“Don’t be ridiculous.”
It was precisely the sort of pressure-filled situation I’d moved away from. The heavy weight of responsibilities and expectations settled back on my chest. This was the moment I needed to take a stand. “My life is here. I’m not working for your company and I’m not pretending things are fine with Layton.”
“If you want me to invest in Kids Speak, then you need to work for me. Put on a show for Layton and his father. I don’t care if you marry him, but you sure as hell better make up with him. Do whatever it takes.” He hung up without waiting for a response.
I dropped my head into my hands. I had to go to the gala, but I wasn’t sure what I was going to do about the rest of it. I wanted to stay strong. I wanted to be my own person even if I was still a long way from figuring out who I was.
“Are you okay?” Avery asked.
I raised my head to find her in the doorway her concerned gaze on me. “Yeah, it was just my dad.”
“There’s no ‘just your dad’ when it’s your dad.” Avery leaned her shoulder against the doorway.
Avery didn’t know all of the details, but she knew he was the reason I’d moved here. “True. I have the gala coming up for my charity, Kids Speak. We were going to announce our intention to expand to other cities. So far, my biggest investor is my dad and he can’t continue to back me if his company is going under.”
“That sucks. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have any extra capital for it. I can ask for donations at the gala, but that’s not a long-term solution. Without his backing, I’d need to plan more fundraisers.” The money my dad was fronting was the reason my charity had gained ground so quickly when other nonprofits faltered. Without him, I couldn’t expand. I couldn’t help as many kids.
“What if we did something here? We don’t have the funds to invest at this point, but what if the firm backs it and we have an event here to raise money. Highlight why we need to expand in Anne Arundel County and the good it could do.” Avery’s voice got more and more animated as she talked. “We could approach possible donors. I know Dylan would love to be involved.”
“It gets the firm’s name out there too. It could work.”
“Will your ex be at the charity gala?” Avery raised her brow and moved a few steps into the room.
“Yes, my dad wants me to make nice with him, so Layton’s father will invest in his company.”
Avery slid into my guest chair. “He wants you to marry him?”
I grimaced. “He said he doesn’t care if I marry him, but I’m supposed to do quote unquote whatever it takes.”
“You’re not going to get back with him, are you?”
My phone buzzed with an incoming email. I clicked on the message when I saw the subject line Hadley’s itinerary and held my phone up to Avery. “His assistant already sent me my itinerary with airline tickets.”
“I thought his business was having financial troubles?”
“I guess I’m a good investment if I can get Layton’s dad to come around. It’s always the same. He manipulates me to do what he needs. Whatever benefits him or the family in some way, but this feels different. He’s threatening the thing I’m most proud of.” I glanced at the photo on the edge of my desk. Me, in my law school cap and gown, with a shiny ivory sash indicating graduating summa cum laude across my chest. Not even my graduation from law school topped what I’d accomplished with Kids Speak and if Dad had his way, we wouldn’t continue operating as we had.
“Is it the same this time?”
This felt bigger. Dad needed me to walk away from the firm I’d invested my savings into, to work for him, and make-up with Layton—someone I didn’t love or even respect that much. The thought made it difficult to get air into my lungs. “What do I do?”
Avery blew out a breath. “I don’t know. I’ve never dealt with anyone that controlling. I can’t even imagine having a parent who would go to such lengths. How important is Kids Speak?”
“It’s more important than anything. It’s the thing I’m most proud of.” I’d hoped the firm would be a success and I could slowly take back control of the charity from my dad. But it looked like that would have to come sooner than I thought.
“Then we’ll do whatever it takes to make sure it survives and thrives.”
“Thank you.” The idea of the firm backing Kids Speak and its expansion had possibilities. But doing what my dad wanted was a sure thing.
Chapter Ten
Hadley
For the rest of the day, my unease escalated until my heart thudded painfully in my chest, my stomach twisting into knots. No amount of pain medication eased my tension headache. I was no closer to finding a solution or prepping my case for the next day, so I decided to run home and grab work-out clothes to attend the adult Hapkido class.
I pulled open the door to Cade’s studio, my heart rate kicking up for a different reason. I was excited and nervous to see him. He stood in the center of the room in his black uniform, red and black striped belt, his feet bare on the mat as he instructed the kids. His voice was
