I looked at them for a long moment. Then I turned and walked toward the door.
"Grace Dickerson, you listen to me." Dad's voice was ice behind me. "If you walk out that door, don't ever come back. I don't have an unfilial daughter like you."
My heart went cold.
I have family. But I have always been alone.
A family like this—I can do without.
While I was at the hospital getting my wounds treated, a text from Ethan came through.
[What are you pretending for? If you don't hand the company over to me right now, worst case I'll just wait until you die and then take over the company.]
[Hand the company over to me right now. When the time comes, I'll see you to your grave. Otherwise, I'll make sure you die without a place to be buried.]
Don't get mad. I can't get mad at trash like this.
I immediately called HR.
I told them to remove Ethan from his position effective immediately.
All of my mom and dad's positions, my older brother's, and Linda's—all removed.
These people held nominal positions at my company and collected hefty salaries. I treated them like family, so I gave them special consideration.
But they had never treated me like family.
Then they shouldn't expect another dollar from me.
As soon as I hung up, my phone started blowing up.
Ethan had told the family group chat.
It exploded. They came at me hard.
[Gracie, it's not that your second aunt is criticizing you, but what does a woman like you need a company for? This is old Dickerson family property. How can you be so immature?]
[Gracie, your third uncle has to say a couple words too. Was it easy for your mom and dad to raise you? Back then, your mom almost died giving birth to you. Is this how you repay them?]
My third uncle's words were like a knife to the chest.
This was also the family's trump card for controlling me.
[Back then even the doctors said you couldn't be born, the risk was too big, but your mom couldn't bear it and took the risk to give birth to you. She says a couple words to you and you still throw a tantrum.]
The group chat piled on around this point.
That hard heart of mine shattered bit by bit.
This life really was given by my parents. I fell silent for a moment and made a decision.
There was no way I could give the company to Ethan. With someone like him, once the company got into his hands, it would go under in less than two days.