Page 68 of Once Upon a Prince

“Dax isn’t my boyfriend,” I said and looked over at Dax.

We hadn’t been sure if she had found out about us, her comment confirmed that she had.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with him. Time that you should be working. I didn’t send you up to New York to have fun.”

“You’re right, Cheryl. I’m sorry.”

“I am. You are so young, so impressionable. I thought you were smart like my Chloe, or resourceful like my Chantel. I should have known that you couldn't hold a candle to my daughters. I should have known you wouldn’t be able to do as you were told while you were away.

“That is on me. I realize I shouldn’t have just sent you up there without truly knowing what you were doing or who you were spending time with. Your father would roll over in his grave if he knew how you had been carrying on. How would I feel if something bad happened to you and I could have stopped it?”

Dax gave me a questioning look when I rolled my eyes but I shook my head. “Cheryl, I’m fine. I can take care of myself and have been for months.”

“Well, that remains to be seen. I think it’s high time I come up and meet this boss of yours and your friends. I’m not so sure they’re the right influence you should have in your life.”

“They’re wonderful people. I would love for you to come up and meet them.” I put more excitement in my voice than I felt.

“I wasn’t asking for your permission. I’m telling you I’m going to be coming up next week. It’s extremely inconvenient but you and I need to have a long discussion about your life and your choices,” Cheryl said with a frustrated sigh.

“What do you want to discuss?” I asked.

“You will find out when I’m up there. I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. I had thought you would do right by your father, his memory, and by all the good work I have done raising you. I can see that isn’t the case. Some hard decisions are going to have to be made but they are for your own good.”

“When will you be here?” I asked.

“Are you not listening to me? I said next week.”

“There are seven days in a week, do you know which one?” I countered.

“Don’t get snappy with me, young lady. See, this is what I’m talking about. You never would have spoken to me like that before you went to New York. I thought being there would be good for you but obviously it isn’t.”

“Cheryl,” I stammered.

“No. This isn’t open for discussion. I will see you next week. Good-bye,” Cheryl said and ended the call.

I looked over at Dax as he came up and put his arms on my shoulders. “Are you okay? How did it go?”

“Yeah. I’m okay. It went as I expected. She’s upset with me. She gave the excuse that I was being disrespectful and that we needed to discuss my future.”

“How convenient,” Dax said.

“Right? As soon as I looked into the financials for the company and my father’s will, suddenly she’s all interested in my life and wanting to see me. Yeah, I’m sure they aren’t connected at all. She’s up to something. I can feel it, I just wish I knew what it was.”

I paced away from Dax only for him to come up and pull me to him. He pulled me into his arms and I went. I pressed my face into his chest, taking in his warm, scent, and strength. It had been harder than I thought to talk to Cheryl. I was so glad that Dax was there to support me.

Dax ran a comforting hand up and down my back and said, “It doesn’t matter what she’s up to. What matters is that we have the ammunition to take her down. You had hoped to do it without having to see her but maybe this way you can get the closure you need to truly get her out of your life.”

“Are your lawyers sure that they read the will right?” I leaned away to look at him.

“It’s their job to understand legal documents. If they didn’t, then I need to get myself some new lawyers. The time of your stepmother manipulating you and controlling your life is almost over,” Dax said.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening. I thought for sure when she called, she knew what we were doing.”

“You’re giving her too much credit. She thinks you trust her, that you want her approval. Her ego is going to be her downfall as much as her stupidity.” Dax gave me a reassuring smile.

“Let’s hope so. I hadn’t wanted to see her but it would be kind of fun to tell her off to her face,” I said.

“I bet it would, and now you have that chance. Soon, my love, this is all going to be behind you. Then you can have the life that you always wanted to have. One that doesn’t include your stepmother.”