Evie's POV

"Tell my board to go to hell?" Alexander repeated, his voice caught between shock and something that might have been amusement. "Riley, you can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious." Riley walked further into the room, her ankle monitor beeping softly with each step. "Stop being a coward, Dad."

The word landed like a bomb. Alexander's face went white, then red.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You're being a coward." Riley gestured toward Mom, who was still standing frozen near the ...