Her brothers sat on the couch on either side of their parents.
Reese leaned into David, hiding his smile from the room.
“Just watch,” he whispered.
Mati looked over her family and reminded herself that losing her temper would not help. This was business, no matter how mental these people made her. She knew exactly what needed to be done.
She glanced back at Reese.
He winked at her and sat back on the couch as if he hadn’t a care in the world, his confidence in her absolute.
David looked like he was considering punching Stephen in the face.
Mati turned back to her family, put her binder down on the table, and pulled an envelope from the front pocket. “Before we get down to business,” she said, handing her mother the envelope, “this is for you.”
Her mother opened it, unfolding the documents within. “What is this?”
“That’s the deed to this house. You own it in full. I’ve paid off both mortgages.”
“What?”her father roared.
“I put the house in your name only, Mom, which I will explain the reason for in a minute. But the important thing is you’re not moving anywhere. The house is yours forever, okay?”
Her mom scanned the documents before looking up with tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Tilly, what have you done?” her father demanded.
“Saved your ass, Dad. And you’re welcome.”
Her father’s complexion turned a mottled red, which probably wasn’t healthy for a man his age. He was never going to like what she’d done, but it was still the right thing to do.
Mati noticed her brother eyeing the paperwork in their mother’s hands speculatively. “No, Stephen, you can’t sell this house out from under our parents,again, to save the company. Now that it’s in Mom’s name, no bank can take it as collateral for more loans without her—and only her—permission.”
Stephen shot to his feet. “You have no right—”
“Actually,” Mati said, cutting him off, “I have every right.” She opened the binder and threw another packet at her brother.
“What’s this?”
“The bank was about to seize the company.”
“We’re going to work it out,” Mikey said desperately.
“No, you aren’t. Or you weren’t. The bank had already put out feelers to your competitors to see if anyone wanted to pay off your debt to take over the company. You were going to go under, and take Mom and Dad with you.”
Mati’s father collapsed against the back on the couch. He knew she was right. Not for the first time that week, or even the hundredth, Mati wanted to strangle her brothers.
“We can borrow from another bank,” Stephen claimed with a sniff.
Mati laughed, an actual full-on hoot of amusement. “No one was going to lend you another dime.”
Stephen looked furious. Mikey looked lost.
“Anyway,” Mati said, “the point is now moot. The bank no longer holds your debt.”
“What?” Mikey asked, bewildered. “Then who holds it?”
“I do.”
