Chapter 234

“How dare you humiliate us in front of all these nice people,” Mom spat toward me.

“I didn’t do anything,” I replied. “You are the one who revealed your true colors.”

“I was genuine!” Mom said. “You throw that back in my face!”

“If you were genuine, you would have apologized first,” I said. “You didn’t apologize once this entire conversation!”

“She’s always been ungrateful,” Dad said, speaking loudly, as if addressing the cameras and other restaurant patrons. He had no care for me.

“You gave me a roof over my head, and an occasional meal,” I said. “For that and only for that, I am appreciative.”

In my lap, I clenched my hands into tight fists. Noticing, Logan removed his arm from the back of my chair to place his hand over one of mine.

Taking a breath, I forced myself to relax.

Mom’s face was so scrunched up in rage that it was practically comical. Her words were aimed to hurt, however. “We never loved you. You were the worst child, and an even more horrible adult. You are a disgrace to our family name.”

“She doesn’t need your name anymore,” Logan snapped, his voice ice cold. He was calm in the way the eye of a hurricane was calm, right before the rest of the storm smashed into the shore. “She has family that actually cares about her now. She doesn’t need your name or anything else you could possibly give.”

Our food hadn’t arrived yet, but I wouldn’t have cared if it did. Looking at Logan, I said, “I’d like to leave now.”

“Gladly,” Logan replied.

Together we stood.

“Now wait a minute! Where do you think you’re going?” Mom shouted, also standing. “Who is going to pay for this meal?”

Ah, even more truth exposed itself with that outburst. Even though meeting here had been her idea, she had been planning on sticking Logan with the bill.

Disgraceful. Disgusting.

It was a miracle I had turned out half as okay as I had, with these two as my role models.

Logan, kind man and generous man that he was, pulled his wallet out of his pocket. Waving down the waiter, he placed forty dollars straight into his hand. “I don’t trust them not to pocket it,” he said.

The waiter seemed grateful, bowing slightly. “Thank you.”

I was willing to bet my parents didn’t leave very good tips.

Logan held out his hand toward me, and, after taking it, together we walked out of the restaurant and to the car.

I couldn’t wait to put this terrible place, and this unfortunate chapter of my life, behind me.

“I never want to come back here,” I said.

“You never have to again,” Logan replied.

When we returned to our apartment, we made lunch for ourselves in the kitchen, then sat down at the table to eat.

Logan watched me cautiously, as if expecting me to break down at any moment. Honestly, though, I felt okay with everything. Better than okay, really. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. For the first time in my life, I could walk without my past dragging me down.

“I feel okay,” I told him, at his fifth worried look in two minutes.

He seemed relieved. “I’m glad.” He paused, then spoke again. “I didn’t want to presume before, but… it would please me greatly if you would want to take my last name. I know it’s not worth much right now, with the way my grandfather has been acting, but –”

“I’d love to,” I said at once. “I’ve wanted to for a long time, but didn’t think it was possible, since we were being secretive.”

“Maybe it wasn’t then. But it is now. If you want it, it’s yours.”

“I don’t care what the name is,” I said, “So long as I can share it with you.”

He beamed at me. “Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield. I can’t wait.”

“Why wait?” I asked. “Let’s call Dylan right now.”

Laughing, Logan sat back and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He dialed Dylan, turned on speakerphone, and placed the phone down on the table in the space between us.

When Dylan answered, he sounded equal parts tired and angry. “Is someone dead?”

I was taken aback. Usually Dylan was easygoing and charismatic. He often teased us relentlessly. This, however, did not sound like teasing.

“Hello to you, too,” Logan said lightly. “Forget to each breakfast this morning?”

“I wish. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so sick to my stomach,” Dylan grumbled.

“What’s going on?” I asked, cutting directly to the chase.

Dylan sighed. “Senior’s called in all of his favors, I think. Even I’m not sure how he’s pulling this one off. His big friends in big places must be willing to face corruption charges for him, because I’ll be damned if I let them get away with this.”

“Away with what?” I prompted.

Dylan scoffed. “I’m being disbarred.”

Disbarred, Dylan would no longer be allowed to practice law in this state. It would also lower his odds of being hired anywhere else in the country, even if he could manage to get on the bar in that state.

This action would ruin his entire career. He’d have to start over. Or be a consultant.

But he’d never be able to practice.

“Did they give a reason?” Logan asked. All good humor vanished from his face. His features now were stern and serious, his eyes focused, his mouth a hard line.

It been a while since I’d seen him in business mode like this.

“They had the audacity to say that I was accepting bribes,” Dylan said. “They’re pinning their own crimes on me.”

“We should meet. We’ll call Mabel. Just get over here,” Logan said. “We need to figure out what to do next.”

“It will be difficult to do anything,” Dylan said. “I’m royally screwed if the entire bar association is in Senior’s pocket, which very much seems to be the case.”

“Together we’ll think of something,” Logan said. “We’re not letting you go down without a fight.”

“Just get here,” I added in, showing my support.

Dylan sighed. “Fine.”

Thirty minutes later, Logan, Dylan, Mabel, and I sat around the table frowning at each other.

“We knew he would go low,” Mabel said. “We knew he had reach.”

“I’ve been planning for an attack against me,” Dylan said. “But to pay off the entire bar association? I’ve been making calls all morning. If I’m not being dodged, I’m being outright blocked. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

“Senior knows he’s losing,” I suggested. “He’s backed up in a corner now. Cornered animals attack the most desperately.”

Listening quietly, Logan crossed his arms and started at the hard wood of the table.

“Yeah, well, that desperation sure worked wonders against me,” Dylan said. “My whole career, shot in the ass…”

“No,” Logan said, looking up. “We’re going to solve this.”

“It won’t be that simple,” Mabel said. “I can try to arrange meetings but if people are dodging Dylan, they will dodge the rest of us too.”

“I’m not talking about meetings. At least, not private ones,” Logan said.

Unlocking his cellphone, he opened his email, enlarged one and placed it down on the table for the rest of us to see.

The email was an invitation to a high society party.

Dylan cursed under his breath. “You can’t be thinking…”

Mabel seemed pensive. “It could work…”

I looked at Logan, awaiting his explanation.

Meeting my gaze, he said, “It’s time for us to stop laying low.”