Chapter 7
Andrew came home that night.
He walked in, and when he saw May sitting in the living room, his expression shifted. "May, what brings you over tonight?"
Mom said, her voice distant, "Came to see you two."
He let out a sigh of relief, then turned to me. "Sweetie, have you thought about it?"
"What are you talking about?" I played dumb.
"The agreement," he said, sitting down, "You said you needed time to think. Have you made up your mind?"
"Almost."
A smug look flashed across his face.
"So..." he started.
"Here's my condition: raise the royalty from 300,000 dollars to 10 million dollars," I said.
His expression froze.
"How much?" he asked.
I repeated, "10 million a year. 30 million over ten years. And I want the freedom to license it to anyone I want; no exclusivity."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"Andrew, my formula earns you eight hundred million dollars a year. 10 million is barely a drop in the bucket compared to what it's really worth."
He shot to his feet. "Susan, you're my wife."
"So being your wife means I have to hand it over for nothing?"
He glanced at Mom, then swallowed his words. "You..."
May sat there, holding her cup, watching him in silence.
"Don't listen to her. It's some work stuff..." He tried to explain.
"Andrew," May said, setting her cup down.
"What?" He was stunned.
"Who's Crystal?"
The air froze.
Andrew's face went completely pale.
May said, "Crystal's the marketing director at your company, right? The one who got that one hundred million dollar bonus?"
"Mom, that was a normal bonus..." Andrew explained.
"A normal bonus? So you use your secondary card to cover her hotel bills?"
He turned to me. "You told Mom about this?"
"Some things can't stay hidden."
He clenched his jaw. "Susan, you're really pushing it."
"Pushing it?" I shot back, standing up. "You're out there blowing cash on hotels, designer bags, and shoes for another woman, and all your wife gets is pocket change, 300,000 dollars a year? And you have the nerve to call me unreasonable?"
"You..."
"Andrew, think it over before you come back to talk. 10 million a year, no exclusivity. That's my bottom line."
I grabbed Mom and pulled her into the bedroom.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I heard a muffled thud from outside.
He kicked something out there.
Then came the sound of a door slamming.
I heard his car keys rattling.
The engine started up.
He drove off.
"Sweetie," May whispered from behind me.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"You're not seriously asking for 10 million, are you?"
"Of course not."
"Then why..."
"I'm buying time. Four days left. After that, the agreement won't matter anymore."
Mom looked at me, saying nothing.
But then she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug.
She held me close.