“Amanda?” I ask, alarmed. “What happened?”
“Um… Things didn’t go well with my dad,” she says quietly. “He…tried to tell me to abort the baby.”
I’m stunned. To think that any father would tell his daughter to do something like that…! That’s a choice that needs to be made, not forced into.
“I changed his mind,” she continues. “Just. Well, more that I completely refused.”
“That’s good,” I say.
But why is she so upset?
“Lyle… My father is a businessman,” Amanda says. She sniffles. “He might not be as powerful as you are right now, but he is powerful. And he has a lot of contacts in several industries.”
“I…see?” I say slowly.
No, I don’t see. Exactly why is she telling me this? And why are her words making a ball of dread curl up in my stomach?
“What I mean is that…when my father makes threats, he follows through,” Amanda continues. “He’s powerful enough to cause a lot of trouble.”
My heart drops.
“Did your father threaten you?” I demand.
“Not…not me,” Amanda says weakly.
And, abruptly the answer becomes clear.
“Me,” I say in sudden realization. “He threatened me.”
“And your company,” Amanda says miserably. “I don’t know what he has, exactly, but he has a file of information that he threatened to release. He said it would ruin you.”
I try to think what that could be. But I’ve only owned the company for two years. I have no idea what dark secrets it might be hiding.
“So…what did he ask for?” I ask, dreading the answer.
I don’t really need to ask. I already know what he
told her to do.
“He said we need to break up,” Amanda says. “For real this time. I’m sorry, Lyle.”
To think, only moments ago, I was so incredibly happy because things had finally gone right for me.
“It’s… It was either break up with you, or watch you get ruined,” Amanda continues. “I couldn’t do that. And…” She hesitates before forging ahead. “For years, I’ve wanted to become my father’s successor. Not doing as he asks now might…”
“It might take you out of the running completely,” I finish.
“I’m sorry,” she says again. “I know it sounds selfish, but…”
“You told me, didn’t you?” I say, trying for humor. “You said work was your priority.” She doesn’t laugh and I sigh. So much for that. “Amanda, its okay. We’ve known each other for a month, if that. I’m not going to ask you to pick me over your lifelong dream, you know. I completely understand.”
“Part of me wishes you wouldn’t,” Amanda admits.
“Would you feel better if I was angry?” I ask.
“Yes, no… Maybe?”
I chuckle.