When I Was Yours(35)

“You are a spiteful child, Adam. You always have been.”

There’s the Ava I know.

“Yeah, well, I learned it from the best.”

Looking down, she takes in several deep breaths before looking back up at me. “Fine. You won’t give me the part of Morgan. Give me another part.”

“No.”

“I’m still a part of this studio!” she yells, her hard plastic face turning bright red.

I sit there, unrattled. “Technically, you’re not. You’re just the woman who was married to my father and the woman who gave birth to me, and you’re here for no other reasons than those. You’re lucky I don’t call security and have them toss your ass out on the street.”

Her mouth twists into a bitter sneer. “You know, when I first got pregnant with you, I wondered if I was making a mistake, being married to your father and having his child. One day, not long after finding out I was pregnant, I found myself outside an abortion clinic.” She flexes her hand out in front of her face, examining her nails again. Then, she lowers her hand, and cold eyes meet mine. “I didn’t go inside. I really should have.”

When I was younger, shit like that hurt me. Now, it just rolls right off me.

It’s nothing she hasn’t said before to me.

And the truth is, there is no way Ava would have stood within a hundred yards of an abortion clinic. I was her meal ticket. But that’s not why she can no longer hurt me.

I stopped feeling when Evie left. Nothing will ever feel worse than that.

And this is how it always goes with Ava. I say no. She dials up the bitch a few notches and says some venomous hurtful shit. We argue, and she leaves. Later, she calls and plays nice, and then I say yes to whatever she wants.

And, really, what’s the f*cking point?

Honestly, I’m just tired. Evie coming back has just knocked the fight out of me.

Right now, I just want peace.

I rest back in my seat. “Yeah, you probably should have aborted me. Saved us both the f*cking misery.”

Leaning my head to the side, the cool leather of my chair pressing against my cheek, I stare out the window at the Hollywood sign in the distance.

“You can have the part of Viviane, the Lady of the Lake. It’s not the lead, but it’s prominent. Jason McAllister is in charge of casting. I’ll make the call and let him know. Check in with him tomorrow.”

There’s silence for a moment.

Then, she says, “What’s the catch?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “You’re welcome.” I slide a glance in her direction. “Now, get the f*ck out of my office.”

She quietly gets up from the chair and heads for the door, which is not like her. Maybe she’s finally learned to keep her mouth shut when she’s got a good thing.

When she reaches it, I say to her back, “And, Ava, I don’t want to see you for a long time. A really long time.”

Turning, she smiles. It’s a twisted kind of smile with just her lips tilting up, no expression on her face at all. “That’ll be no problem. Not having to see you has always been the easiest thing for me to do.”

She pulls open the door, and my Uncle Richard is standing on the other side of it.

Uncle Richard is my father’s younger brother. He’s CFO, and he’s actually a nice guy. It’s so strange that two brothers could be so very different.

“Richard.” Her tone screams cool.

It’s no secret that they intensely dislike each other.

“Ava. Good to see you leaving, as always.”

She sniffs at him like he’s dirt on her shoes as she brushes past, heading for the elevator.

I exhale in the knowledge that she’s gone.

There have only ever been two women in my life that could f*ck with my head.

One is the devil who just left. The other is Evie.

Thank God I don’t have to see Evie today. I might end up offing myself if I did.

“Sorry to intrude. Mark wasn’t at his desk.”

“It’s no problem.” I gesture for him to sit down.

He takes the seat Ava just vacated.

“So, what did the devil want?” He jerks his head in the direction where Ava just left.

I laugh. It’s my first real laugh in a while.

Sometimes, I think Richard should run this company. Well, I think it all the time.

He actually likes this industry and loves this company.

I often have this dream of signing over the company to him, and then I just run away. Far away.

But, I always wake up.

Even though this place makes me miserable ninety percent of the time, if I didn’t do this, I don’t know what I would do.

I guess I could surf every day and lead a quiet reclusive life, which is sounding quite appealing right now.

“She wanted to play Morgan le Fay.”

His eyes widen. “I hope you told her that she’s a fair amount of decades too late for that part.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Knowing Ava, she didn’t take it well?” he checks.

“Nope.” I drum my fingers on my desk, my eyes averted. “I’ve given her the part of Viviane.”

“Adam, you could always just tell her no and mean it. You owe her nothing.”

“Yeah, I know. But what’s the point? I figure it’s just easier to give in now than later. Saves me a lot of hassle.”