Olivia thought about this for a moment, her eyes averting as she went to that place in her head where strategy reassembled all the pieces until it suited her.
“What I’ve just told you is confidential information,” I warned. “Only a select group of people know. If you leak this information, you’ll be one more person upon whom I’ll have to exact revenge, which, frankly, is just exhausting.”
She barely heard me. “After the product announcement, we’ll have comms go out immediately. We paint a picture of a Lachlan who overcame great obstacles, practically raised himself, and succeeded despite it all.”
“Benjamin is old tech. He has deep pockets and knows everyone in the industry. He’ll have a smear campaign ready to discredit me and my company.”
“Not if we portray him as the emotionally abusive, absentee father first.”
“No,” I said. “He and I have never claimed one another publicly, and I won’t start now. The last thing I need is my DNA tied to his and people thinking I got where I am because of family influence.”
“They won’t if we tell the correct story,” Olivia argued. “It doesn’t even require spin. In this case, it only requires truth.”
“I said no.” I’d been an obedient client with all of Olivia’s ideas and instructions, but this was a hard pass. “I want no connection to Emmerich. It’s the one thing he and I have always implicitly agreed on. We don’t share a last name, and my birth records thankfully leave him out.” Standing, I leveled a heavy stare at Olivia, needing her to understand the gravity of the situation. “Nobody finds out he’s my father. Are we clear?”
As horns blared with passing cards, Olivia nibbled on her bottom lip. “If that’s how you want it.”
“It is.”
“What if it’s our Hail Mary?”
“I can handle anything Emmerich throws at me after the conference.” I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead. “Especially with the greatest PR help by my side.”
ChapterThirty-Seven
OLIVIA
Lachlan
Where is it you’re going today?
Olivia
An amusement park.
Lachlan
If fun is what you’re after, I could think of a few things.
Olivia
Keep your hands to yourself.
Lachlan
Gaming, Olivia. I meant gaming. But if you had other ideas…
“Where have you been?”Elton glanced down at his watch at five o’clock on a stormy Friday evening, his dog panting beside him.
“Nice legs.” I cast an appreciative glance at his skinny knees, which protruded from a grass skirt. Then I waved at coworkers at the coffee kiosk. I could use a double espresso. Or three.
“It’s Beach Party Day, and you have been noticeably absent,” Elton said.
“My coconut bra was at the dry cleaners.” Closing my drippy umbrella, I walked with him through the lobby and toward the elevator. “I got volun-toldto chaperone Katarina’s field trip in Branson.”
“Ew.” Elton took a step back like I reeked of funnel cake and pork rinds. Which I did. “Youcouldtell Celeste no every once in a while.”
“And I will.Afterthe promotion.” I could not wait for that moment.Sorry, I can’t take your kid to the orthodontist because I’m in New York.
