Victoria sat in the police station waiting area, scrolling mindlessly through her phone while her father was processed. The humiliation of this moment wasn't lost on her—picking up her drunk father from jail like some common criminal.
Finally, Richard emerged through the security doors, looking deflated and disheveled. He didn't say a word, just walked past her toward the exit.
"What were you thinking?" Victoria asked as they reached her car.
"Just drive."
"Do you have any idea what this will do to our reputation? You, arrested for trespassing and public intoxication at Brandon's property?"
Richard slammed his fist against the dashboard, making Victoria jump. "I said drive!"
Victoria immediately started the car, recognizing that arguing with him in this state would only make things worse. The drive back to the house was silent except for Richard's occasional angry muttering.
As soon as they arrived, Victoria watched her father stumble inside without a word. She sat in the car for a moment, then made a decision. She couldn't stay here with him like this. Not tonight.
She pulled out her phone and drove toward Mike Sullivan's penthouse apartment across town.
---
Brandon's private jet touched down in Seattle just before sunset. He drove straight home, pulling through the gates that had kept Richard out just hours earlier.
"ARIA, where's Margaret?"
"She's in the indoor garden, Brandon. She's been there for about an hour."
Brandon found her sitting on one of the benches surrounded by carefully cultivated tropical plants and orchids. Soft lighting gave the space an almost ethereal quality. Margaret was staring at nothing, lost in thought.
He sat down beside her quietly. "You okay?"
"Yeah." Margaret's voice was distant. "I guess I should've expected Richard would find me here. It was naive to think he'd just let me go."
Brandon placed his hand gently on hers. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"I know I should leave him. After everything he's done, I should just move on. But I can't seem to make myself do it." Margaret's voice cracked. "Twenty-four years of marriage, even a terrible one, isn't easy to just walk away from."
"I know the decision is hard," Brandon said gently. "And you should take whatever time you need to make it. In the meantime, don't worry about Richard. He can't get to you here."
Margaret leaned against his shoulder, finally letting herself feel safe.
---
Mike Sullivan answered his door in sweatpants and a t-shirt, clearly not expecting visitors. His eyes widened when he saw Victoria.
"Victoria? What are you doing here?"
She pushed past him into the apartment. "My father's completely lost his mind, so I'm staying here for a while."
"Victoria, you can't just—"
"Who's at the door?" A woman's voice called from deeper in the apartment.
A blonde woman appeared in the hallway, wearing one of Mike's shirts. Her expression shifted from curiosity to fury when she saw Victoria.
"You swore you weren't seeing her anymore!" she said, turning to Mike.
"I'm not! She just showed up—"
"I'm done." The woman stormed past them toward the bedroom. "I'm packing my stuff, and you'll be hearing from my lawyer!"
Victoria watched with amusement as the woman disappeared. "What just happened?"
"That was Jessica. My fiancée. Or I guess my ex-fiancée now." Mike ran his hands through his hair. "She finally left because of you."
"Good riddance. She was boring anyway."
Mike's expression hardened. "Get out, Victoria."
"What? I need a place to stay—"
"I don't care. Get out. You've destroyed enough of my life."
"Mike, don't be dramatic. We're good together—"
"No, we're not. You're toxic, and I've been too stupid to see it until now. Leave. Now."
Victoria stared at him, shocked by his sudden backbone. Finally, she grabbed her purse and left without another word.
---
Elena sat on her father's balcony overlooking Puget Sound, enjoying the rare evening off. William joined her with two glasses of wine.
"How are things with the business?" he asked, settling into the chair beside her.
"Good. Lots of work, but I manage."
"Are you getting enough rest? You've been working sixteen-hour days."
"I am. Brandon's always on my case about it, actually."
William smiled. "He cares about you."
Elena felt her cheeks warm slightly. "We're business partners. He'd care about any key executive burning out."
"When do you plan on asking him out?"
"Dad!" Elena nearly spilled her wine. "I don't like him like that. We're just business partners."
"Elena, I know you like him. And there's nothing wrong with being both business and romantic partners. Some of the most successful partnerships combine both."
"Why are you so eager to see us together? A few years ago you were warning me about getting too dependent on him."
William laughed. "Touché. Back then I couldn't see Brandon's vision and assumed he might be out to swindle you. But now I can tell he's not only a good man but an incredibly savvy businessman. You could do a lot worse."
Before Elena could respond, her brother Jason appeared on the balcony, stretching lazily.
"You've only been back from France a few days and you're already being lazy," William said. "Did you sleep all day?"
"I needed my beauty sleep to look this good." Jason struck a mock pose.
William shook his head. "Why can't you be more like your sister?"
"Dad, I could never be like her. She's set the bar way too high." Jason grabbed an apple from the outdoor table. "She's the world's richest, most successful, most influential woman. I'm fine being the brother of the most successful woman in the world because that makes me successful by association."
William just sighed.
"She's got it all, doesn't she?" Jason continued, grinning at Elena. "Money, fame, and a good guy interested in her. So when do you plan to make your move?"
"Not you too," Elena groaned.
"Brandon and I are just business partners. I don't have those kinds of feelings for him."
"We both know that's not true." Jason bit into his apple. "You clearly want to bone him."
"Jason!" Elena's face turned red.
"What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking. Take my advice—make a move before he finds someone else."
"Why would I take advice from a player like you? You're on your sixth woman this month."
Jason shrugged unapologetically. "Monogamy just isn't for me. I like to explore and have fun. Life's too short to tie yourself down to one person."
Elena rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."
Jason's phone rang. He answered with an immediate shift to his charming voice. "Hey beautiful. No, I'm completely single. Yeah, I can be there in twenty minutes."
He hung up and grinned at Elena. "I have a date. But seriously, sis—make a move. Brandon's a good guy, and those don't stay available forever."
As Jason left, William chuckled. "Your brother may be a disaster in relationships, but he's not wrong about Brandon."
Elena's phone rang before she could respond. Isaac's name appeared on the screen.
"Isaac? What's wrong?"
"I just wanted to follow up on Brandon's sudden departure from Texas. He seemed pretty worried about something. Is everything okay?"
"I'm sure it's nothing serious, but I'll go check on him. Thanks for calling."
After hanging up, Elena stood and kissed her father's cheek. "I need to go see Brandon."
William smiled knowingly. "Of course you do. Just business partners."
"We are!" Elena protested, but her father's amused expression suggested he wasn't convinced.
As she drove toward Brandon's estate, Elena told herself she was just checking on a business partner. The fact that her heart was racing had nothing to do with Jason's teasing or her father's suggestions.
Nothing at all.