She whispered, “Mara… this is a joke.”
“It’s not,” I said. My voice didn’t rise. It didn’t need to. “You came in here, saw me, and chose cruelty. Same as last night.”
Lily’s eyes darted toward Jenna, toward the corridor where employees were beginning to watch. “I didn’t know. How was I supposed to know?”
“You were supposed to know I’m your sister,” I said quietly. “That should’ve been enough.”
Security arrived—polite, firm. Lily’s hands shook as she clutched her bag. “If Mom and Dad hear about this—”
“I already scheduled a meeting with them,” I replied. “They can hear it from me.”
That afternoon, Diane and Frank stormed into my office like they still owned the world. Frank’s face was red, his jaw tight. “What did you do to Lily?”
I gestured to the chair. “Sit.”
Diane scoffed. “Don’t talk to us like—”
“Like what?” I asked, tilting my head. “Like the CEO?”
Their anger faltered, confusion creeping in. Frank’s gaze caught the nameplate, the framed board resolution on the wall, the way Jenna addressed me without hesitation.
Diane’s voice cracked. “Mara… since when—”
“Since you decided I was a joke,” I said. “You threw me out. Now you don’t get to control the consequences.”
