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“Good morning, Ernest. You’re up early,” I say as lightly as I can. It’s just coming up to 7 a.m. in New York, and the realisation resurrects that ball of anxiety growing in my stomach. “Has something happened?”
My mind races with every worst-case scenario possible and every single one of them ends with me being fired and blamed for everything.
“Nothing’s happened. Yet.” My uncle’s voice is as stern and devoid of any emotion as usual. “I’d like a budget update on the London expansion.”
“I just got your email this morning. I’ll send the report later today.”
“By midday my time.”
“It might take me a little longer to firm everything up. I’ll have it with you by the end of the working day.”
“Midday, Finn.”
I swallow down the ire I can feel surging up my throat. “Is there a reason you need it so urgently? I’ve got other priorities, and—”
“This role is new to you,” Ernest cuts me off like he wasn’t even listening. He probably wasn’t. “And while the rest of the board are confident you’ll do a satisfactory job, I’m not convinced.”
Maybe I deserve that. Maybe it’s my punishment for what I said to Amber earlier. Knowing that doesn’t stop it from hurting, though. I’ve always known that my uncle didn’t want me to get the managing director position, but to hear him say it is a totally different thing. A totally different kind of pain.
“The London expansion failing won’t just reflect poorly on you, Finn. It’ll be on me too for having vouched for you.”
“But you didn’t vouch for me,” I say bitterly. “You were the one holdout.”
If he’s surprised that I know this, he doesn’t let it show. The unpleasant grimace on his face doesn’t shift for even a second. “Perhaps not at this stage,” he concedes with a shallow nod. “But I’ve helped your career at many stages through the years and championed various promotions you’ve received. All as a favour to your aunt.”
“Any promotions I’ve gotten, I’ve earned them myself,” I say through gritted teeth.
He barks out a sharp laugh. “Keep telling yourself that, boy.”
“Ernest, I don’t—”
“Send the report by midday. I’ll have it checked over and then sent to the finance department.”
“I’m supposed to have final sign-off.”
“Not anymore,” he says. “I’ll be signing off on anything budget related for the London expansion from here on out.”
“That’s not—”
“Midday, Finn. Midday.”
He drops off the call without saying goodbye, and I’m left staring at my furious reflection on my screen.
What anasshole. He knows just what to say to make me feel small.
I have no idea what my aunt Marion sees in him, and every interaction I have with him helps me understand why my father has never taken to him. Is this why he treats me so terribly? Is he living out his feud with my father by tormenting me? I wouldn’t put it past him.
I count back from ten, trying to will the anger I can feel simmering on the surface to settle down, but it doesn’t work. I slam my laptop shut before I do something stupid like call him back or send an angry email and push myself up onto my feet.
I need to go for a walk. Clear my mind. Try to think about anything other than my uncle’s smirking face.
Like Amber?
No. Don’t really want to think about her right now either.
But it’s hard not to when I reach the second floor landing and find her tucked into a little alcove, her laptop and tablet scattered around her. I know she can hear me — I’m not trying to mask my footsteps — but she doesn’t even so much as glance up in my direction as I come down the stairs.
She keeps her gaze locked firmly on her laptop screen as I walk past her. I have to admit, her commitment to ignoring me is impressive. The only way I can tell she’s even noticed my sudden presence is by the way her fingers falter slightly on the keyboard when she hears my shoes on the hardwood floor.
