Chapter 5
Katie's face went pale.
Daniel immediately covered my phone with his hand.
"Miranda, don't make a scene," Daniel said.
I looked up.
His hand covered the back of mine.
His hand felt hot.
Everyone in the living room was watching.
He was still trying to calm me down like he always did.
He leaned in a little closer.
He lowered his voice and showed me some tenderness.
I pulled my hand away.
"Daniel, don't touch me," I said, my voice sharp.
His hand froze in midair.
Katie whispered, "Miranda, you're going to ruin him."
I looked at her. "Wasn't it you who ruined him?"
She shook her head.
"I never wanted to come between you two," she said.
"Then what do you want?" I asked.
She didn't answer.
I answered for her, "You want him to treat you special, you want his money, and when people call you Mrs. Conner, you get to play innocent and say, 'Oh, don't joke.'"
Katie's face went pale.
"You looked into me?" she asked.
"Your social media isn't private," I said.
Linda immediately pulled out her phone.
"I saw it too," Linda said. "She posted a teasing photo with a caption that read, 'Whatever others have, I'll get it sooner or later.'"
Cecilia was shaking with anger.
"You two..." she said.
Daniel closed his eyes.
"That's enough," he said.
"Not yet," I said.
I turned to Katie. "The earring is on the nightstand. If you want it, go get it yourself."
She didn't move.
Linda said, "What, not going up? Didn't you know your way around well yesterday?"
Tears streamed down Katie's face harder.
"Do you guys have to humiliate me like this?" she choked out.
I said, "I'm not the one humiliating you. You're doing it to yourself."
Daniel finally snapped. "Miranda, do you really have to do this?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
He looked at me and suddenly said, "Don't forget you wouldn't even have your job if it weren't for my connections."
The living room went dead silent.
My mom stood up. "Daniel, I dare you to say that again."
Daniel didn't care anymore.
"If I hadn't introduced you, would you have landed that deal with Skyline Group?" he shot back.
I let out a laugh. "So that's what you've always thought."
"That's the truth," he said.
Edwin frowned. "Daniel, that's enough."
Daniel brushed him aside.
"Am I wrong? No matter how well she's done these past few years, she couldn't have gotten anywhere without my connections," Daniel said.
I pulled out another document from my bag.
"I handled the Skyline Group deal all on my own," I said, my voice steady.
Daniel gave a cold, mocking laugh. "On your own? Seriously?"
I set the document on the table.
"They insisted on signing with me, not you," I said.
Daniel was caught off guard.
I continued, "There's something else you probably don't know."
Daniel stared at me.
Suddenly, there was another knock at the door.
This time, it was two steady, confident taps.
Edwin was closest to the door.
He went over and opened it.
Outside stood a middle-aged man in a black suit.
He was holding a briefcase.
He spotted me and gave a slight nod.
"Ms. Shelton, good day. The chairman of Skyline Group asked me to deliver the share confirmation document," he said.
Daniel looked stunned. "Ms. Shelton?"
The man turned to him. "Mr. Conner, you weren't aware?"
I reached out and took the document.
He added, "The chairman also said if you're busy with family matters today, we can move the signing online this afternoon."
Daniel fixed me with a piercing, desperate stare.
Cecilia was stunned.
Katie was so shocked that she forgot to cry.
Edwin was the first to react.
He stammered, "Miranda, you and Skyline Group..."
I opened the folder.
On top was the share confirmation for Skyline Group's new company.
I looked at Daniel. "You said I owe everything to your connections."
I set the document down next to the divorce papers.
"So, why do you think Skyline Group chose me over you?" I asked.
Daniel's lips moved, but he couldn't get a word out.
"That's impossible," Daniel finally choked out.
The man said, "Mr. Conner, Ms. Shelton is the partner handpicked by our chairman himself."
Daniel snapped his gaze to me, eyes wide. "Miranda, what else have you been keeping from me?"
I didn't answer.
The man added, "The chairman also asked me to let you know your mother has arrived in Creakville and is waiting for you downstairs."
My fingers froze.
Daniel frowned. "Your mother?"
Cecilia blinked in confusion. "Wait, Miranda, isn't your mom right here with us?"
The man looked at me. "Ms. Shelton, your mother said if Mr. Conner refused to sign, she'd come up herself and ask him to his face why he thinks he can bully a Shelton daughter."
Daniel's face went blank.
He stared at me. "The Shelton family?"
My mom stood by the couch, her eyes red but her back straight.
I pushed the pen back toward him.
"Daniel, sign it," I said.
His voice was strained. "Who are you?"
As I was about to speak, the sharp click of high heels echoed from outside the door.
An elderly but commanding voice rang out. "Who is she? You think you have the right to ask?"