Page 114 of Through the Storm

My father’s face darkens. “You’re removing us?”

“I’mrecommendingyour removal,” she corrects. “And given my ownership position, I’m very comfortable with how that vote is likely to go.”

My father stands. “This is insane.”

“You will retain your shares,” Grandma continues as if he hasn’t spoken. “You will not retain authority.”

My mother’s composure finally cracks. “You can’t seriously endorse this behavior. It’s beneath Montgomery values.”

Heat rushes to my face. “Beneath—Mom, it was one mistake.”

“I heard it was five mistakes, apparently.” Mom’s voice cuts.

I flinch.

Declan steps forward so fast the table rattles. “You do not talk to her like that.”

Dad’s expression hardens. “This doesn’t concern you, Declan.”

“The hell it doesn’t.”

Mom folds her arms. “Actions have consequences.”

“Yeah,” Declan fires back. “They do.” He leans forward slightly. “Like maybe losing access to your grandkids one day if you keep acting like this.”

Mom’s lips part, scandalized. Dad turns red.

“Enough,” Grandma says.

The room freezes.

She points a manicured finger toward my father. “Your father built this company from the ground up.” Her voice drops. “And you’ve clearly forgotten what kind of man he was.”

Mom opens her mouth. “Patricia?—”

Grandma leans forward slightly. “The man I married would have protected his granddaughter. No matter what. He would have been ashamed to know that his only son became a man who stood by while his wife treated his children like this.”

The words land like a blow.

My father goes pale.

“And you,” she says, turning to my mother, “have spent so long protecting appearances that you’ve forgotten how to love people.Thatis what’s beneath Montgomery values.”

For the first time in my life, my mother looks rattled.

But my grandma keeps going. “You’ve spent years telling yourself your children held you back. But the only one responsible for your professional failures is you.”

Grandma straightens and turns to me. Her expression softens instantly. “Oh, sweetheart,” she murmurs, cupping my cheek. “You’renot the one who made a terrible mistake here.”

Something inside me cracks open. It was never about the money. What hurt was knowing they were willing to use it to hurt me.

No one had ever chosen me over them before. Not the way Grandma and Declan just did.

Grandma studies my face for a moment longer, something knowing in her expression. “You’ve always been more capable than they gave you credit for,” she says quietly. Her lips curve faintly. “Your books proved that.”

I blink.

“You knew?”