He spoke softly, his fingers tracing the curve of my cheek.
There was a time when my body responded to him on instinct, when a touch like that would have undone me completely. Now I felt nothing.
"I noticed Olive gets whatever she wants. Her family just buys it. She was sitting on a pink piano today, hugging a tablet, grinning from ear to ear."
I said it deliberately, letting the barb land.
Cole froze for a beat, then exploded. He shot to his feet, brow furrowed. "Why do you always have to compare him to other people?"
"It's a gift. One gift. What's with the passive-aggressive comments? Are you trying to pick a fight?"
"Is it Finn who wants presents, or is it you?"
I said nothing. I just lifted my gaze and held his.
The silence between us turned rigid.
Cole seemed to lose his nerve. He looked away, and when he spoke again, his voice had softened considerably.
"Honey, let's not fight. The day after tomorrow is Finn's birthday. I promise I'll have a big surprise ready for him."
"Just keep your spirits up these next couple of days and get ready for the Scandinavian trip."
I nodded, then excused myself to the study under the pretense of catching up on work.
The next day.
At the company-wide meeting, Amelia spoke up without warning. "While Carina's on vacation, someone will need to cover her responsibilities, won't they?"
"I'd like to volunteer."
A smile curled at the corner of her lips, her eyes locked on mine, glinting with provocation.
The room went still. Every head turned toward Cole, waiting for his response.
It was only a seven-day vacation. At most, Cole himself or a deputy could have handled things.
No one expected Amelia to demand authority to her face like that.
It was absurd.
"Do what Amelia suggested."
Cole drew a deep breath and turned to me. "Carina, just enjoy your time off. Leave the work to Amelia. She's perfectly capable."
Dead silence.
This time, every pair of eyes in the room shifted to me.
"Carina."
"You don't actually think I'm trying to steal your position, do you?"
Amelia's smile widened, her tone dripping with challenge.
Everyone could smell the gunpowder in the air.
In ten years at Farley Group, everyone knew I was decisive and not someone to cross lightly.
Even Cole looked tense.
But I simply smiled. "Fine. I agree."
No one expected me to relinquish control so easily. Only Cole exhaled in visible relief, a small smile surfacing on his face.
Before Amelia could say another word, I stood and walked out.
Cole hurried after me, catching my hand from behind.
"Honey!"
"Just hear me out..."
I turned and cut him off. "Hear what? That this entire meeting was designed to undermine me?"
Forget me. Anyone with eyes could see that Cole was using me to pave the way for Amelia.
And it had started with the Scandinavian trip.
His scheming ran deeper than I ever imagined.
I couldn't believe I'd missed it before.
"Honey, let me explain."
Cole opened his arms and pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice earnest. "Amelia is talented. She deserves a chance to shine and bring fresh energy to the company."
"I had no other choice. This was the best solution I could come up with."
"When you get back, I'll make you Vice Chairman. I hope you can understand where I'm coming from."
Vice Chairman?
What a joke.
Since the day Farley Group was founded, no such position had ever existed.
Just like all those promises about a birthday surprise for Finn. Nothing but empty words.
"For ten years."
"I've done nothing but understand you. Accommodate you. Make allowances for every difficult position you put me in."
I hesitated for a few seconds, then let the words fall with a quiet sigh.
"That's right! Honey, you're the best!"
Cole actually thought I wasn't angry anymore. After tossing out that single line of praise, he turned on his heel and headed back to the conference room.
