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After decades of a glorious reign, it was over. In the blink of an eye, the snap of a finger, it all crumbled to dust.
”Twelve billion.” Tom clenches his teeth. Their home is empty, they need to vacate it within the next couple of weeks. “Waystar is worth so much more than just twelve billion.”
Shiv just sighs. “Tom, give the fuck up. That company was a sinking ship since the moment my dad died. GoJo was a fucking mistake.” She’s spiteful, Tom knows, but he doesn’t acknowledge it. It isn’t a can of worms worth opening while their home is actively being stripped bare to be taken away from them.
“How the fuck did we sell out for so little? I made every right move all the fucking time!”
”The company wasn’t going to survive either way, Tom.” Shiv says, her voice strained. “Its fate wouldn’t have changed if my dad was in charge, if Kendall was in charge, if I was in charge.”
Tom scoffs at her. Glares a little. “Are you happy, Shiv? Are you happy your spiteful little dance finally paid off? We lost everything, do you like the thought of that?”
She looks at him pitifully. There is no love in her eyes. “Do you think I’m happy about Waystar going down, Tom? Be fucking serious.” Her tone cuts through Tom. “I would’ve very enjoyed the company continuing. I didn’t give a shit who was running it at that point.”
Silence.
Shiv shifts the weight at which she is standing. “Rome and Ken are coming to pick me up in a bit. We’re going down to Roman’s apartment in Philadelphia. Make sure Jennie goes there when she gets escorted here.” She is not sure when Jennie will be back. Jennie is at a boarding school in England. Honestly, she barely cares.
”Are you serious, Shiv? You’re leaving before our seven year old daughter can get back from school?”
”Yeah, I am.” She sticks her hands in her coat pockets. “Look, she’ll be fine. Her tuition for all the way up until she graduates has been paid. There’s some funds I’ve stashed away she can use. It’s not as big of a deal as it looks.”
Her tone is as calm as always, even though everything is falling apart. “Have you ever considered what her peers will think of her?” Tom scowls. “Just because you got the billionaire lifestyle your entire life doesn’t mean she can. She’s going to be picked apart to hell by her classmates.”
”We’re going to be fine.” Shiv says assuringly. “We still have more money than most people could ever get their hands on in ten lifetimes, Jennie can figure it out as she goes. She’s smart.”
”You’re just like your mother.” Tom shakes his head.
”Why the fuck would you say that?”
Shiv feels small. Being compared to her mother is the second worst thing she could imagine. Being compared to her father is the first, but she’s grown numb to that.
”Because you are! You have been nothing but distant ever since I’ve met you, and even our child has been nothing but a pawn since the company has come into our hands! No—actually, calling her our pawn is generous for you! Our child is nothing to you! How does that feel, Shiv? Feel good?”
”Our company?” Shiv scowls.
He groans. ”Oh, of course that’s the part you focus on.”
It makes her blood boil every time she thinks about it. All that power was right there, dangling in front of her nose like some sick carrot. “Do not act like everything I’ve done hasn’t been for her and you. I have been slaving away here while you go off, leading a dying company.”
”Okay, fuck you—“ he starts, before stopping and realizing it’s just a pebble amongst ancient ruins. They’ve hurt each other too much, a simple fuck you doesn’t matter anymore. “You know what? Fine! I don’t care that we’ve lost everything. I just care that my spoiled brat of a wife didn’t like who daddy put in charge of the company.”
Shiv bites back any words she’ll say. She forfeits, despite everything she has worked for her entire life. “This isn’t going to work, Tom.”
He thought he was a hardened business veteran, no longer capable of being hurt anymore. His heart breaks a little. ”What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
”I truly doubt we’ll be in the public eye, so tell you what. Let’s get divorced.” She shrugs. “I don’t love you anymore, and this has been an absolute shitshow since we got married.”
Tom hears anymore and curses at himself silently. He would do anything to go back to a version of Shiv that loves him, but there is no way to do that, so he cannot stop her. “Anymore?” He stammers before regaining control of his expression.
”Yeah.” Shiv’s voice breaks. “Listen, there is no one I respect more than you—“
Tom knows what is coming. He just thought he’d be the one to say the words first. “Shiv, we’re still in the public goddamn eye—“
”I know. Let me finish.” She squeezes his shoulder. “I respect you with everything I have, but I do not have it in me to love you. I want a divorce when things die down.” It’s relieving, almost, to say she wants a divorce because she doesn’t love him. Not because it’s a strategic move, or some bullshit blackmail. It’s simply the best thing to do.
”Okay.” He says without hesitation.
”I know a good lawyer that should be able to handle this fast and painlessly. I’ll give them a call.”
She takes her phone, the way out of speaking to Tom ever again, but he steps in, crafty as always. “Remember when you told me you wanted an open marriage?” He doesn’t do it to stab at her, but he’s observed over the years that the only way to get her to come back is to kick her.
”Yeah.” She scoffs. “I’m sorry, Tom. You can do whatever you want, now. I don’t care.”
If he kicked her, she just judo flipped him and stuck a knife in his chest. All he wants is for her to care, and even when he tries ripping her heart out it’s meaningless. “What about Jennie? Don’t you want her to have a normal life with two parents?”
Shiv laughs out loud. It reminds Tom of wind chimes that were outside of his childhood home. He misses it. “A normal childhood, Tom? Do you care to indulge me? Do you care to tell me what this normal childhood is?”
”I don’t know,” he throws his hands up. “At least for a year, I just wish she could do shit like talking to us about her friends, and whatever hobbies she has.”
Shiv raises an eyebrow. “Tom, I think Jennie having a normal childhood was thrown out the window before she was even conceived. Nothing’s ever going to change. If it’s that big for you, we can find a way to keep it on the down low until she’s older, but I refuse to stay with you.” She knows she sounds like her mother. She couldn’t care less. Her phone finally buzzes and she knows her way out has gloriously arrived.
”That them?”
”Yeah. I’ll see you around.” She says, praying she never does. She imagines Jennie might like this better, to see her as little as possible. She’ll learn that she does, Shiv hopes. But before she can leave, Tom sticks out his hand.
”It was a pleasure doing business with you, Shiv.”
She looks weirded out. Her mouth stretches out awkwardly, and her eyebrows knit together. But in the spirit of a good businesswoman, she shakes it. It’s a very firm handshake, Tom can only imagine the lessons she would’ve had to take, the beatings she’d have to endure from her father to achieve it.
”And you, Tom.” She bows her head slightly and slips past him. He thinks she has never looked more beautiful.
Shiv slips into the backseat of Kendall’s car, next to Kendall. He isn’t allowed to drive because they worry he’ll quite literally drive them into a brick wall while flooring the gas. Roman’s suitcase occupies the passenger seat.
”Hey.” Shiv says quietly, setting her backpack of essentials down in between her and Kendall. The back feels too small and cramped. It’s Kendall’s Lexus he only used when he had to be extremely discrete, so it isn’t the tiniest thing in the world, either.
”Hey.” Roman says, filling the silence Kendall leaves. “How’ve you been, Shiv? How’s Tom?”
”We’re getting divorced.” She glances over at Kendall. He looks different. Gaunt. Sad. She can tell even through the medical mask her wears. She hasn’t seen him since Tom became CEO, and honestly? She hasn’t seen Roman in over a year, either. She’s shocked he can speak so casually.
”Fuck, Shiv, seriously?” He rolls his eyes, making sure she sees in the rearview mirror. “It’s not a good move to divorce Tom while the news about Waystar is still fresh.”
”Calm down, geez,” she grumbles. “I’m divorcing him in a year. I’m sure things will die down by then.”
Roman doesn’t argue. “Well, it was about time you divorce that fucker.”
”Thanks, yeah.” She says sarcastically, continuing to steal glances of Kendall. There’s no way he doesn’t notice. He just looks so different. She wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a lineup with a gun to her head. “What about you? Doing anything other than killing everyone you look at?”
He snorts. “Making sure Kendall doesn’t kill himself.”
Shiv knows he isn’t joking, but she wishes Kendall would get up and react. She doesn’t like to see him acting like a zombie. “Fun. Fun, fun, fun.”
A few miles pass before they speak again. “Are you fine if we stop at for some food and sleep on the way? I’ve already been driving for like five hours and don’t really wanna go for more.”
”I can drive.” Shiv grunts. It’s true, that she can drive, but she only got her license for fun when she was in her twenties, and she never had an actual reason to drive. She’s sure she’d be a terrible driver.
”I’ll pass.” Roman snorts. He isn’t the greatest driver, either.
They pull into a parking spot in front of a dingy burger joint and cheap motel. This isn’t what Shiv thought would be their accommodations. Surely not Ritz Carlton, but at least Hilton would’ve been nice.
”You sure we won’t be recognized?” Shiv takes a baseball cap from her bag and makes sure it shield her face, although it does little to conceal her bright red hair.
”Jesus fucking Christ, Shiv, no one gives a shit about us anymore. Leave your stuff in the car.” He takes a twenty dollar bill out of his wallet. “Hey, Ken, let’s go. Come on.”
”I can fucking see, Roman.” Kendall finally talks. He sounds a lot like their father. He’s even walking like him right now, but the two of them suspect he’s gotten high recently.
Shiv doesn’t want to admit it, but sorrow forms in the pit of her stomach. She feels quite sorry for being such a big part of ruining all three of their lives. “Hey.” She grabs his wrist and pulls him in for a hug. He’s weak, resisting is no longer an instinct. “I missed you.”
He feels her chin digging into his shoulder, and he hugs back. “Fuck you.”
A sob. Roman looks back because he doesn’t know who the sound came from.
”Fuck. You.” Kendall hits her, but it’s weak. Her ears ring.
”Ken!” Roman barks, rushing toward the two. Shiv can handle it on her own, though. She’s already gotten a hold of Kendall’s wrists. She feels slightly raised grooves along his arms and freezes. What the hell did she miss? “Ken, calm your ass down, you’re causing a scene!”
”It’s fine.” Shiv breathes. “Everything’s fine.”
Kendall backs off reluctantly, gliding towards the door in one smooth step. “Yeah. We’re all good.”
Roman makes a face of defeat at Shiv, makes them lag behind Kendall into the burger place. “Do you want to talk later?” He grumbles.
”It’s fine, okay? He’s fucking insufferable, but I’m worried.”
She is so sure Kendall can hear them. She really hopes he does.
The bell on the door of the burger place rings when Kendall enters, but Roman firmly shuts it and stands with his hands on his hips. “Okay, what the hell do you want, Shiv?”
”Great way to start off our first meeting in a year. Move.”
”No.” He shrugs. “Look, man, I’ve been going through hell making sure he doesn’t fucking overdose in gas station bathrooms, and I don’t need you provoking him.”
”Why are you such a caring little bitch now? What is wrong with you?”
He hangs his head. “Can’t we just be normal siblings, Shiv? I mean, for the love of God, we have a twenty dollar budget for dinner. At least give it a day. You haven’t talked to him in years, it’s not going to go right immediately. Just eat some stupid french fries and get over yourself.”
”What’s everyone’s obsession with being normal?” Shiv whines. “Can’t you guys accept that normal civilian shit isn’t for us?”
”Us?” Roman’s gaze sharpens. “What, did Tom ask the same of you while you were trying to divorce him? Did your daughter ask you that when you shipped her off to the UK because you didn’t want to look at her?”
Ouch. Shiv balls her fists, about to punch him, but she refrains. “God, you’re such an asshole.”
”Hurts, doesn’t it?” Roman yells at her while she is walking into the burger place.
Stupid motel. The beds are freakishly tiny, and it smells disgustingly strongly of mildew.
Roman got a room to himself as a reward for driving. Shiv almost curses at him, but he asks her the favor of making sure Kendall doesn’t hang himself with the bedsheets or something. She obliges.
”Do you have any extra conditioner?” Shiv paces the short length of the room. “I forgot mine.” She glances over at him, expecting a word or two, but he just chucks a small bottle directly at her head. “Oh, thanks. Hope this isn’t Nair or something.”
No response. She silently heads over to the bathroom and throws her extra clothes near the sink. She’s not used to sharing a room in any way.
”If it had been me, I could’ve saved that company.” Kendall mumbles. It sounds like he’s clarifying it, that he could’ve done better. “We could all be in the boardroom making Dad proud.”
“Dad would never be proud.” She inches closer to him. “At least we get to see the final fuck you of the company dying. Not that it matters.”
”That’s not a good thing. We could’ve had it all.”
Shiv pulls out some cash from her wallet. “Let’s go to the vending machine.”
”Why the fuck do I need to go with you?”
”This place is sketchy, Ken. Come on, if you come with me, I’ll indulge your delusions of grandeur.”
”What’s in it for me?”
“I don’t know. A soda? Some Skittles? Just come on, please? Dinner was so fucking weird. Too greasy.” She doesn’t touch him, but hopes she’s doing a good job at coaxing him toward her.
”Yeah,” he hesitates. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”
Shiv shoves her hands in her pockets while walking. “Are you planning on murdering me here?”
”Be serious, Siobhan. I don’t even want to look at you.”
She freezes when she hears her full name. But it’s a win that he’s talking to her. “Fair, I guess. How’s your life going? Not good, I’m assuming.”
”Well, yeah. My ex-wife got a restraining order, so I can’t see my kids anymore, and I don’t think killing myself will end my suffering anymore.”
”Jesus fucking Christ.” Shiv mutters under her breath.
”You know that I think it’s your fault, right, Shiv? It’s very important to me that you know that I think it’s your fault.”
”Yeah, fuck, of course.” She shudders. “You know, I thought Tom could’ve done a better job, but he was a useless fuck. Twelve billion. You heard, right? We wouldn’t have let that happen.”
”Yeah.”
”I wonder if Dad knows that.” Shiv hums while punching a number into the vending machine, eyeing a candy bar. She’d only ever seen in it commercials while she was at sporting events. Her father said it was a peasant’s food, and her mother said it would make her fat.
”Come on, Dad didn’t give a shit about us, Shiv.”
”Yes he did!” She frowns, punching in another set of numbers to get a pack of barbecue flavored chips for Kendall. “He just didn’t know how to show it.”
”No, no. Shiv, grow up. He didn’t care about us, everything we ever did was useless. I guarantee you, he’d probably be fucking ecstatic the company started going under the moment someone else took over.”
“So why’d we do it?” Shiv takes a bite of her candy bar. There’s sticky caramel inside. “Why did we ever bother trying to take over Waystar if it was all for nothing.”
”Because we want what we don’t have.” Kendall sighs, holding the bag of chips without eating it. “It’s why I want some good fucking steak and a nice fleet of cars to take us wherever right now.”
”Good way to put it.” Shiv sucks her teeth. She’s not sure why people eat this, it’s too sticky and tastes artificial. “I feel like this isn’t something we should be talking about in front of a motel vending machine…”
”Well,” Kendall shrugs. “Who really gives a shit about us anymore?”
”They’re probably cheering that we’ve lost everything.” She smiles. “Let’s go heckle Roman. Bet he’s jerking off in his shower or something.”
Kendall scrunches his nose. “Gross, is that something anyone would ever want to see?”
”No, which is why we should go heckle him.” She smiles.
He looks at her tiredly, a little weirdly. She must’ve been a child the last time she smiled like that. He’s quite caught off guard. “Well, shit. Lead the way.”
Shiv walks a few paces ahead of him, hearing the way he’s completely out of breath and exhausted by the time they reach Roman’s room. How pathetic, how sad.
”Rome!” Shiv pounds on the door. “Open up, we’re fucking bored!”
”You sound like a child.” Kendall snickers.
”Well, no one can stop us, right?”
Roman opens the door, wearing a towel around his waist. “Okay, what the fuck is wrong with you two? Is something on fire? Is someone dead? Because Kendall is clearly still here with us.”
Kendall eyes Shiv. “Hey, she wanted this, not me.”
”We should plan what we’re doing tomorrow.” She shoves past Roman. “What’s the budget for tomorrow? I have a few hundred in cash on me, if that helps.”
”Damn it, Shiv, this isn’t a goddamn adventure. We’re trying to get to the apartment as quickly and efficiently as possible. We don’t need to make stops.”
”What if we stopped at a museum or cafe on the way?” She flops down on Roman’s bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Kendall exchanges a glance with Roman, his eyebrow raised. “What’s with your current obsession with going out right now?”
Shiv sits up. “You don’t feel freer than before?”
”No, actually,” Roman frowns. “I’ve been on the wheel for six hours today in a fucking Lexus. That’s not what freedom is.”
”We ate shitty burgers and didn’t get bombarded by crowds of people today, does that count as freedom?” She sighs, relieved. “And I’ll be divorced from Tom soon enough.”
“Must feel nice cosplaying an average citizen.” Roman says mockingly, throwing on a sweater. “Shall we forage for loose change in between the carseats as well?”
Shiv rolls her eyes. “Oh, fuck off.”
”We can do that type of stuff once we get to the apartment. Not a no, but…let’s be adults.” Kendall intervenes calmly. The bare minimum of acting like adults, he can barely imagine having to clarify needing to do so.
”You keep sounding like Dad. Stop it.” Roman steps onto the side of the room where Shiv is. “Let’s just find a balance here! Let’s act like adults, but not Dad-level psychopaths. That good? Please say that’s good, it’s very late and I’m very tired.”
Shiv raises an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, you’re going to sleep in this place?”