Page 115 of Through the Storm

Grandma pats my cheek gently. “Of course I did. I’ve always seen you, Katherine.” She turns back toward the table. “I’ll appoint an interim CEO. Jack Winters.”

Declan exhales sharply.

“I trust him,” Grandma adds. “And unlike you, he understands family loyalty.” She stands and gathers her bag. “This meeting is over.”

Just like that.

I pause at the door and look back. “Thank you,” I say quietly.

My parents look confused.

“For what?” my mother asks.

I hold her gaze. “For teaching me exactly how not to love my own kids.” I take a breath. “And Declan’s right, by the way.”

My father frowns.

I meet their eyes one last time. “You’re not going anywhere near my baby.”

I turn and walk out before they can respond.

My legs feel strangely unsteady as we walk down the hallway.

Grandma slips her arm through mine like we’re heading to lunch instead of dismantling my parents’ power.

“No one gets to hurt you,” she says quietly. “Not even my own son.”

I swallow hard. “Thank you, Grandma.”

She pats my hand. “Anytime, sweetheart.”

Grandma doesn’t give us time to process anything. “Come on, kids,” she says briskly, grabbing her keys. “Let’s go see Jack.”

Jack Winters’s office is quiet. It’s also impressive, but somehow it feels warmer than my parents’ offices ever did.

Jack looks up when we walk in.

“Well.” He straightens. “This feels ominous.”

Grandma smiles thinly.

“I need that favor we discussed.”

Jack studies her for half a second, then sighs. “So they actually did it.”

“They did.”

He nods once. “That’s unfortunate.”

Grandma fills him in quickly.

When she finishes, Jack folds his arms. “Okay.”

Declan blinks. “That’s it?”

“What did you expect?” Jack asks. “She had a contingency plan. I had one too.”

My eyebrows rise.