“I said, I quit. I’m sick of the way you treat me. You’ve spent five years making me feel guilty because of a bad judgment call. You insisted I marry Ben even after he cheated on me, and you took his side during our breakup.Thenyouforced me to coordinate his wedding. Who does that? It’s toxic as hell, and you know it. You can find yourself another event coordinator.”
He snorted. “You’re not going anywhere. You owe me a hundred thousand dollars.”
Her stomach dropped. If she quit, she’d still owe him the money.
But she couldn’t let the debt control her life.
“I gave you a chance to clear the slate,” he said. “Hell, I gave you two chances. But I’m done being generous. It’s time for you to buckle down and take responsibility for your actions. If you weren’t so frivolous, you might have saved up some of the money by now. But you haven’t, have you? You’ve just frittered it away, like a spoiled princess.” His tone was mocking, meant to put her in her place.
So that was how he was going to play it? Then she was done holding anything back. “As it happens, as of August, I’d saved up forty thousand dollars. But I invested it all in Connor’s winery.” When her father’s mouth dropped open, she couldn’t help but smile.
See how it feels to be blindsided, Dad?
“You…you betrayed me?”
“I did nothing of the sort. I made a solid business decision.” She hadn’t squandered the money on clothes or trips or jewelry. She’d invested it in something she cared about. “If you want me to pay off my debt, then have your lawyers draw up a plan. I’ll pay you back in full, no matter how long it takes. But I’m done working for you.”
“Victoria…”
She dropped the binder on his desk with a thud. “Have fun with the wedding.”
With that, she turned and left, slamming the door behind her. As she heard something crash to the floor—one of his framed awards?—she thrilled in the momentary rush of victory.
Until she retreated to her office and realized what she’d done. She didn’t just work for her father. Shelivedwith him. If she was truly going to quit, she couldn’t stay at home. Otherwise she’d be at his mercy. He’d hound her nonstop and remind her of everything she owed him.
But she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Though she’d started looking at apartments, she hadn’t picked one or signed a lease.
Shit.
Grabbing her laptop and blazer, she left the office. She’d retrieve the rest of her personal items later, assuming her father didn’t lock her out of Blackwood Manor. Or ban her from the Blackwood Cellars Estate entirely, like he’d done with Connor. Though she wanted to stalk out in a blaze of glory, she needed to apologize to June for dumping this steaming mess in her lap.
But June wasn’t at her desk. On top of her calendar was a sticky note written in perfect cursive:At the dentist. Back tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
Victoria groaned as she recalled June’s dental emergency. Though June had mentioned it on Wednesday afternoon, so much had transpired since then it seemed like a lifetime ago. She grabbed a Post-it from the desk and added her own note.
Wedding emergency! Call me first thing tomorrow.
As she left the building, she tried to figure out her next move. After the way she’d blown up her life, she couldn’t imagine who’d be willing to help her out.
Certainly not Rafael or anyone from his family. Not the friends who’d flocked to Ben’s side after he dumped her. Even her mother couldn’t offer assistance, since she was still in New York. But Victoria could always depend on her brother.
Her whole body tensed up as she called Connor.Please let him be there.When he answered the phone, she unleashed her tale of woe. He listened without interruption, other than occasionally cursing out their father.
“Fucking bastard,” he muttered. “I can’t believe he’d treat you this way.”
She wiped her eyes, frustrated at her inability to stop weeping. By now, her makeup had to be a mess. “I don’t know what to do. If I go back home, I’ll be at Dad’s mercy.”
“Come stay with me,” Connor said. “My guest room’s kind of cluttered, but it has a futon couch that turns into a bed.”
She unlocked her car and set her laptop on the passenger seat. “But that’s your office.”
“I can work anywhere. Pack a bag and come over. You can stay as long as you need to.”
His generosity brought a fresh round of tears to her eyes. “Thanks. I’m going to grab some stuff from the house, and I’ll stop by in a bit. Do I need a code to get in?”
“The codes for the gate and the front door are the same—2248. I’ll be home by six. Jess might show up before that, so I’ll let her know you’re there. Feel free to watch TV, take a nap, make us a gourmet meal, whatever you want.”
Victoria couldn’t help but smile. She’d never made a gourmet meal in her life. “I appreciate it.”
