Daniel was jolted awake from a nightmare, heart racing as he felt the sting of a spanking from his dad, Isaac.
Sweating and panting, it took him a moment to realize it was all just a bad dream. Frightened by the ordeal, he quickly removed Isaac from his blocked contacts, only to discover his favorite action figure had been banished to the dreaded "time-out" closet!
Daniel was devastated!
"Dad, I'm really sorry. Please, don't take it out on my toy, let it be," he pleaded through text.
Isaac replied instantly, "Take care of your mom. If you try any more pranks, next time it'll be you in time-out!"
Feeling guilty, Daniel mumbled, "It wasn't on purpose. I just wanted to save your marriage!"
Isaac didn't respond.
"Worried about you, Dad. That was some serious laxative prank I pulled, huh?" Daniel tried to lighten the mood.
"Stay away from those pranks, or I'll have to tell your mom," Isaac warned.
Daniel deflated, "Got it."
...
Kari's trip to Craneville was swamped with work.
Brittany, securing several major deals, was solidifying her position in the company. Seeing Kari buried in work, she decided to join forces on the business front.
With Brittany's help, they quickly signed a letter of intent for collaboration, and Kari could finally relax. "Brittany, I couldn't have done it without you. You've been holding down the fort at Bri-jeweled Studio. It's been tough."
Brittany's focus had shifted to the Lynette Conglomerate, and without Kari, she wouldn't have been able to commit fully.
"Brittany, are you really not considering going back to Imperial City?" Kari finally broached the subject. "The Dustin Group and Bri-jeweled Studio, they're all waiting for you."
Brittany hesitated, "Kari, my dad's the closest person to me. He's not keen on me returning to Imperial City."
And she was poised to inherit the Lynette Conglomerate, making her return unlikely.
Kari sighed, "Brittany, whatever decision you make, I'm behind you."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Billionaire Who Stole My Heart