“Oh, no, you don’t,” Violet interrupted amidst a chorus of gasps. “That child is a grown woman with children of her own. You chose not to be her father when she needed one, so don’t be thinking you can be one to her now.”

“I think I want to punch him,” Sully muttered to Ian.

“Get in line,” Ian said.

“I’ve tried repeatedly over the years to be in her life and in yours,” Sterling said. He looked annoyed. “But the two of you have been very insulated by your little actor friends. You always shut me out, Violet, and Charlene followed your example.”

“Oh, please,” Violet snapped. “I am not interested in your revisionist history. You didn’t show up in her life until she was eighteen. And yes, she has had a lot of surrogate fathers, and they have been wonderful to her. Robbie Vine, in particular, was more of a father to her than you’ve ever been.”

“Well, given that Robbie is dead now, don’t you think it’s time for her to get to know her real father?” Sterling asked. He looked so angry that Lindsey felt a chill creep down her spine.

“The choice is hers,” Violet said. “But I’m pretty sure you know that, just like you know what her answer is.”

“But that’s unacceptable,” he said. He yanked on the cuffs of his shirt. “Violet, you have to undo the damage you’ve done. Time is slipping by.”

“You narcissistic jackass. You walked out of her life before she was even born and now you’re aware of the time going by?” Violet said. “Man up and live with the consequences of your choice and stop trying to blame it on everyone else.”

“That is—” Sterling looked nonplussed to be spoken to in such a manner, and Lindsey had to keep herself from cheering out loud.

“What? The truth? You can’t buy a child’s love, Sterling. You have to invest yourself, not your checkbook, into your offspring. Now, I’m sorry that high-pedigree wife of yours couldn’t provide an heir for you, but Charlene has no interest in you or your fortune. So, respect her wishes and leave her be.”

“This isn’t over,” Sterling said. His jaw was clenching and unclenching as he tried to keep his temper. “I sent Harvey Wargus here to write about the show. He’ll write whatever I tell him to. He can make or break you, Vi.”

“So that’s why that toad is here,” she said. “So, when romancing me back into your life didn’t work, you decided to send Wargus after me and the show. This isn’t Broadway. Who cares if Wargus trashes the show? Or did you have a different plan? Were you hoping to discover something damaging about me that you could use to cause a rift between me and my daughter?”

Sterling’s lack of an answer was telling.