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My laptop pings with an email notice. It’s a letter for all company employees alerting us that, although I’ve been named the successor, recent media coverage means the board will convene this afternoon for the final decision.

It’s almost word for word from the article that went live online earlier today.

Fucking. Fan. Tastic.

I close out of my email and return to the project I’ve been working on since I arrived at the office this morning. Work is the best way to distract myself right now.

I’ve been going back and forth between splitting up a new company we just bought and the letter I’ve been drafting for the board on why we need to acquire some new companies.

I’m writing the closing pitch when my door bursts open.

“Are you seriously going to just let her go like that?” my sister asks, storming into my office with my niece on her hip. She coos when she sees me, a huge smile spreading on her face as I reach for her.

“No.” My sister turns her daughter to the side. “No cute uncle-niece things until you tell me what’s going on.”

I sigh. “That’s not nice.”

“Nice? What’s not nice is finding out that my brother has been pretending to be engaged to one of my longtime friends for two months now, and he never told me about it. Nor did she. Frankly, I’m mad at both of you.”

By the sound of her voice, she’s been holding this one in. I don’t blame her. I find her tone fully understandable.

Still, everyone has something to say about what’s going on, but the only person I want to talk to doesn’t want to talk to me.

“Is she done scolding you?” My brother-in-law, Graham, comes in with my nephew at his side, holding his hand.

“Mommy’s mad,” he says and then looks at me. “Uncle Peeeee!”

I roll my eyes. “We need to teach him to call me something else.”

My sister laughs. “No, Uncle P is perfect for you.”

I sigh, picking up my nephew and putting him in my chair to spin—gently, of course.

“It’s complicated, Paige.”

“Or it’s not. Either you were lying or you weren’t.”

I nod. “Okay, yes, we were lying to the press, but we were lying to ourselves more.”

“That … doesn’t make sense.”

“Do you really want to have this conversation with kids around?”

My phone beeps, and my assistant’s voice comes through.

“Mr. King, Dutton and Gavin Richford are on line one.”

Of course they are.

“Take a message,” I say.

“A message?” Gavin’s voice comes through the speaker.

“Is that what we have become to you?” Dutton says right behind him.

“Oh! Dutton, Gavin, hi, Paige here.”

“Paige!” they cheer through the phone, and my sister’s entire demeanor perks up as she sits on the edge of my desk, finally handing me the baby. “How are you?”