Even though I was leaving her mother, she was happy for me. Truth be told, I was happy for me too. Well, for the most part. There was some sadness at the two of them moving out, but, if I were being honest with myself, most of that was centered around not seeing Ember walking around in her bikinis and short-shorts anymore.
Which was definitely not a good enough reason to stay married to someone who was simply using me for my wealth.
Chapter Five
Ember
Jude's offer to my mother was more than generous. Instead of making us move back to the penthouse, which already had an offer to buy it by the time the annulment was finalized, he gave my mother and I his condo downtown, which was honestly much nicer than the one we had before. It was also paid off, unlike the other penthouse.
“You ruined my life, Ember,” she muttered. “Just like you ruined my life the day you were born.”
I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. I plopped down on an Italian leather sofa that used to belong to Jude, but came with the new condo downtown, arms crossed in front of me.
“Jude was a good man, mom,” I said.
“You ruined my one chance at a good life,” she said, pacing the living room and blocking a view of Lake Michigan that was to die for.
“Interesting how you didn't say your one shot at love,” I groaned, resting my head against the back of the couch. “Because let's face it, you didn't love him. And you know it.”
Mom had never been a good liar. It was one reason she never moved into acting. Her jaw dropped and she so badly wanted to be offended, but she wisely shut her trap before uttering a lie neither of us would believe anyway.
She sat down on an overstuffed chair across from me, staring holes through me.
“Who knows?” she said. “I could have fallen in love with him – if you'd given us enough time.”
I cackled. “That's not how it works, Mom. You should love each other before tying the knot, not the other way around,” I said.
I sat up straight and picked at my fingernail. My manicure was peeling, and it was far more interesting than this conversation.
“Did you really have to tell him about Marlon?” mom asked.
I shrugged. “I thought he deserved to know the truth. I'm sorry if me being a good person ruined your plans of living off some billionaire for the rest of your life, but Jude seems like a good guy and you lied to him. I'm not cool with that.”
“You just want him for yourself,” mom said, and she didn't even sound that surprised.
I stared up at her, mouth wide. “You're kidding me, right?” I asked. “I don't plan on following in your footsteps, Mom. It's why I'm going to college.”
“Which we, sadly, can't afford to pay for anymore, because of your rigid morality,” she said.
My heart raced. “What? What do you mean?”
Mom gave me a nonchalant look. “Your tuition is too expensive, Ember,” she said. “Until I find a way to bring in more money, you're just going to have to wait to finish your degree.”
“I have one more year, Mom,” I exclaimed. “Jude gave you a settlement, enough to live off –”
“Enough to live off for the next year, if I'm frugal,” she said, standing up and walking over to the mini bar.
“If you were actually frugal, I'd say even longer,” I said. “Because most people can live off far less and still get by. And still pay for their daughter's education.”
Mom poured herself a glass of wine and turned back to me, leaning against the bar, a smirk on her face as she sipped her wine.
“Maybe you should get a job, dear,” she said.
“A minimum wage job isn't going to pay for my tuition. Not with only a few weeks left to pay it,” I said. “You have the money. You're just trying to punish me, aren't you?”
“It's a harsh lesson, Ember, but one you need to learn.”
I stood up, facing off with my mother. Our eyes were locked on each other's, but she didn't waver. Not in the slightest. She continued smirking and sipping her expensive wine. She'd rather have money for shopping sprees and wine than pay for her daughter's education. It shouldn't surprise me, but it did. My heart crumbled in that moment, and it hit me how manipulative and cruel my mother really was.