His voice cracked as he shouted, face contorted with rage. “YOU LITTLE BITCH -” He took a step toward her. “I SHOULD HAVE NEVER AGREED TO GIVE YOUR MOTHER A CHILD!”
“Dad, I’m sorry, we -” Evie started, desperate to say anything that might calm him down. Around the table, people were inching away from Oscar, their fear plain.
“DON’T YOU DARE CALL MEDAD!” His eyes bulged, veins standing out against his flushed skin. Evie flinched but forced herself to stay seated, though every instinct screamed at her to hide behind Rupert.
“I’M NOT YOUR FATHER! I HAVE NO DAUGHTER! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU COULD NEVER BE LOYAL TO ME!”
The words hit her harder than a slap. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe.
“That is quite enough!” Rupert’s voice cracked like a gunshot across the room as he slammed his fist on the table. “Sit down and keep your mouth shut, Mr. Stanley. You are only still here because Thomas didn’t want to burn that bridge. I have no such qualms. Sit down, or I’ll have security remove you from the building myself.”
The room fell into a heavy silence. Oscar’s chest heaved, but he didn’t move.
Hattie rose from her seat and came around the table. She slipped an arm around Evie’s shoulders and drew her close. “Hush, sweetheart,” she whispered. “Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
Evie blinked, startled to find tears sliding down her cheeks. Hattie gently brushed them away before turning on Oscar, her expression fierce. “How dare you speak to her thatway? She had nothing to do with this. These are Thomas’s plans, approved by the board.” Her voice sharpened. “Shame on you.”
Oscar’s face somehow managed to darken another shade of red. He opened his mouth, ready to unleash more fury, but the door swung open before he could speak.
“Hello, everyone,” Tommy said cheerfully as he stepped inside, the tall blonde man who had taken him following close behind. “What’d I miss?”
For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then Evie let out a strangled gasp and bolted from her chair. “Tommy!”
He caught her easily, laughing as she threw her arms around him. “Hey, Princess.”
“I’m so glad you’re safe! I thought…” Her voice cracked. She pulled back just enough to look at him, then glanced over his shoulder at the massive blonde man, confusion flickering across her face. “You weren’t kidnapped?”
“No, I was,” Tommy said with an affectionate smile. “By this guy.” He nodded toward the man standing silently behind him. “Turns out someone hired him - shocking, I know - but I made him a better offer. He’s agreed to come on board as my new bodyguard.”
Everyone turned toward Oscar. He’d gone from red to white, his eyes darting between Tommy and the big blonde like he couldn’t make sense of what he was seeing.
Tommy’s smile faded. He crossed his arms; his expression caught somewhere between anger and heartbreak. “Anything you want to get off your chest?”
A long, loaded silence followed. The people nearest to Oscar edged away from him. The FBI agents stepped out from behind the desk, hands hovering near their weapons, though they didn’t draw them.
Oscar’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again. For a moment, he looked almost human, confused, cornered, before the fury returned. His face flushed crimson once more, and he puffed up like a cornered animal.
“You spoiled, entitled little prick.”
Oscar’s voice dripped with venom as he ran a trembling hand over his bald head. He began pacing, weaving between the stunned executives, forcing them to scatter. The FBI agents mirrored his movements, keeping their weapons low but their eyes locked on him.
“You’ve destroyed everything!” he shouted. “I should’ve just killed you myself!” Before anyone could react, he snatched a letter opener off the desk.
Evie’s mind stuttered, she didn’t understand what she was seeing until he lunged. “Dad, no!”
Chairs scraped, people shouted. The agents tried to move, but the chaos made a clear shot impossible. Tommy shoved Evie behind him just as Thorn stepped forward, calm and deliberate. His boot connected squarely with Oscar’s chest, sending the older man flying backward. He hit the desk with a sickening crack and crumpled to the floor, gasping.
“Nice,” Tommy said with a breathless grin, patting Thorn’s shoulder as the FBI agents rushed forward to cuff Oscar, who was wheezing and trying to curse at the same time. “Evie, this is Thorn.”
Thorn gave her a small, almost bashful smile. “I feel I owe you an apology.”
Evie shook her head as police officers flooded into the room. “You brought Tommy back.” She reached for his hand, her voice unsteady but sincere. “That’s all the apology I need.”
Chapter Six: Quiet Christmas
The next few weeks passed in a blur.
Oscar was taken to the hospital after complaining of chest pains and, at his lawyer’s request, underwent a psychiatric evaluation. When it was complete, he was formally charged with kidnapping, attempted murder, solicitation of a hitman, and several counts of business fraud uncovered during the investigation. He was denied bail after prosecutors argued he was a flight risk and was remanded into custody to await trial.
