“William. I told you there was no need for you to be here.”
“It’s done?”
He sat back in his chair and dismissed his attorney with a nod. “It is. Forty years of building this empire and now there’s nothing left.”
“You’ve got your fortune. The offer was a lucrative one, just like they were for each piece of the business we sold off. Should have you living in retirement no differently than you live now.” But I knew it wasn’t the money that drove him. It was the business, and with every failure, his mask had slipped. No longer was he the proud, arrogant man who had beaten me to teach me a lesson.
He may not have retained his billionaire status, but he was still a multi-millionaire. Liv and I had ensured that with each buyout. It was more than I’d wanted to give him, but he was too greedy to sell his holdings to a low bidder, and as his CFO, it would have raised suspicion if I’d advised him differently.
I dragged my finger along the table. “How does it feel, Father? To no longer be the one on top? The one who holds the power?”
He stood, placing his hands on the table. “I have more power than you. I just sold off your future and your sister’s. Ensuring you’ll never get another cent from this business. There will be no CEO position for you. You failed so miserably in your last position, it’s a shame I won’t get to see you fail at that one.”
“Always the asshole, right up to the end.”
“And you’re still the weak, whiny boy who clung to his mother’s skirt.”
I clenched my fists, stalking over to him.
“I want you to remember this moment. When you’re alone in your dusty penthouse, taking your last breath, I want you to remember that I was the one who brought you to your knees.”
His eyes creased.
“Luna Industries bought this hotel, the last piece of your measly holdings. But it falls under an umbrella of companies owned by two people who have despised you their entire lives. Two people who took great satisfaction in seeing you fall from your pedestal, Father.”
I pulled the official charter of the very first LLC Liv and I created, from my pocket and slapped it on the table.
“Fiorella Holdings. You might recognize that name since it was my mother’s. A company buried so far under others that it’s impossible to trace and impossible to identify the founders. Me and Liv. Every company that has scooped up your dying investments is owned by us, including this one.”
He ripped the document from my hand and stared at it. “This proves nothing.”
“It proves everything. I want your stuff out of my office by noon today. If not, I’ll have security see you out.”
“You sabotaged me? To what? Make a point?”
I stepped further into his space. “I did no such thing.” Even though I had with a team as undercover as my companies. The same men I’d formed a bond with in school and who were now private shareholders in my company, soon to be board members once I cleansed the board of the corrupt and enabling fools who currently dominated it. “And no, not to make a point. Just to make you suffer. Get out of my hotel, Father.”
His lips pulled up in a sneer, reminding me of when I was young and he terrified me. I was no longer that young boy. “You are still my son. Still my namesake and an Icinda.”
“Much to my frustration. I won’t let that stop me from cutting off all communication with you. Now get out.”
He threw the document at me and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him. I couldn’t hide my smile as I gave him time to leave the hotel before I called Liv.
“It’s ours,” I told her, exiting the conference room.
“Did you tell him?” Her excited voice came through the other end.
I walked into the lobby, my eyes searching instinctively for Tori. Wiping my hand down my face, I said, “Yes. You would have enjoyed the show.”
“Ah, I knew I would, but this reward was yours to reap, little brother.”
Heading to the check-in desk, I said, “I’ll tell you all about it when I get into the office. Gotta go.”
I ended the call, gesturing to the woman on duty.
“Good morning, Mr. Icinda. How can I help you?”
“There was a woman in the lobby earlier. Pretty with black hair and blue eyes. She had a young child with her.”
