Page 2 of Objection

Diana sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes, making Serenity laugh. “Oh, don’t worry about him. You’re his baby girl, so of course he’s going to be upset that you’re leaving him. Plus, it doesn’t help that he has to find a replacement for you at the restaurant and grocery store. You know he hates change. Don’t take it personal.” After giving Serenity a kiss on the cheek, Diana joined Yolanda in the kitchen.

The music shifted to something they could dance to, and for a brief moment, the room was filled with laughter and good vibes. Once the moment passed, Serenity made her way over to the couch next to her sister and plopped down. Taylor looked at her and rolled her eyes with a pout. The gesture made Serenity smile as her eyes watered.

Tossing her arm over Taylor’s shoulders, Serenity almost cooed, “You’re still mad at me, boo?”

“Duh.” Taylor shoved Serenity’s arm from around her. “You’re leaving me here with our parents and putting a target on my back. Daddy is about to drivemecrazy now.”

“I told you that you could come to Rose Valley Hills with me.”

Taylor’s head shook. “Nah. You’re the one with big city dreams.”

“I wouldn’t say I have big city dreams,” Serenity countered with a smile. “I just . . . want more for myself. I’ve literally done everything I feel like I can do here, and I want to be more than just a waitress and cashier at our family businesses. I have two degrees that I’m not even putting to use. Why is that such a bad thing?”

With a sigh, Taylor’s expression softened as she took Serenity’s hand into hers. “It’s not a bad thing, Sissy. I know I might not act like it, but I’m happy you’re moving if that’s what you really want. I’m just going to miss you.”

“I’m going to come home and visit, and you can visit me whenever you want, so you won’t even have to.”

Taylor smiled and pulled Serenity in for a hug. Pleased with the conversation with her sister, Serenity looked around the room in search for her father. When she couldn’t find him, she went to the kitchen to talk to her mother. The hushed tone of the conversation she was having with Serenity’s father slowed her steps. At the sight of Serenity, Yolanda snapped her mouthshut. Walter looked back at her, and his shoulders immediately slouched as he released a hard breath.

Serenity took small steps in their direction, hopeful that time Walter would hear her heart, not just her words, and understand she wasn’t leaving him. She wasn’t abandoning him and the family businesses. She was simply moving to another city for the next phase of her life.

“Hi,” Serenity spoke softly, looking from her mom to her dad. While Yolanda gave her a warm smile, Walter avoided her eyes. “Um, I just wanted to say thanks again for the party. It’s been fun seeing everyone before I leave in the morning.”

“Of course, baby,” Yolanda replied. “You know we wouldn’t send you off without a proper goodbye.”

They both looked at Walter to see if he’d engage, but he didn’t. Huffing, Yolanda rolled her eyes.

“Daddy, I—”

Not bothering to listen to what she had to say, Walter turned and headed out of the back door. Serenity’s eyes watered, and her hand wrapped around her neck to stifle her cry. A part of her hoped her father would say something to her before she left, but it didn’t look like that would be the case. Though Serenity hated the wedge her leaving had put between her and her father, that wasn’t reason enough for her to stay. If she did, she’d only resent Walter because she wanted to leave. All she could do was pray one day soon he’d accept her choice and not take it as a personal rejection.

“He’ll be okay,” Yolanda assured her, pulling Serenity into her arms for a much needed embrace.

“He may be, but I’m not.”

“Any time you do what’s best for you, you’re doing the right thing. Sometimes that means hurting someone you love. You did it in the gentlest way possible, with no ill intent, so I don’t want you to feel bad about this. He’ll come around. In the meantime,I want you to go forth and soar. There’s a whole new world of experiences out there for you, baby. Take full advantage of every single one.”

Serenity didn’t realize how much she needed her mother’s encouragement until she received it. She weakened in Yolanda’s embrace, gaining her strength, hoping her mother was right.

Kaos

Several Years Later

Serenity Renae: I’ll leave quietly, because the absence of my presence in your life will be loud.

Istared at the picture shared with the cryptic caption from Serenity, being careful not to like it on IG. We didn’t follow each other, and I didn’t need my executive assistant knowing I stalked her on social media to keep up with what was going on in her personal life. While we shared some facts about each other during small talk and random lunches or dinners, we kept a clear, thick line drawn between professional and personal exchanges of information. We had a close bond during work-hours, but after that, I was only left with thoughts and desire for her.

As I scrolled through her IG account, I noticed a lot of the pictures and videos she’d posted with her boyfriend had been removed. Not all of them, because there were so many, but enough to know the couple had broken up. I hoped she wasn’tsad about the breakup because it made me happy. So happy a grin spread across my face.

“What you over there smiling about?” Tristan asked.

He was one of the other three managing partners at Montgomery, Pierce, Walker, and Gough (Go). It was crazy what walking in your purpose looked like. When I first left the mafia, I was confident, but there was a part of me that wondered if I’d made a mistake. Now, I co-owned the most prominent, prolific, and profitable law firm in Rose Valley Hills. The bigger flex? Our entire staff was BIPOC. Knowing that I’d helped create something with a powerful legacy that would go down in history made leaving the mafia worth it.

“Nothing.” My head shook. “Something online but nothing I’m about to talk about with you.”

“Oh, so it’s about Serenity then?”

Between his nonchalant tone and deadpanned expression, I couldn’t help but laugh. Tristan was the only one of the partners that knew I was insanely attracted to Serenity. Our chemistry was always undeniable because of our banter, but I denied any allegations. Not just because she was eight years younger than me at thirty-two but also because she worked for me, and a relationship between us would go against our nonfraternization policy. But Tristan? Tristan had a way of seeing the things most humans wanted to keep hidden. Even if I wanted to lie to him about my infatuation with her, I couldn’t.

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