You can do this, she told herself.
‘I have an announcement to make, and I want to tell you all in person—not drop a surprise on you at the office.’
It was the truth. If there was a scene to be made, she would rather they dealt with it in private than have an audience. No doubt that would cause all sorts of rumours to spread like wildfire throughout the company, the way gossip often did. She didn’t want that for Brown Hughs.
Lauren narrowed her eyes. ‘Have you done something?’
Emma smiled. A full, beaming, megawatt smile. ‘Yes, something good. As you all know, a few years back I joined a small literacy charity as a volunteer.’
‘Ugh, that charity again?’ Lauren scoffed.
‘Yes, the charity, Lauren.’ Emma forced herself to remain calm. She wasn’t going to get upset or angry. It wouldn’t help her. ‘Recently I’ve had a few meetings with a large national charity, and they were so impressed with us that they’ve decided to merge our organisation into theirs.’
‘That’s wonderful news, honey,’ said her mother.
‘It is. Now we’ll be well funded, and we can reach so many more people. But that’s not why I’m here.’ Emma took a deep breath. ‘I have been offered a management position in the organisation and I’ve decided to accept.’
She looked at everyone, waiting for the explosion. They were all silent.
Maddison was the first to show any response at all. She grabbed Emma’s hands with her own, a broad smile on her face. ‘You’re going to be amazing!’ she said, elated.
Their mother, on the other hand, looked worried. But the sight that really burst her bubble was the delighted sneer on Lauren’s face and her father turning what could only be called puce.
‘Charity!’
Emma froze in shock. It had been years since she’d been yelled at by her father, and of all the reactions she’d thought of, this wasn’t one of them.
‘Do I need to remind you of who you are, Emma? Being a Brown means you have a responsibility. Each one of us has to grow this family’s standing and our wealth for the next generation—and you want to abandon that duty?’
Emma’s hands curled into fists. ‘Abandon my duty?’ Her voice rose, but she didn’t care that she was addressing her father. ‘How could anything increase a family’s standing more than doing charity work, Dad? And I didn’t say I was leaving the company tomorrow. I’m prepared to do what’s expected of me. I always have been. But what’s the point of me sitting in that shoebox of an office with all the potential I have and doing nothing with it? You won’t even give me a chance.’
‘Yourpotential?’ he said scornfully.
‘Peter. That’s enough,’ her mother said firmly, and for once he listened. ‘Emma, I’m so proud of you for following your dreams, sweetheart, but this isn’t the most appropriate path for you.’
‘Why not?’ Emma was struggling to get her words out now. She refused to cry in front of her family. Her throat burned from unshed tears.
‘Because we’re not people who can do as we please,’ said Lauren. ‘There are expectations of us. That’s how we got to where we are. You can’t walk around with your head in the clouds.’
Their father clapped her on the shoulder. Such a blatant show of where his approval lay. And Lauren’s smug expression was clear to everyone.
Emma shook her head. One person. Only one person at this table was happy for her. But there wouldn’t be a thing Maddison could say that the others would listen to.
Hurt beyond words, Emma stood up. ‘I wanted to tell you, and I have.’ Emma placed a folded glossy brochure on the table, so her family could see what she had managed to make happen. ‘I’ll see you at work,’ she croaked.
She turned to go but her father stopped her.
‘If you go ahead with this, that’s it. You will be cut off,’ he said.
Emma spun around. ‘Would you like me to pay back my trust fund as well?’ she spat.
Helen bolted between father and daughter. ‘Peter. Emma. Stop it. That money was to set you up for life and we wouldn’t ever take it back.’
‘Of course youwoulddefend her!’ Peter shouted at his wife. ‘She was a mistake from the beginning, and now she’s an accident that is costing us, and it’s your fault.’ He turned his cold hazel gaze to Emma. ‘You do this and you are no longer my daughter.’
Emma staggered back at his words. It was like a dagger plunged into her chest. Even Lauren had the good grace to look shocked.
‘Was I ever?’ she asked in a small voice.