“Let’s go, Sami. We have to get you inside. The crowd along the border of the compound has tripled.” Devin wrapped his arm around my waist as we ran toward Jacinta’s house.

The second the helicopter lights had flashed on, I knew the media would be camped out in full force. Ashur and Veer had called in friends of theirs who specialized in high-profile client security. The team mobilized within twenty minutes and were doing an incredible job of keeping anyone and everyone away from the house.

I couldn’t help but feel bad for all the guests in the boat that had to cut their evening short. All of Jacinta’s Independence Day festivities had gone down the toilet. There had been a lot of confusion and rumors as the boat emptied. Thankfully, Jacinta had arranged for transportation to be waiting for everyone to leave.

I entered the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge, pulling out a bottle of sparkling water and drinking deep.

My stomach was in knots, and I had to settle it before I faced my parents.

Resting my hand on my abdomen, I closed my eyes.

“Are you ready?”

I shook my head and said, “Give me a few more minutes.”

“Baby, you can’t hide in the kitchen. Our families are waiting for us.”

I looked up at him. “Dev, this is only the beginning. Are you sure you can handle this?”

“Yes. I’m prepared.” He gripped the edge of the island.

“I mean it. I’m making my announcement in a few hours. Once I do this, there is no going back. If you have any doubts, tell me now.”

“When are you going to understand I’m here for good? What do I have to do to prove I’m committed?” He clenched his jaw. “I know I fucked up. But you can’t keep expecting me to let you down.”

Before I could argue, Veer walked in. “Sorry to interrupt but the parents are beginning to circle. Everyone is in the family room. I’d get the discussion over with as soon as possible. You have enough on your plate.”

Nodding, I took another sip from the bottle.

I released a deep breath, set my water on the counter, and made my way past Devin and Veer.

I walked down the hallway and opened the door to find both dads pacing, the moms pretending to sip drinks, and Tyler, Jacinta, and Ashur on their phones.

Veer moved into the room, positioned himself by the window next to Ashur, and pulled out his own mobile.

“Samina, I want an explanation this minute. What is this spectacle outside? How could you let someone take pictures of you?” Papa demanded in Gujarati. “Do you have any idea what this will do to our reputation, to the company stock? Have you no integrity?”

“Let her talk,” Mommy pleaded. “She didn’t take the pictures. How can you blame her?”

“Anya, stay out of this. She is turning our family name into a laughingstock.”

Ashur stuffed his phone into his pants pocket and responded in English. “Leave her alone, Papa. Mommy only speaks the truth.”

Papa loved to use our language when it kept others from knowing what he was saying. This was his not-so-subtle way of making the Camdens feel excluded. Ashur responding in English made it look like he was challenging Papa.

Papa narrowed his eyes. “I am still the head of this family. If you don’t like the way I do things, get out.”

Ashur opened his mouth to respond but stopped when he saw me shake my head. It was time to stand up to the man who thought of me as a commodity instead of a child.

I approached my father. “Papa, what happened was an act of a coward. He broke into my house and took pictures of me in the shower, and then threatened to hurt me. I was lucky to get away from him before he was able to lay a hand on me.”

“You invited this kind of act. If you hadn’t let him—” he glowered at Devin, “—or that Zain girl influence you, you’d be married to a respectable man and in a respectable position. Not become this trash magazine starlet.” He gestured to me as a whole.

“Papa,” Ash warned, “tread carefully.”

“Samina, you are an embarrassment. How could you throw away everything I’ve done for you to live a life like this?”

He made it sound as if I were a whore who fucked anyone who asked. He was like all those who blame the victims of a crime.

Devin’s palm slid around my waist, giving me the grounding I needed to stand up to Papa.

“What you can’t handle is that I made a success of my life without a penny from you.”

“Do you think your education came for free?”

Papa tried to tower his six-foot height over me, but Devin shifted me to his side.

“I know who paid for my college and law school, and it wasn’t you. Mommy’s trust fund paid every dime of it. Did you think I didn’t know you’d have married me to the most advantageous bidder?” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Indians in India aren’t as back-assed backward as you are. Hell, most of the Desi girls I know have fathers who would do anything to support their daughters’ dreams.”

“You disgraced us by breaking with tradition. Do you know what kind of life you would have had if only you’d listened? Everything was at your fingertips.”

“You mean if I’d let you control me as you’d done my whole life.”

“Don’t put words in my mouth. This is your last warning, Samina. Show some respect, or there will be consequences.”

His words triggered all the men in the room to shift, readying to step between us. Even Richard was shocked by the threat and positioned himself next to Veer at an angle to grab hold of Papa.

“I’m not a child anymore, Papa. I don’t owe you anything. I am a successful litigator with a thriving practice. So what if my clients don’t meet your standards. You’ve never met mine. Now if you’ll excuse me. I’ll be writing my speech to announce my candidacy for the Senate.”

I whirled around, turning my back to my father. He would never accept me, and I was done trying.

Before I could take a step, he grabbed me by the arm. “Over my dead body will you sell yourself as a politician.”

“Let her go,” Devin ordered. “Or I will take great pleasure in breaking every one of your fingers.”

Papa released his hold, shooting daggers at me with his eyes. “I can’t believe you’d whore yourself for the ambitions of this family.”

“Now wait just a minute.” Richard moved toward Papa. “You will not disrespect my family by insulting what we do to make our nation great.”

“Great? You sell yourself to the highest donor.” Papa stared me down. “Samina, if you enter this election, you will never be welcome in my home again.”

“How is that different than now? I haven’t been home in five years,” I countered. “You disgust me. You are no better than the bullies who I’m going to fight. At least Richard has the decency to try to make a difference. You sit on your high horse, rolling in your money. Never once have you thought to use it for good.”

“Don’t you lecture me. I’m your father.”

“Then act like it.”

His eyes narrowed. “You want to challenge me? I’ve put up with you marrying someone who didn’t fit into our culture. I put up with your sensationalist career. If for one damn minute you think I won’t put all my money behind your opponent to keep you out of office then you have another think coming.”

I swayed. Papa would destroy me to make a point.

“Enough,” Ashur voiced as he stepped next to me. “Papa, this conversation is done. You will never threaten my sister or anyone again. As of this day, you no longer have a son. Everyone knows you don’t have a daughter.”

Papa snorted. “Say that when the money runs out. Who’s going to pay for all your charity projects? Are you going to leave all your fellow veterans without funding?”

“We don’t need your money. I’ve always known how you felt about my military service and the charities I started.” Ashur took my hand. “You’ve spent so much time worrying about your image to notice what was happening in your company. I haven’t taken a salary in years. The money I spend is from real estate deals I made using the revenue I earned selling Bitcoin before the bust.”

“You ungrateful pissant. Both of you have made your choice. Don’t come crawling back to me when you fall flat on your asses.” Papa turned to Mommy. “Get up. We’re leaving.”

Mommy stayed where she was.

“Anya, I said get up.” He walked over to her and bellowed, “Now.”

She remained still, not flinching an inch. After years of this, she never showed any outward reaction to Papa’s outbursts. She straightened the pleats on her dress, took a shaky breath, and then said, “I’m staying with my children.”

“So that’s how it is?”

“Yes.” She lifted her chin. “You would hurt my babies, destroy everything they’ve worked for as a way to control them. I can’t stand by any longer. To my regret, I kept quiet when you threw our daughter out of our home. I should have said something long ago, especially after Devin begged you to be part of their lives. My baby married without me because of you. It ends now. I will not watch her have children from a distance. Devin is a better man than you’ll ever be.”

“How is he better? He kept her a secret. He went out with other women. She went out with other men. He lived with her like a kept woman. Do you think others didn’t know he was ashamed of her? If he loved her so much and was so much better than me, why did he hide her from his parents? She was his Indian whore, nothing more.”

My heart sank, and all the pain I’d worked to try and push back resurfaced. Papa was right. Devin had done everything he said. But what Papa couldn’t understand was that I was just as responsible for accepting the relationship I was in.

God, I wanted my mom to leave my father, and I’d stayed in just as shitty a marriage.

My eyes filled and tears spilled down my cheeks.

Devin squeezed my waist and then whispered into my hair, “I’m so sorry, baby. Forgive me.”

Then before I could respond to him, he turned and walked out the door. I wanted to follow him, to demand why he left.

“See, I’m right. That boy can’t face the truth. That’s why he ran away. Samina, you will forget this boy, forget this election, and come home.”

I clenched my fists. Papa was not going to win. He’d ruled so much of my life, even after I’d married and moved to Seattle.

“No. I’ll never return. Washington is my home. No matter what happens with my marriage, I will continue to live there.”

I scanned the faces of my mom, Ashur, Veer, Carol, Tyler, and Jacinta. They were my family. They truly loved and cared for me without conditions.

I tilted my chin up. “I love him. And no matter what you say, I will fight for my marriage until there is no hope.”

“What hope? Did you not hear a word of what I said?” Papa shook his head like I was some stupid girl.

“She heard you.” Richard came to stand by me and put his hand on my shoulder. “We all did. Samina deserves better. From all of us, especially you. What kind of father says and does the things you’ve done?”

“Don’t give me your sanctimonious bullshit.”

“Stop it now.” Carol rose, cocking a hand on her hip and pointing to the door. “It is time you left. And remember this, if you cause anyone in my family trouble, I will make sure you regret it. You’re not the only one with money or connections.”

Until that moment, I’d forgotten Carol was an heir to an oil fortune. She probably had more weight to her requests than Papa could ever dream of possessing.

“Are you threatening me?” Papa challenged.

“Yes,” Mommy answered, coming to my other side and slipping her hand into mine. “My money started your empire. I’m still majority stockholder. Don’t act so surprised. I know everything that goes on in the company. You hurt either of my children, I will fire you from the company you love more than your family.”

Okay, what was happening? Mommy and Carol were standing up to Papa without fear of repercussion.

God, I loved these women.

I had to stop this from getting worse. We all had enough to handle with the press outside.

“Papa, please.”

He ignored me and moved to the door. “You’ve made your choices.”

Without another word, he opened the door and walked out of the room.