Chapter 12 - The Patriarch's Demand
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Charles Miller took a step closer, his sharp blue eyes boring into mine. “You think you’re clever, don't you? Pulling a stunt like this in an alleyway?”
“I didn't choose the alleyway, Charles,” I replied, taking a slow sip of my wine. “You pulled me from the main event. I simply adapted.”
Vanessa stepped forward, her voice dripping with irritation. “You’re embarrassing Brad’s family again, Kate! Look at the press outside! They’re writing stories about a rivalry!”
I turned my eyes onto Vanessa, looking her up and down. “You came to my show in an alleyway while your own gala is happening five miles away, Vanessa. Who is really obsessed with whom?”
Vanessa flushed red, opening her mouth to speak, but Charles held up a hand, cutting her off instantly.
“Enough,” Charles growled. He turned back to me, his tone dropping into a dangerous whisper. “Catherine, you’re making a serious mistake. The Miller name carries weight in this state. You had your little viral moment tonight, but no major department store will carry your line if I tell them not to.”
Brad stepped forward, pulling his father’s arm slightly. “Dad, stop. Let me talk to her.”
“Quiet, Brad,” Charles snapped, dismissing his son without even looking at him. “You let her throw a ring at you in public. You’ve been soft on this from the start.”
Brad winced, shrinking back half a step.
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I watched the interaction, feeling a sudden wave of pity for Brad—and an overwhelming sense of relief that I was no longer bound to that toxic family dynamic.
“He really can't stand up to anyone, can he, Charles?” I said softly. “Not to you. Not to Vanessa. Not to anyone.”
