Chapter 27
Stella
It’s official. This is the worst Christmas party I’ve ever been to.
It seems the Finlay’s follow the children should be seen and not heard mentality, even when those children are adults.
I’ve spoken a handful of sentences since arriving here, and each one only seems to make things worse and I have no idea how that can be.
I’m barely listening to James’ mom as she guides me through a series of hallways, telling me about a Monet that she has to get her hands on.
Don’t rich people have better things to do with their money?
When we finally arrive at a room where the walls are adorned with an insane amount of artwork on them, Mrs. Finlay finally speaks directly to me, her friendly facade dropped.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.
” Mrs. Finlay doesn’t look at me as she speaks, staring at the collection of macabre art lining the walls.
“Our family has dealt with people like you for a long time.” She moves to stand in front of a piece that has a terrifying depiction of some Greek mythological horror.
There’s blood, limbs, and some kind of monster featured in the middle.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, suddenly very confused.
“Your father.”
My breath halts, my heart twisting painfully.
“You think you can get money out of us.”
“I don’t—”
“I’m not quite that stupid, dear. Kurt was a longtime employee. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize your last name?”
“You did a background check on me?” My head is spinning. How else would she know my dad’s name? I know about the P.I., how they found out I was a part of their son’s life, but I have no idea how much she knows about me and my family.
“Oh, it’s a clever little thing,” she says to herself in venomous delight.
“And now you show up here, with my son, right as he’s about to come into his inheritance.
” I shake my head, barely believing what I’m hearing.
“You’re here to get what you think you’re owed, payment for your father’s…
accident.” She spins on her heel and prowls towards me.
“And let me tell you, we don’t owe you a goddamn thing.
” The unfaltering smile from lunch is gone, replaced by wrath and hatred.
I start to move out of the room, unable to take any more of this, but she pulls me towards her and tucks me under her arm, squeezing me too tightly.
“However, I have a proposition for you.”
“I don’t want anything from you,” I snarl.
“You somehow have my son under your grimy little spell, so I’ll tell you what. We will pay off your outstanding debt.”
I gasp at that.
“Why would you do that?”
“Because you’re going to convince him to quit his insipid little band.”
“I would never—”
“And then you’re going to leave him. He is about to become a much more influential person, and he doesn’t need some child hanging onto him, lurking around waiting for a handout.” She glares down at me, like I’m nothing except the scum under her shoe.
“And if I don’t?”
“We can make things very… uncomfortable for you. We build, but we also own a lot of properties, ones that should be condemned and torn down. Much like this cute little apartment building on Windermere drive.”
I blanche.
“It has the loveliest blue exterior, don’t you think?
I hear that some of the residents might have a drug problem though.
It would be a shame for such a bright young thing as yourself to get caught up in such a thing.
Especially when having a record can limit opportunities with jobs.
” I scoff at her. “Or travel.” She pulls a key out of her pocket that looks exactly like the one for my building’s entrance.
“How do you have that, when did you…?” I’m struggling to understand how they happen to own my apartment building.
“We keep track of our… liabilities. Remember, you don’t matter in this equation. There are bigger players than yourself, and you are insignificant in comparison.”
I rip myself from her hold.
“You can’t prove anything. You have nothing on me.”
“But I do have friends in high places, and it would be far too easy to turn that building into rubble. You don’t stand a chance.
” Gone is the soft-spoken, elegant hostess, and in her place stands a vicious woman, ready to do whatever it takes.
“Consider my offer, because it’s the only kindness you’ll get from me.
” She pockets the key and switches on her hostess smile.
“Now let’s get back to the dining room! I’m sure dessert is ready to be served now.”
I wonder to myself how much James will care if I slap his mom.
James
Dad had nothing to say that I hadn’t heard before.
I’m a liability the longer I put off joining the company.
I’m only hurting my future prospects. The board doesn’t think I’m committed to being there (I’m not).
I would tell him off if I thought it would make a difference.
At this point, I’m used to hearing how I’m doing everything wrong.
At some point, I’ll be pulled back, but it’s relieving to be rebellious for even a short while longer.
Today, he manages to surprise me.
“How attached are you to this girl?” It’s not at all what I’m expecting from him.
Cursing, insults, maybe a threat or two.
Curiosity, however, is not something I’ve come to expect from my father.
I turn to him with a suspicious scowl. It’s obvious that I take after my father when his face twists into a sneer to rival my own.
I guess we’re dropping the mask of politeness.
“Before you speak, remember your place, son. It’s high time you fell in line.” Father reaches for the envelope next to him. He slides it across the table to me, tapping it. “You don’t know your little plaything as well as you think.” He leans back, folding his arms across his broad chest.
“You don’t know a damn thing about her.” I grit through my teeth. The curl of his lip makes my skin crawl.
“Oh, but I do.” He nods to the envelope.
I hate this. I hate feeling so powerless, so useless. Whenever I’m in this house, all I can think of are ways to get out, ways to leave.
Every visit is a game to them. At least this time I can see all the cards.
I excuse myself to use the washroom for a bit, just to get away from him. As I walk down the hallway, I can hear mother and Stella speaking.
“You somehow have my son under your grimy little spell, so I’ll tell you what. We will pay off your outstanding debt.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because you’re going to convince him to quit his insipid little band.”
“I would never—”
“And then you’re going to leave him. He is about to become a much more influential person, and he doesn’t need some child hanging around waiting for a handout.”
I’m vibrating with rage as I try to keep myself from storming in there. Why did I ever think this would be a nice, normal family Christmas? Also, why the fuck does my mother think that I’m so na?ve that I would follow any hot girl around?
I should have known this would happen. I knew there had to be a reason that my parents invited her over today.
I think back to Stella’s words, how she hoped it would be a genuine interest, wanting to be closer to me, but it was too good to be true.
They’re trying to use her to get me back under their thumb, getting her to help them manipulate me.
That’s not the kind of person Stella is. I know that deep in my bones.
But what if they get to her? They had a P.I. follow her, they’re threatening her. There must be something in this envelope they think will get her to cave. What could it possibly be? This sweet, innocent, bratty, selfless woman isn’t someone who even has a closet to put a skeleton into.
I walk back into the dining room, knowing that intervening now won’t help anyone.
I’ve learned by now that muscling through it and keeping your mouth shut is the better option when they get like this.
My dad is still scrolling through some article on his phone, pointedly ignoring me.
My anger is seeping from my pores and I’m glad I won’t have to speak with him.
When Mother and Stella stroll back into the room with Mother’s arm wrapped around Stella’s shoulders, Mother looks far too pleased with herself. The smug smile that she can’t seem to keep off her face is reflected in the tight grip that she has on Stella’s arm until they retake their seats.
“We’re ready for dessert!” Mother announces, as though we’re all one big happy family.
Stella, on the other hand, looks to be contemplating the ramifications of assault and battery.
I can’t blame her after the threats my mother issued.
Her knuckles are white, wrapped tightly around the butter knife in her hand from her place setting that has yet to be cleared.
Maybe she’s nervous? I risk a glance up at her.
Nope. She is definitely imagining stabbing someone right now. It’s kind of hot. Her eyes are screaming murder, and I kind of want to fuck the anger out of her.
Seems like a better option than staying here.
“Actually, we have to get going,” I announce, gesturing for Stella to stand with me, snagging the large envelope off the table right as the door to the kitchen opens and dessert is carried out.
“Are you sure?” My mother’s voice cuts like glass. “It’s your favourite. And it would be rude to leave in the middle of a meal.” She pointedly looks back at my seat, demanding I return to it.
“I’m sure. Lunch didn’t agree with me.” I fix her with a stare, one that I learned from her. Her jaw twitches and her eyes narrow before she relents and waves away the kitchen staff. The deep breath of relief that leaves me is difficult to mask.
The terse goodbyes at the door go on longer than they need to, my mother clinging to me unnecessarily, like I’m going off to war, or as though she likes me at all.
It must be a show for Stella’s benefit. I don’t miss the look my mother sends her before we pull out of the driveway. You could cut the tension in the car with a knife as I make the slow, winding journey to the end of the drive where it meets the road and throw the car into park.
Silence steeps the car as we sit idle for a moment.
I stare straight ahead, gripping the steering wheel for dear life, replaying every last moment of that fucking horror show.
Even Stella, Perky McHappy, seems shaken by the interactions that were forced on us today.
I hear her let out a long sigh before I see her turn to face me in my peripheral vision.
“So, like, how profitable is it to be a gold digger?” I turn to glare at Stella and her shit-eating grin. “Asking for a friend.”