He Gave Me Brother’s Life To Her Dog Chapter 06
There was a rage in his eyes I’d never seen before.
“Your family paid for my school. Grant got me into the
company. So what–you think I owe you my whole life?”
I earned that reward with you. Why does everyone act like it
could only ever be used on your brother?”
“Just because he saved me, do I have to clear every future
choice through the Sterling family?”
Dad closed his eyes.
All these years, we’d been so careful not to wound Derek’s pride.
No one in the family ever mentioned the money.
Grant worried he’d feel inferior, so even promotions followed
standard procedures as much as possible. But in Derek’s
mind, all that quiet generosity had become something he resented.
Dad didn’t explain. He just said, “If that’s how you see it—like
we trapped you then taking it all back is exactly right.”
Derek’s face went pale. He clearly hadn’t expected Dad to say that.
Lauren took his hand. “Derek, leaving the Sterlings might not be a bad thing.”
She looked at him with determination. “You’re talented. We
can start over from nothing.”
Derek looked at her, and the defeat in his eyes faded.
“Fine.”
He picked up the car keys from the table and slammed them down.
Maren, what you take back today–even if you begged me on your knees to take it again, I wouldn’t.”
He left with Lauren.
Later, I learned from the board secretary that the emergency meeting passed a resolution formally removing Derek from the executive vice president position.
The company paid his severance and settled all bonuses according to contract. Not a cent was short.
At nine the next morning, he showed up at the office as usual.
But his keycard didn’t work. The front desk awkwardly told him his access was frozen, and HR would need to escort him upstairs to collect his personal items.
He called Dad.
Dad didn’t answer.
He called me. When I picked up, the first thing he said was,
Maren, this has gone far enough.”
Hearing how entitled he still sounded, I felt strangely calm.
“Derek, the board passed the resolution.”
“You’re no longer EVP of Sterling Holdings.”
Those old board members have never liked me. Did they
pressure you into this?”
“I initiated it.‘
The line went quiet for a few seconds.
“You’ll regret this.”
“No, I won’t.”
I hung up. Half an hour later, the driver brought the
company car back to the underground garage,
Derek stood outside the building with nothing but a
cardboard box of personal belongings.
It was the first time since he became an adult that no
Sterling car came for him.