My heart rate sped up as I dug into my food. I could tell I wasn’t going to be very productive today, but I was allowed to daydream once in a while, wasn’t I?

I was ecstatic right until shortly before lunchtime, when I was served papers. Everything inside me froze when I saw the sender was Beauty SkinEssence.

I willed myself not to be jittery as I signed for the papers, but then my legs turned into Jell-O. I didn’t make it to my desk. Instead, I leaned against the wall next to the door and pulled out the documents.

They were suing me.

My heart sank. I read through the details, absorbing them.

Then I did something I hadn’t done in a long while. I closed the door to my office before sitting in the chair behind my desk, feeling drained of all energy. I’d prepared for this scenario, of course. I’d just hoped it wouldn’t occur. It would require a lot of time and money I could use elsewhere. An inkling of doubt set in. Had I been stupid not to settle during mediation? But killing the line would have effectively meant admitting guilt, and I simply couldn’t have lived with that. But now, when faced point-blank with the result, I wondered if swallowing my pride was the best course of action. I’d worked my ass off for so long to get where I was, to bring the company to a point where it was solid and profitable, and now this.

I willed myself to ignore the tight knot in my stomach, but I couldn’t. What if the litigation ended up at trial? What if the judge ruled against me? What if I lost more than this line? God, there I went again, overthinking everything.

But I couldn’t help it. The company was so tied to who I was. I still remembered that euphoric feeling I’d had when Landon and I signed the papers for incorporating. I’d wanted to build something everyone could be proud of: me, my parents, and Landon too. I’d also wanted to prove to myself that I could make my dream come true. I wouldn’t let anyone take it away from me.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been locked inside by myself, mulling over everything, and wishing the day would just end so I could go home and sink in my tub. I heard a knock at my door.

“Val, everything all right?” Anne asked. “You have a meeting in ten minutes.”

“I’ll be on time.”

I checked my phone. I’d been wallowing for twenty minutes. And I had a new message from Carter.

Carter: Do you have time for lunch?

I typed a message, then deleted it, then typed another one.

Val: No. My day just got a lot worse :((  I have to go into a meeting right now.