Twelve

Of all the things he could have possibly said, that surprised me the most. He liked me a lot more because I'd sent his parents out of the room? And he'd said that, right in front of them.

Wait a minute. He liked me a lot more…

That meant he liked me before, didn't it?

I shook my head, pushing the thought out. I sat on the bed, my legs now too shaky to support me.

"What?" I asked, almost at the same time his parents asked the very same thing. Gloria smiled down at me again, reminding me she had told me the truth.

He shrugged and turned to them.

"You come into my house whenever you like and try to run everything. Let me remind you both that you contributed absolutely nothing to this, not even a cent, so I don't understand why I would make a specific rule and you will break it."

"So we no longer deserve respect as your parents simply because we didn't add to your immense wealth?" his mother asked, sounding and looking so pitiable.

"Don't try that with me. It won't work. I'm only s