Chapter 8 - CLAIRE CHANGES THE GAME
Margaret expected Claire to fight household battles.
Claire stopped.
Wrong towel?
“Noted.”
Dust?
“Please email household staff.”
Chair angle?
“Move it if you prefer.”
Margaret hated it.
Then one morning Margaret said:
“You’ve become lazy.”
Claire smiled.
“I’m documenting your preference.”
No emotion.
Margaret threw a napkin.
Claire did not react.
Then Margaret tried Ethan.
“She’s manipulating you.”
Ethan said nothing.
Claire looked at him.
He finally said:
“Mom, enough.”
Margaret froze.
First time.
Then:
“You choose now?”
Ethan swallowed.
“I’m choosing not to do this.”
Margaret laughed.
“You don’t even own your office without me.”
Ethan’s face changed.
There.
The financial leash visible.
Claire saw why he had been passive.
Not excuse.
Mechanism.
Then Ethan said:
“I’ll move offices.”
Margaret stared.
“You can’t afford it.”
He answered:
“Then I’ll get a smaller one.”
That was the first independent decision he had made in months.
It cost him.
May you like
Good.
Consequences should cost something.
