Page 75 of Enzo

Chapter 21

ENZO

“Maybe this is about succession?” Dex wonders aloud.

Rio scratches his beard, looking doubtful. “Nah. He’d never.”

Jett sniffs. “He’d need to be carried out of these offices in a box before he relinquishes control.”

“Maybe it’s about the upcoming earnings,” Zach offers.

Matteo rocks back in his chair. “Maybe.”

“What do you think?” Rio looks at me. I don’t have an answer because I’ve been distracted.

We're all gathered around the boardroom table, Father's chair at the head still empty.

“It could be about investor confidence,” I reply. Scouring through headlines, this is the topic that’s recently jumped out.

Father walks in, slamming the door shut behind him. He throws a pile of newspapers and magazines onto the table.

“Ouch.” Rio’s voice is low but everyone hears. “Someone’s not happy.”

“Are we talking about succession?” Dex asks, and each of us sit up, staring around the table, in shock.

He actually went there.

“Don't kid yourself,” Father snaps. “I plan to be here for many, many, many years. Thanks to Matteo.” He turns to Matteo. There's no smile, just a very subtle nod of acknowledgement for what Matteo has done for him.

Father sits down, a little stiffly, I notice. My gut tightens when his gaze settles on me.

“While you provided every journalist in New York with a reason to dig into our lives, they’ve discovered that I’ve had surgery, and now they’re finding out that my kidney issues were serious enough for one of my sons to donate his kidney to me.”

His face turns a shade of red that scares me. I decide to remain quiet rather than drawing his ire any further.

“Matteo.” Jett’s eyes turn ice cold. “How hard is it for you to name the son who saved you?”

Matteo shakes his head, as if he wants to dial the temperature down.

I do too. “Let's keep calm,” I suggest.

Father starts again. “I don't want something as inconsequential as my health affecting the markets—”

“Your health isn’t inconsequential,” Jett interrupts. “You were probably going to die had Matteo not kindly offered his kidney.”

“I'm not dead yet, and I plan to be here for many, many years.” Father bangs his fist on the table and we all jump.

“Questions are being asked about my ability to continue running Knight Enterprises.” Another bang. “Upcoming earnings make uncertainty particularly unwelcome and institutional investors want reassurance.”

“The easy stuff, then,” Rio remarks. “So we do need a credible succession plan—”

I glare at him. Can't he see that Father looks as if he's about to burst a blood vessel?

“I'm not going anywhere.” Father lets out a loud sigh. He's usually controlled and restrained. No show of emotion, no physical outbursts.

“That's not what a succession plan means,” Jett says.

“Investors want to know that the company survives if you don't,” offers Rio.