Chapter 53

Elodie rose, her eyes flashing. ‘Dad did put family first, but to him, family meant Mom, me, and my brothers. Not you. Not someone who uses blood ties like a dirty napkin to wipe up their greed.’ Sebastian’s face flamed crimson, his facade shattered. Cyrus stared at his plate and examined its intricate pattern. ‘Thanks for the dinner,’ Elodie continued, her tone icy, ‘but if you’re auditioning for a board seat, the answer’s a resounding no. Want a job at Northstar? Send your resume to HR like everyone else. And just a heads-up, you can skip the Christmas invite. I’m not exactly begging for an extra lump of coal in my stocking.’ With that, Elodie swept out of the room. The moment the front door shut, Sebastian flung a fork across the table, the silver clattering like a death knell against the bone china. ‘Fine!’ he roared. ‘You want to play hardball, Elodie? I’ll show you hardball!’ He snatched his phone, a predatory gleam in his eyes. ‘Go, it’s a go.’ *** Elodie slipped into her car, t