Chapter 7 - Vivian Comes to My Office
Vivian arrived unannounced.
Emma’s receptionist called upstairs.
“Your mother-in-law is here.”
“Tell her I’m unavailable.”
“She says she’ll wait.”
Vivian waited three hours.
Emma finally went downstairs at five.
Vivian stood.
“You humiliated me.”
Emma almost laughed.
“You came here for that?”
“The bank wants us to sell the house.”
“Yes.”
“You could stop it.”
“Yes.”
Vivian stared.
Emma continued.
“I could also buy a yacht.”
“What?”
“Both are things I can financially do and have no reason to do.”
“You lived in that house.”
“I visited it.”
“You were family.”
“You reminded me at dinner that I was a daughter-in-law who obeyed.”
Vivian’s face tightened.
“I was angry.”
“You put your hands on me.”
“You fell.”
Emma stared.
There it was.
No accountability.
“Goodbye, Vivian.”
“Emma.”
Vivian’s voice broke.
For the first time, she sounded frightened rather than commanding.
“Where am I supposed to live?”
Emma turned back.
The answer came softly.
May you like
“Within your means.”
Vivian looked as if Emma had cursed her.
