy, you don't mean that—" Frank starts.
"I do." Nancy's voice is hard despite the tears. "I won't watch my daughter destroy herself for some... some taboo relationship."
Millie's voice is quiet but firm. "Then I guess this is goodbye."
Frank and Nancy stand. The wine sits untouched on the table. The chef's dinner will go uneaten in the kitchen.
Frank looks at me, disappointment etched in every line of his face. "I'm disappointed in you. She's young enough to be your daughter."
"But she's not." I meet his eyes without flinching. "She's my partner. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life making her happy."
Nancy looks at Millie one last time. "When this falls apart—and it will—don't come crying to me."
"It won't fall apart." Millie leans into me.
"You're nineteen." Nancy's voice cracks again. "You don't know what you want."
"I know I want him."
Frank and Nancy walk to the elevator. Before stepping in, Frank turns back. "The prenup for our marriage included provisions about family harmony. This situation could complicate things legally."
"Then uncomplicate them." I keep my voice level, controlled. "Divorce Nancy if you need to. I'm not giving up Millie."
The elevator doors close.
They're gone.
Millie collapses onto the sofa, sobs shaking her entire body. I sit beside her immediately, pull her into my arms.
"I'm so sorry," I murmur into her hair. "I'm so sorry it came to that."
"They hate me now." Her voice is muffled against my chest.
"They're shocked. Angry. But they don't hate you."
"My mom gave me an ultimatum." She pulls back, face wet with tears. "She told me not to come back."
"She was emotional. In time, she'll come around."
"What if she doesn't?"
I cup her face, make her look at me. "Then we'll build our own family. You and me."
"I chose you over my mother."
"You chose your own happiness." I wipe her tears with my thumbs. "That's not wrong."
We sit in silence as the sun sets outside, Manhattan lighting up beyond the windows. This penthouse that was supposed to represent our future now feels tainted by the confrontation that just happened.
But I hold Millie close, stroke her hair, and gradually her tears subside.
"I meant what I said." Her voice is barely a whisper. "I love you."
"I love you too." I kiss her forehead, her cheeks, her lips. "More than I can express."
I pull her onto my lap, wrap my arms around her completely. "And I promise you, stepsister, I'll never make you regret choosing me."
She lets out a watery laugh at the possessive endearment. "You're impossible."
"I'm yours." I tilt her chin up. "And you're mine. Nothing else matters."
Outside, the city glitters with possibility. Inside, we have each other. And that's enough.
It has to be.