I sat across from her, and one look at her told me the truth: something serious was coming.
“What’s going on?”
She glanced toward my father’s office door then back at me. I already knew where this was headed, and I hated that I was right.
“Your father won’t admit it,” she said quietly, “but Frost International is in trouble.”
My jaw clenched before I could stop it.Of course it was.Of course, the old man hid it until the walls were damn near crumbling.
“What kind of trouble?”
“The kind that doesn’t disappear with a press release,” she said quietly. “The markets shifted faster than the board wasprepared for. A few bad investments. A stalled project. Legal fees. It stacked up. The merger with Hargrove isn’t just about ego, Niko. Without it, we don’t have enough leverage to keep everything afloat.”
I stared at her, letting that sink in. “So, you telling me if this merger doesn’t happen, y’all lose the company?”
She nodded once. “If something doesn’t change soon, we’ll have to start selling properties, downsizing and cutting staff. Your father is trying to hold it together, but the numbers are what they are.”
The truth of what she wasn’t saying settled over me like a damns shadow.
“All these years he walked around here like nothing could touch him,” I said. “Now the ship sinking and he still talking that legacy bullsh—" I caught myself before I let the disrespect slip in front of her. Part of me wanted to let my father drown in the consequences. The other part, the part Ma raised, knew I never would.
“He’s proud,” she said. “Too proud, but I need you to see past that and understand what’s at risk. This is our family’s livelihood, our retirement funds, and all the employees who have been with us since before you were born.”
“So, what you asking me to do?” I asked, because we both knew where this was headed.
She studied my face. “I’m asking you to talk to your father again. I’m asking you to consider the marriage, even if it’s on your terms. Not for him… for all of us.”
Silence settled between us as I thought about everything I had built alone. Fire & Frost would stand whether Frost International crumbled or not. My money was safe. My brand was safe, but my mother sat in front of me, asking for help. Her voice carried years of sacrifice. Sleepless nights, support and she had never once tried to control me, even when my father did.
“Is it really that bad?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “There is no point in sugarcoating it. We will lose damn near everything without this merger.”
I rubbed my hands over my face and leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a second.
“I’ll talk to him,” I said finally. “But I’m not walking into this blind or on his leash.”
Her shoulders dropped in relief. “That’s all I ask. You deserve to set your terms, but don’t wait too long. Time is not on our side with this.”
I stood and kissed her forehead. “Go eat something, ma. You stressing too much. We gone figure this out one way or the other,” I assured her.
She exhaled softly. “I appreciate you, Niko. More than you know.”
Walking into my father’s office tonight felt different. Last time I was here, I walked out ready to burn the bridge and the tower with it. I told myself I was done with his bullshit… done with the legacy talk, the pressure, and the manipulation. But now I had my mother’s words replaying in my head… her voice, her worries and the look in her eyes that she was trying to hide. And if Ma was scared, then things would be worse than he ever admitted.
He looked up from his laptop when I opened the door. “Nikolai.”
I clenched my jaw.Always trying to pull rank.
“Cut it,” I said. “We’re not doing all that tonight.”
He studied me, trying to read what version of me he was getting, the son, the businessman, or the threat.
“What brings you here, son?” he asked.
“Ma talked to me,” I said, taking the chair across from him. “Told me the truth you didn’t.”
His jaw ticked. A tell he hated people noticing.
