Chapter 3 - The Ultimatum
Caleb leaped out of his chair, knocking his water glass over. ""Paternity leave? Are you out of your mind? I have clients! I have quarterly presentations next week! I can’t just stop working!""
""You can, and you will,"" Arthur said calmly, crossing his arms over his broad chest. ""Because if you don't take the next two weeks off to run this household, I am pulling the corporate backing from your LLC by five o'clock today. I will call the bank and initiate the foreclosure process on this condo, which, if you recall the legal paperwork, is technically registered under my commercial property trust until your thirty-fifth birthday.""
Caleb stared at his father in pure terror. His arrogant demeanor completely shattered. ""You wouldn't do that to your own son. You wouldn't throw your granddaughter out on the street.""
""I would never let Tessa and Elodie sleep on the street,"" Arthur replied smoothly. ""In fact, I just booked Tessa a suite at the downtown spa resort for the next seven days. She will be getting full massages, eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night, and unlimited hot water. Elodie will stay right here with you. If you need Tessa to feed her, Tessa will pump, and I will have a courier deliver fresh milk twice a day.""
My mouth dropped open. ""Arthur... you don't have to do that. I can't leave Elodie.""
""You need to heal, Tessa,"" Arthur insisted, his voice softening into paternal warmth. ""Look at your hands. You're shaking from sleep deprivation. You haven't had a full meal or a peaceful shower in over forty days. You gave my granddaughter life, and my idiot son has treated you like an unwanted tenant. You are going to rest. And Caleb is going to learn how heavy this crown really is.""
""Dad, I can't take care of a newborn by myself!"" Caleb pleaded, panic making his voice high-pitched. ""I don't know how to mix formula properly! I don't know her schedule!""
""Then you’d better read the notes Tessa left on the fridge,"" Arthur said mercilessly. ""And to make sure you truly appreciate the value of our natural resources, I took the liberty of reprogramming the smart thermostat before I came into the dining room. It’s locked at sixty-eight degrees. Furthermore, Caleb, the four-minute shower rule applies to you. Exactly four minutes. If you go one second over, I hired a plumbing technician who installed an automated timer shutoff directly into your master bathroom valve twenty minutes ago while you were pouting.""
""You did what?!"" Caleb shrieked.
Arthur pulled a sleek black remote from his pocket. ""Four minutes, Caleb. That's your standard for household efficiency, isn't it? If it was good enough for your postpartum wife who was still healing from stitches, it's more than generous for an able-bodied man like you.""
Caleb turned to me, his eyes wide with desperate pleading. ""Tessa! Tell him to stop! You know this is insane! Tell him you don't want to leave!""
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I looked at Caleb. I remembered standing naked and freezing in the shower earlier that morning, crying as cold water from a plastic sink pitcher hit my scalp. I remembered the burning shame of having to beg him to hold our baby while he rolled his eyes and stared at his phone.
""Pack my bag, please, Arthur,"" I said quietly, turning my back on my husband. ""I'm going to the hotel.""
