Stepbrother Billionaire(48)

“Abigail Cecily Rowan,” my grandfather blusters, charging into the apartment with grandmother on his heels, “How dare you subject us to that?”

“Excuse me?” I reply, taken aback by his outrage. I knew they wouldn’t be happy to see Deb’s son again after all these years, but they’re absolutely livid.

“How could you blindside us like that?” my grandmother asks, her nose wrinkled. “Seeing that boy here, in our apartment—”

“I thought this was my apartment, too,” I cut in, “I do live here, you know.”

“Rent free,” Grandpa scoffs.

“I’m sorry,” I reply tersely, “I didn’t realize that meant I couldn’t have a friend over to celebrate my birthday. Should I clear all my guests with you, or—?”

“A friend?” Grandma hisses, grabbing onto my wrist with surprising force for such an old lady. “Do you think we’re absolute idiots?”

“Of course not!” I exclaim, “I don’t understand why you’re so upset about this.”

“You don’t understand why we’re upset to see you hanging out with that piece of trash?” Grandpa shouts, slamming his fist down on the kitchen counter. “Your father told us all about finding you two in bed together the morning after the wedding. It’s absolutely disgusting, Abby. You have no business fraternizing with someone of his kind—to say nothing of the fact that he was your stepbrother!”

“You need to stop right there,” I say firmly, yanking my arm out of my grandmother’s grasp. “You don’t know the first thing about Emerson, or what happened between us when we were kids. There was nothing disgusting about our relationship then, and there’s nothing wrong with us spending time together now! He’s a wonderful man. A smart, successful, funny man who I care very deeply about. Why can’t you respect that?”

“His trashy mother ruined your father’s life,” Grandma spits, “She and her jailbird husband were sucking him dry that whole time. And just look at him now! He’s an absolute wreck. He never recovered from what that woman did to him.”

“Dad ruined his own life,” I tell them, “Deb did a terrible thing, taking advantage of him like that. But he’s a grown man. No one forced him to relapse. No one made him refuse to go to rehab and get his life together. He let himself go to pieces. And even if Deb and her husband did set him off, that has nothing to do with Emerson! He and I were just kids when Dad and Deb got together. We were innocent bystanders to that whole train wreck.”

“I don’t accept that,” Grandpa sniffs, crossing his arms, “You can’t possibly think that the son of two lowlifes could be anything but a piece of garbage himself. The apple never falls far from the tree, dear.”

“No?” I shoot back, “Well then what does that say about you, with everything Dad’s been through? What does it say about me, when he’s such a wreck? Terrible things can happen to good people, you know.”

“You’d seriously have us believe that this Emerson is a good person?” Grandma scoffs.

“I would,” I tell her, “If you’d just try and get to know him, you’d see—”

“This is ridiculous,” Grandpa mutters, shaking his head, “I won’t hear another second of it. Jillian, don’t bother taking off your coat. We’re not staying.”

“What?” I say, “I thought we were going to spend some time together? Get something to eat, and—”

“I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite,” Grandpa says grimly. “Just seeing that boy, being reminded of everything this family has gone through...It’s too much. I won’t be subjected to this kind of nonsense. Especially not in an apartment I own myself!”

“You mustn’t see that person again, Abby,” Grandma says sternly.

I actually let out a laugh at this. “I mustn’t see him?” I reply, cackling at the absurdity of what she’s said, “Well, that’s not really an option, seeing as we work together, now.”

“What?!” my grandparents gasp in unison.

“I’ve just been hired by the creative agency Emerson works for,” I inform them, “I was going to tell you the good news over dinner, but. Well.”

“For Christ’s sake,” Grandpa mutters, “What are you giving him in return for getting you this job? Do I even want to know?”

I stare at my grandfather, gobsmacked. “You think I got the job by...what? Sleeping with Emerson?” I ask quietly. “You think that little of me? Of my abilities? I...I don’t even know what to say, Grandpa.”

“Say that you won’t get involved with that man outside of work,” Grandma pleads, “Especially not here, under our roof.”

“If you’re so concerned with Emerson not being under your roof, maybe I’d better move,” I say, exasperated.

“If that’s what you want,” Grandpa says coldly, “You can carry on with that man all you like, but you’d best not expect to have anything to do with us if you choose to do so. If you keep on with your disgraceful little relationship with him, I’m afraid we won’t be able to continue being a part of your life, Abby. You’ll have to leave this apartment, of course. And be content with never seeing us again. If you can live with all that, go ahead.”