Her heart sank. They were asking her to offer herself up for their futures. It wasn’t about her. It was about them. It was always about them. She gritted her teeth.

“I’m not doing it,” she told them, her chin lifting. It was pointless, she knew, but she wasn’t going to just go along with something this twisted without a fight. “And you have no right to ask—”

“It’s not a request, Kimberley.” Gloria’s tone brooked no nonsense. “Everything’s already arranged.”

“Well, you can just go and rearrange it then, because I’m not doing it. I’m not throwing away my life—my entire future—for one of your business deals. And it’s disgusting that you’d even consider—”

“Maybe you might like to suggest an alternative career plan then?” her mother interjected, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Because lazing around in bed till midday doesn’t seem like much of a go-getter strategy to me.”

“You seem to have forgotten that I was working late last night—with Dad’s clients. Seriously, is that all I am to you two? Some built-in entertainment manager for Weston Inc.? I’m your daughter, for chrissakes! What about some consideration for my needs?”

Gloria harrumphed. “Your father and I have always ensured that your needs are more than catered for—with your expense accounts, generous salary and pretty much everything you could ever want.”

“Except love...” Kim replied in a small voice. “And respect for what I might want or need.”

“Honey, think about it,” her father began, his tone softening, and she was hopeful that her words had finally got through and appealed to his better nature. “This is a solid plan. You’re always saying you’re bored of New York, so it’s an ideal opportunity, to get out and explore new horizons. London is a great city—a summer there could well be exactly what you need.”

“A summer there sounds fine, Dad; it’s what I’m expected to do while there that makes me sick.” She stood up. “You know what? I’m not doing this anymore. I’ve had enough of being a pawn in this family. I’ll move out, get my own place, find a job where someone appreciates my actual talent and skills...”

“Find your own place—here in Manhattan? How on earth will you afford that?” Gloria gave a mirthless laugh. “I think you seriously overestimate those skills and talents if you expect to just randomly waltz into a job that pays the same kind of salary your father does.”

The realization stopped Kim in her tracks. Her mother was right. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. She couldn’t make it on her own. She didn’t even know where to start. She was just a puppet and her folks held the strings; they always had.

Check. Mate.

As always, Kim was outplayed.