***
From the shadows behind the curtain backstage, Simon watched the man he used to trust the most doing his best to snatch his company from him.
Everett didn’t have the charisma of a born presenter, but he performed admirably. At least he cited all the facts correctly, unlike that one guy who made Simon go up on the stage all those years ago. And more importantly, he exuded confidence.
But was it confidence in the product, or in the certainty of him becoming the next CEO of Aries?
For an hour, Simon stood there, eyes glued to Everett. The tingling in his legs from standing in the same position for so long was half-forgotten in a distant corner of his mind, because all he could do was take in Everett’s words—the promises of a fantastic new series of phones, but also some teasing about Aries’s rebranding—and wonder why.
Why would Everett do this?
Stan stood further behind Simon, looming in the shadows. He was ready to try to sort out the mess that would inevitably follow when Simon confronted Everett on stage, but as the minutes ticked by and the presentation drew to a close, Simon couldn’t bring himself to move. He couldn’t confront Everett on stage, in front of several hundred people and multiple cameras who, while not expecting or knowing it, would surely be eager for some drama.
And the problem wasn’t him being afraid.
“And this is it for tonight, folks.” Everett clapped his hands. “Thanks for joining me …”
“Mr. Simon.” Stan nudged his head to the stage, urging Simon to go on before the presentation ended.
But his feet wouldn’t budge. He couldn’t see an enemy, to be mercilessly brought down and torn apart by him, the reporters, whoever else would follow. He saw a friend of his dad’s. His friend. The man who brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate the first day in Aries’s quarters. The man who debated him into late nights filled with whiskey, laughter, and speculations about stocks. The man who stood by him at his parents’ funeral. The man who supported him at every step.
Everett walked off the stage at the other end. At last, Simon’s brain urged him into action, and he hurried down the hallway, turning to the right to meet Everett coming from the other side. Everett entered a room; Simon followed and closed the door after him. It was a waiting room, or perhaps a dressing room, based on the table with a mirror and the bright lights.
“About the meeting tomorrow—” Everett started, then paled as he turned around. “Simon.”
“Everett.”
Everett clutched his simple gray tie. “You’re here.”
Simon couldn’t tell if he was surprised, or shocked, or angry, or … scared. “Nice presentation,” he said. “Loved the joke about the microchips. People always like it when you pepper in some humor, don’t they?”
“I—I don’t understand,” Everett stammered.
“Youdon’t understand?”
“How are you here? You’re supposed to be—”
“Dead?” Simon snorted. “I’m disappointed. Of all the people, I’d have expected you to recognize a dead body as me. Or rather, know it’snotme.”
Everett ran a hand over his smooth head. “Shit.”
“You don’t say.”
Everett sat down on the plush chair by the table, hiding his face in his hand. “I assume you have the police waiting outside. I’m surprised you didn’t try something flashier. Get me on stage, for example.”
Simon walked up and kneeled next to him. “I just want to know why.”
“Why?”
“Why did you suddenly decide you want me dead? For Aries? You—you had shares, you had a good position! If you wanted to lead a company, there’s plenty that would have you! And you never expressed the desire, anyway—”
“I did itforAries.” Everett leaned in, nearly spitting. “Because you were going stark crazy!”
“What?”
“You were insane! Rambling about death coming for you and you dying before and shit like that. So it finally started to make sense—why you’d been strange since the accident. Why you didn’t care about the company as much as you used to. But I did. I care!” Everett stood up, clenching his fists. “You’re no longer the best thing for Aries, Simon. That’s why I had to do it. Because if you didn’t see it, I did.”
Simon shook his head. “You don’t understand. You’ve got it all wrong. It wasn’t me!”
