"Miles! It's been too long. More handsome than ever, and such presence! So much better than some backwater nobody."
"How can you even compare some stray mutt to a top-tier talent like Miles?"
"With you on board, Henson Group is sure to become world-class!"
One by one, the Henson relatives heaped on the flattery—each compliment a thinly veiled jab aimed squarely at me.
To my ears, they were nothing but a flock of chirping sparrows.
I didn't even bother looking up.
Spencer deliberately seated Miles and Marlene directly across from me.
They sat shoulder to shoulder.
This time, I did raise my head. "Marlene, we're still married. Sitting that close to another man doesn't seem appropriate, does it?"
For a split second, panic flickered in Marlene's eyes. She started to stand—but Miles caught her wrist.
She stayed put.
Spencer dropped all pretense and laid out his real purpose. "The Henson name is on the rise now. We're going international, and we need someone like Miles to help us get there. You have no power, no influence. You're simply not a match for my daughter."
"I'd like us to part on good terms."
"So—name your price."
My gaze swept across every face in the room.