Roses for My Mother's Grave, Divorce Papers for Your Funeral - Chapter 83: Chapter 83
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I stayed in my hometown for two more weeks.
Jace never called. Never came back.
Of course he didn't.
As soon as I got back to the city, my best friend and assistant, Tatum, showed up at my place.
Turns out Jace had already gone back to the company a week ago.
And in that time?
He'd hired a bunch of new people.
Tatum told me straight up—they were all unqualified.
No degrees, no real experience, no clue what they were doing.
But Jace personally pushed them in.
No one dared say anything.
That's why the second I walked into the office, Tatum gave me the heads-up.
I skimmed through their résumés and knew exactly what was going on.
I stormed into Jace's office and slapped the files on his desk.
"You wanna explain this to me?"
Jace rubbed his temples.
"Don't start, Sloane."
I clenched my fists.
"Jace, hiring isn't some joke."
"This kind of favoritism is killing morale—everyone here built this place from nothing—"
"That's enough!" he snapped.
"I'm the CEO! I don't even get to make these calls anymore?!"
He shouted so loud the whole office probably heard.
People were literally poking their heads in to eavesdrop.
I lowered my voice. "This company was built by both of us—"
"It's mine. Not yours," he cut in again.
That one sentence hit me like a bat to the head.
I couldn't speak for a good ten seconds.
Then his tone softened. "Sloane, can we please just not break up?"
I turned to leave.
Right before I opened the door, I said coldly—
"Mr. Whitmore, you'll want to find someone else."
"Just don't forget to wire my equity payout on time. Thanks."
I don't know what Jace told his mom—
But that night, she called me.
"Sloane, I get that you're upset, but walking out on the company like this? That's so irresponsible."
"You're twenty-nine already, almost thirty."
"You really think you'll find a better man than Jace? Or a better job?"
"Everything you have—your clothes, your apartment, your job—it all came from Jace."
"If it weren't for him, a girl from a regular state college wouldn't even be here."
I really didn't want to drag family into this.
But if she wanted a fight, fine. I had time.
"I earned everything I have," I said, voice cold.
"Why don't you ask your precious son where this company would be without me?"
"Who's been busting her ass chasing deals, pitching to investors, pulling late nights?"
"It sure as hell wasn't your high-and-mighty son sitting in that office pretending he's Steve Jobs."
"If anything, he should be thanking me."
"Hell, if I were you, I'd drag that ungrateful man-child over here to apologize on his knees."
"And I'll just say it—your son is gonna run this place into the ground."
She lost it. Started screaming at me over the phone.
I hung up mid-rant.
Let her scream into the void.
Jace's mom has always been a nightmare.
And ever since her son started doing well, she's been walking around like she owns the damn sky.
Didn't even make it into the upper class, but she sure acts like she's Queen of Connecticut.
Over the years, she tried dozens of times to sneak her deadbeat relatives into the company.
Jace never had the guts to say no, so guess who always had to be the bad guy?
Me.
She's been nagging us to get married and pop out a grandson since year two.
Not a baby.
A grandson.
If it wasn't a boy, she didn't want it.
I'd be out here running the company, closing deals over cocktails, and she'd be whispering behind my back about how I was "unladylike" and "too wild."
Yeah, because God forbid a woman has ambition and doesn't live in the damn kitchen.
But I'm not some quiet little pushover.
She throws shade, I throw it right back. Ten times harder.
We've been at each other's throats for years.
Back then, I tolerated her for Jace's sake.
Now that we're over?
She can take several seats.
But even I underestimated how low Jace could go.
Jace never called. Never came back.
Of course he didn't.
As soon as I got back to the city, my best friend and assistant, Tatum, showed up at my place.
Turns out Jace had already gone back to the company a week ago.
And in that time?
He'd hired a bunch of new people.
Tatum told me straight up—they were all unqualified.
No degrees, no real experience, no clue what they were doing.
But Jace personally pushed them in.
No one dared say anything.
That's why the second I walked into the office, Tatum gave me the heads-up.
I skimmed through their résumés and knew exactly what was going on.
I stormed into Jace's office and slapped the files on his desk.
"You wanna explain this to me?"
Jace rubbed his temples.
"Don't start, Sloane."
I clenched my fists.
"Jace, hiring isn't some joke."
"This kind of favoritism is killing morale—everyone here built this place from nothing—"
"That's enough!" he snapped.
"I'm the CEO! I don't even get to make these calls anymore?!"
He shouted so loud the whole office probably heard.
People were literally poking their heads in to eavesdrop.
I lowered my voice. "This company was built by both of us—"
"It's mine. Not yours," he cut in again.
That one sentence hit me like a bat to the head.
I couldn't speak for a good ten seconds.
Then his tone softened. "Sloane, can we please just not break up?"
I turned to leave.
Right before I opened the door, I said coldly—
"Mr. Whitmore, you'll want to find someone else."
"Just don't forget to wire my equity payout on time. Thanks."
I don't know what Jace told his mom—
But that night, she called me.
"Sloane, I get that you're upset, but walking out on the company like this? That's so irresponsible."
"You're twenty-nine already, almost thirty."
"You really think you'll find a better man than Jace? Or a better job?"
"Everything you have—your clothes, your apartment, your job—it all came from Jace."
"If it weren't for him, a girl from a regular state college wouldn't even be here."
I really didn't want to drag family into this.
But if she wanted a fight, fine. I had time.
"I earned everything I have," I said, voice cold.
"Why don't you ask your precious son where this company would be without me?"
"Who's been busting her ass chasing deals, pitching to investors, pulling late nights?"
"It sure as hell wasn't your high-and-mighty son sitting in that office pretending he's Steve Jobs."
"If anything, he should be thanking me."
"Hell, if I were you, I'd drag that ungrateful man-child over here to apologize on his knees."
"And I'll just say it—your son is gonna run this place into the ground."
She lost it. Started screaming at me over the phone.
I hung up mid-rant.
Let her scream into the void.
Jace's mom has always been a nightmare.
And ever since her son started doing well, she's been walking around like she owns the damn sky.
Didn't even make it into the upper class, but she sure acts like she's Queen of Connecticut.
Over the years, she tried dozens of times to sneak her deadbeat relatives into the company.
Jace never had the guts to say no, so guess who always had to be the bad guy?
Me.
She's been nagging us to get married and pop out a grandson since year two.
Not a baby.
A grandson.
If it wasn't a boy, she didn't want it.
I'd be out here running the company, closing deals over cocktails, and she'd be whispering behind my back about how I was "unladylike" and "too wild."
Yeah, because God forbid a woman has ambition and doesn't live in the damn kitchen.
But I'm not some quiet little pushover.
She throws shade, I throw it right back. Ten times harder.
We've been at each other's throats for years.
Back then, I tolerated her for Jace's sake.
Now that we're over?
She can take several seats.
But even I underestimated how low Jace could go.
End of Roses for My Mother's Grave, Divorce Papers for Your Funeral Chapter 83. Continue reading Chapter 84 or return to Roses for My Mother's Grave, Divorce Papers for Your Funeral book page.