Dad nods slightly. “By marriage. And I’m doing my best to be fair and square here, which is why I have amended my last will and testament to reflect your and your mother’s actions. Obviously, Sheila is off the company board and out of my will entirely. I tried to look for a reason to keep you in the company, but I’m afraid I haven’t found one.”
“What?” Terrence sounds offended.
I wait for Dad to signal for my input. He taps hisfingers on the table. It’s my turn, so I slide a file across the table. It reaches Terrence, and he opens it with trembling hands.
“This is a full report of your company activity and a detailed track of your performance,” I say. “It’s not just bad, it’s dismal. Some of your decisions have cost the company a substantial amount of money, and your personal actions have resulted in negative attention from the press. It’s all detailed in there. Long story short, we’re going to have to let you go, Terrence.”
He stands up, red-faced and furious. “I had a seat on this board, dammit!”
“No, you were promised a seat on this board, but that was before you taunted my girlfriend and before you caused considerable losses to Morgan Enterprises with your reckless spending. There’s a full report in there for that, too,” I reply. “Mommy’s not here to coddle you anymore, so I suggest you start looking for a real job.”
“You can stay at Thornwood Manor until you resolve your professional situation and can afford to rent something elsewhere,” Dad adds. “I believe the Madison mansion was seized as part of the police investigation, and there is a lawsuit pending against your mother filed by the surviving members of your father’s family.”
Terrence shakes his head in genuine disbelief, his whole world crashing down on him without a hint of mercy. I almost feel sorry for the guy, and I assume Katrina is probably already filing for divorce. But then I see the bruising around Terrence’s nose and remember how he got it.
And my mercy withers into a wry smile.
“You drew the short straw, sport. It sucks, I know. But you’re still a Madison. I’m sure your dad’s family will let you work something out as far as your living arrangements are concerned,” I tell him.
“Sheila is going to prison for life,” Dad continues, shaking his head slowly. “That Perry fella has been singing like a bird after she tried to make him out to be the sole mastermind. Fortunately, he kept enough evidence to secure himself a decent deal. Part of his interview disclosure was a few items of concern to me regarding Sheila’s actions as a Morgan Enterprises board member, which is why I’ve put together an investigative committee. My three sons will be heading the investigation into the board… Cole?”
I nod once and get up to address the board members, while Terrence stares at the file in front of him with genuine disbelief. Reality has yet to kick in for the guy, but I don’t have the time or the patience to wait until he starts sobbing and leaves the room. He’ll do it when he’s ready.
“Sheila may have engaged in some unethical behavior while serving on the board,” I say. “My brothers and I will have an in-depth look at every file, every folder, and every memo mentioning her name to identify the issues and repair them accordingly. While Toby and Asher are not employees, they still serve the board in a consultative capacity, and their own business experience makes them more than qualified to assist me in this endeavor. Does anyone wish to object?”
All around the table, heads shake, giving us a green light to go ahead.
I dive into the issue with confidence, honored that my father was so swift in his decision to purge the company and the family of Sheila and Terrence altogether. Whetheror not Terrence was involved in Sheila’s actions, he still proved himself to be a liability to the company, and that’s where Bill Morgan draws his line.
“Now I kindly request that all of our board members send over their memos dating back to January of last year, for starters,” I say.
Terrence stands up and leaves the boardroom without a word after I’m finished speaking. My father gives me and my brothers a long, genuine smile. The pride in his eyes is the beacon I’ve been waiting for.
It feels damn good to be able to close this ugly chapter of our lives.
A new one is about to begin, and Willow’s a central part of it.
33
WILLOW
Months pass in chaos and police interviews, followed by trial preparation sessions and OB-GYN visits to make sure my baby is developing safely in my womb. With green lights everywhere, new events pouring into our agency, and Jamie growing more and more eager to take the proverbial bull by the horns, I take a day off to just be with my men.
The past feels so distant now, that near-death experience merely a memory, something I hope I never have to endure again. The aftermath, however, has brought so many wonderful resolutions, it almost makes me feel like the ordeal was worth it.
“This is beautiful!” I exclaim as we pull up outside a cozy-looking cabin nestled at the top of the mountain somewhere upstate.
“I knew you’d like it,” Cole says, helping me out of the passenger seat of his SUV. “It looked like something out of afairy tale, and I figured you’d welcome a midweek escape here.”
“You were absolutely right,” I reply and give him a soft kiss on the lips.
He gently caresses my growing baby bump, love shimmering in his greenish-blue eyes. It’s the pride of a father-to-be, and I love it. I see it in Asher and Toby’s gazes, too, as they join us in front of the cabin. We don’t yet know who the father is, but we’re not in a rush to find out either. As far as the Morgan brothers are concerned, they’re all fathers to this baby.
“It’s not a long drive back to New York,” I say.
The cabin unfolds on two levels, with a rustic but clean exterior surrounded by heritage pine trees. The window frames are painted red to match the lovely oval front door, and potted stone flowers line every sill.
Cole jingles the keys in front of me. “Let’s see what’s inside.”
