Page 100 of Emergency Exit
“It doesn’t really matter,” said Stephanie without changing her expression. “He’s dating her now, and he’s not dating you. Which is fine. It just means we need to sort out the finances.”
“It’s not fine,” snapped Emma.
“Yes, it is. You know you were annoyed at him half the time anyway. He never wanted to fly anywhere fun. He wanted to work all the time with his weird little friends. He couldn’t be on time to save his life. And the fact that he wanted to spend thatmuch time with his family was bizarre. I mean, really, that one time I met his mother made me grateful our mother sent us to boarding school. I cannot imagine being stuck with that woman permanently.”
“Your mother or Ash’s mother?” asked Harper.
Stephanie gave a sharp bark of laughter. “Either!”
“Both,” added Emma. “But specifically Ash’s mother. Honestly, everyone would have been better off if she’d just kept drinking. She was so inconvenient to take anywhere.”
“I like Rose,” said Harper.
“You would,” said Emma.
“There’s your problem right there,” said Stephanie, gesturing fatalistically at Harper. “She likes his mother. Boys are sentimental about that kind of thing. You can’t compete with that. But, like I said, it doesn’t matter. Now you can go date Ahmed.”
“He’s married,” said Emma.
“What’s that got to do with anything? You know he’s been after you for years. He’ll at least pay your rent and take you someplace worthwhile.”
“I’m twenty-nine,” said Emma. “I need to be thinking about getting married.”
“Well, of course! First marriages are very important. But you won’t meet anyone worthwhile if you don’t go someplace interesting. Dating Ahmed will get you there.”
Emma made an annoyed noise.
“Can’t you get a job?” asked Harper.
“I sit on the board of several companies,” said Emma loftily.
Harper paused to consider that. “Those aren’t paid positions, are they?” Emma looked annoyed. “So why not get a job?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Stephanie. “She’s a Van Lanken. Do you know how embarrassing that would be?”
“Apparently not. But I don’t understand why you didn’t justinvest with some of Ash’s companies if you didn’t want to work.”
“I did, but those are long-term investments!” Emma seemed seconds from stamping her foot in frustration. “I can’t cash out until those companies go public, and if I sell my shares now, I’ll barely get what I put in!”
Harper nodded sympathetically. She felt the same about her 401k and Cooper’s stupid ring.
“And what good would that do the rest of the family?” demanded Stephanie, as if Harper was an idiot for even asking. “Since Daddy ran off to Aruba with our trust funds, the finances are a bit of a problem. It really was extremely inconvenient timing for a breakup, Emma.”
“So let me get this straight,” said Harper, reorganizing Stephanie’s rant into something that made sense. “Emma had Ash paying all her bills and made some sensible long-term investments for her future, but you did not. And then your father stole all of your money. So… you made Emma steal proprietary information for you to sell?”
“Yes,” said Emma. “That’s exactly what happened.”
“No, it’s not,” said Stephanie. “We just had you ramp up the information pipeline Mason had used for years. You’re the idiot who got caught.”
“Oh,” said Harper. “Mason had already been doing it?”
“Of course. It’s not like he gets paid enough as a professor, but Ash hasn’t been using him as much recently. Daddy really put us in a bind, but it should have been an easy thing for Emma to do.”
“And it never occurred to you to ask Ash for a loan?” Harper was having a hard time wrapping her head around Stephanie’s logic.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Stephanie. “That should have been Mason’s money, to begin with. Mason practically built that company for Ash. And Ash really needs to recognize that.Recognize it and pay up.”
“What do you think Ash is going to do?” asked Harper, puzzled.
