The restaurant seemed to quiet around us, or perhaps it was just the blood rushing in my ears that dampened other sounds.

“Matthew,” my mother whispered urgently. “Not here.”

He ignored her, his focus entirely on me. “Do you know what it looks like to colleagues when they ask about my daughter? And I have to explain that she’s chosen to become a professional antagonist to the very business world that provided her privileges.”

“I didn’t have privileges,” I said, my voice rising slightly despite my efforts to control it. “You cut me off, remember? I worked three jobs to get through college. I earned every single thing I have.”

“With an education funded by my years of hard work building our family’s reputation and resources,” he countered.

“My scholarship funded my education,” I corrected. “My jobs paid for everything else.”

He laughed, a short, dismissive sound that cut deeper than any criticism. “You truly believe you did this all yourself, that the Richards name had nothing to do with your opportunities? Your naivety is exactly why you’re not ready for the real world.”

Nearby tables had grown quieter, the diners trying to pretend they weren’t listening to our increasingly heated exchange.

“Dad,” Tyler attempted to intervene. “Maybe we should—”

“No.” My father cut him off sharply. “It’s time for some honesty here. Not only has she chosen to reject everything this family stands for—our values, our career paths, even our geographic location—that’s her choice. But choices have consequences.”

He turned his cold gaze back to me. “If you insist on pursuing this path, investigating corporations and undermining the business world, then you do so completely on your own. Not with my support, not with my connections, and not with my name.”