I remembered a time when they needed something from me. Back then, they'd tucked their tails between their legs, practically licking the soles of my shoes.
Now the Hensons had barely tasted success, and they'd already turned on me without a shred of gratitude.
Worse than wolves. At least wolves had the decency not to pretend.
When I didn't respond right away, Miles couldn't sit still. He looked down his nose at me, sneering. "Jacob, don't push your luck. Take a good look in the mirror and see what you really are."
"You're nothing but a backwater nobody. It was the Henson family that gave you a platform—that let you shine at all."
"Without the Hensons, you'd still be a nobody in this city."
"So show some gratitude."
The others nodded along eagerly, as if they expected me to drop to my knees and kowtow.
I turned to Marlene, who had been silent this whole time. My voice was ice. "Is this what you meant when you said you'd be grateful to me for the rest of your life?"
"That 'rest of your life' didn't last very long."
Marlene bit her lip. "Jacob, you know how it is. Water flows downhill, and people reach for higher ground."
"Who wouldn't want to be with someone more accomplished?"