Page 83 of Suddenly Yours

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Gerald hissed.

“What did you do, Dad?” Max asked again. “Where are you?”

There was a moment of silence. “I’m at the airport. This morning, I found out some unfortunate news. The Stantons’ firm has apparently been bleeding money for a few years. Plus, Levi is currently under investigation for a few things and has made several… poor investments over the past few years since taking over his father’s firm.”

“His family is broke?” Max cut in with a shake of his head.

“No, not fully. However, Levi never mentioned the problems on any of our golfing trips. Apparently, he was using me in return. He believed that if he persuaded me to convince you to marry him, he’d get his hands on our family’s wealth. Can you believe that?”

Yes. I wanted to shout it. But instead, I watched Missy for her reaction. She was staring straight ahead blankly as if she didn’t understand any of it.

“Your greed is your downfall, both you and Levi,” Max said sharply. “I own the majority of Sharper Image now. What little you and mother have left will be split fifty-fifty in the divorce,” he added. “Trust me when I say that the buy-out that she and her lawyer have drawn up for you is the best deal that you’re going to get now.”

“It’s not enough,” Gerald shot back loudly.

“You used me to get access to Mom’s money,” Missy said. “To pawn me off to Levi in hopes of getting his family’s money.”

“I didn’t care where the capital ultimately came from,” Gerald shot back. “Just that I secured it. I was due that and more.”

“And what about the break-ins at the bakery and the construction site?” Missy asked, her voice was shaking now. “Not to mention someone ramming Cade off the road and almost killing him?”

“None of that was in the plan,” Gerald said quickly. “Levi apparently grew impatient and emotional. He confessed to breaking into your little business and Cade’s. Minimal damage was done. I told him to back off and that I would convince you to go back to him, but you wouldn’t return any of my calls. So I headed up there myself.”

The last pieces slid into place with sickening clarity, and I felt my stomach roll.

It was ironic that neither of them had known the other had no real wealth any longer.

Missy’s voice broke. “You tried to sell me off to someone who had cheated on me. Used me.”

“I was trying to protect you,” he insisted, “from throwing your life away in that small-town hell-hole. That bakery is a joke. There’s no real wealth there. There never will be.”

Max laughed, sharp and humorless. “There’s more than you have. Trust me. You tried to trade your daughter to a scum bucket just to save your wealthy lifestyle.”

“The two of you brats ruined everything,” Gerald shouted now. “I never should have agreed to give you a percentage of my business in the first place. That was all Elizabeth’s doing. I created that business. I made it what it is today.”

“No, Mom did. Her parents put up the funds to start it, and her talent is what drove the business for years. Her skill as a choreographer and dancer. You were just… there,” Max spat back.

“I am due more.”

“So how did you see this playing out?” Missy said, her voice cracking slightly. “You would kill Cade, and then I’d go back to Levi after he was gone?” Missy cried. “You’re insane. You deserve to be locked up for the rest of your life. I’ll make sure you are.”

“You’re blowing this all out of proportion.” The line was silent for a moment, then it went dead.

Missy lowered the phone slowly as her whole body started to tremble. She pressed her forehead to the edge of my mattress as tears spilled freely down her cheeks.

I lifted my hand, weak, unsteady, and rested it against the back of her head.

“Hey,” I murmured. “At least we know everything now.”

She looked up at me with her eyes red, looking completely shattered. “I almost lost you. Because of them. Because of their greed.”

“But you didn’t lose me,” I said and kissed her knuckles.

Max straightened up and shook his phone. “I recorded the whole thing. I think it’s time that I call the police and tell them everything. I’ll give them a copy of Dad’s confession. And then I’m calling Mom so she can call her lawyer. There’s no way in hell Dad’s getting a dime of the business now.” He headed out the door.

“Smart.” I said, my words slurring again. “Damn, I feel like I’m going to go under again. I want to be here for you…”

“Sleep, I’ll be right here when you wake.” She leaned over and kissed me.