Chapter 5 - WHAT SCOTT THOMPSON REALLY WANTED
Scott contacted me personally.
Big mistake.
He waited outside my building after work.
“Amber.”
I stopped.
“No.”
“Five minutes.”
“No.”
“This involves your father.”
“Then call his lawyer.”
His expression tightened.
“Marcus Sterling destroyed my firm’s biggest opportunity because of your family drama.”
“No.”
I started walking.
Scott followed.
“He was already biased because of you.”
I stopped.
“Did your proposal contain false information?”
His face changed.
“That’s under review.”
“Then review it.”
“Your father signed what my analysts prepared.”
Interesting.
Blame.
“He says otherwise.”
Scott stared.
“You’ve spoken to him?”
“No.”
That clearly surprised him.
I continued.
“Dad says nothing to me now because my lawyer told his lawyer to stop contacting me.”
Scott’s expression darkened.
“Jason is blaming me.”
Of course.
Everyone was discovering independence.
“What do you want from me?”
“Tell Sterling the dinner had nothing to do with business.”
“It did have something to do with business.”
Scott blinked.
“You were both his prospective representatives.”
I remembered Marcus’s words.
“He observed your judgment.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Maybe.”
I shrugged.
“But I’m not calling him.”
Scott lowered his voice.
“Your father may face civil liability.”
“That’s his issue.”
“You really don’t care?”
That question followed me for hours.
Did I care?
Yes.
I did.
That was the irritating truth.
I cared that Dad could lose the career he built.
I cared that Mom was scared.
I cared that their marriage was collapsing under financial stress.
I simply no longer believed caring created an obligation to rescue them.
May you like
That distinction changed my life.
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