CHAPTER EIGHT
By the end of the day Monday, Charlie sent me an email confirming all my shares had been sold and the process to convert Weston Commercial from a publicly traded company to a privately held one was underway. Soon, the debt that was covered by shareholders and selling of stocks would be moved to the bottom line of the privately-owned company. The financial burden would be too much for the company to recover from, and the Westons’ namesake would fold.
This is what I’ve wanted for ten years. Their demise had become my life’s ambition. All my other successes paled in comparison to how I thought I’d feel when the deed was finally finished.
But today, I don’t feel very accomplished.
I feel hollow. Empty. Alone.
I’d more than doubled my money by selling the stocks back to the company. Weston Commercial would be forced to take out a large loan to cover the cost of buying out all the shareholders’ stocks. I’d sell off major divisions of the company that had been built up over the years, increasing my wealth and decreasing the company’s ability to secure more capital. Within a few months and after a few carefully construction negotiations, the Weston name would be forgotten.
For the first time in the six years I’d been out of college, I decided to leave work at a reasonable hour. The sun is still shining. Hordes of people fill the sidewalks, hustling from one place to the next. All I want to do is slow down, though. I head toward my apartment building, but instead of going in, I cross the street to Central Park and find a park bench to call my own.
“Beautiful day to enjoy the park, isn’t it?”
I close my eyes and wonder if I just conjured him from my thoughts. He sits beside me on the bench. I can feel the heat emitting from his body. When I open my eyes, he’s watching me with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
“It is a beautiful day,” I reply. “What do you want, Wyatt?”
“At this moment, I only want to talk.”
“About?”
“I overheard a rumor in the office today that you’re making Weston Commercial a private company.”
“That’s right.”
“You know that’ll bankrupt it, right?”
“Of course, I know that.”
“That’s been your plan all along?”
“Yes, though I didn’t plan to do it this soon. I was going to wait until after I sell it off piece by piece. I’ll still make sure it’s completely crippled before I hammer the final nail in the casket.”
“What changed your timeline?”
“A sad realization I had this weekend. You’ve consumed my thoughts and life for the last ten years. I’ve spent so much time, energy, and money on destroying you, I somehow forgot to live my own life along the way. Not only did you steal my happiness back then, but I’ve allowed you to continue to steal it for far too long. I have everything that used to be yours now, so there’s no need to drag it out any longer. When I’m done, I’m done. And I’m done with you, Wyatt Weston.”
I stand and begin to walk away when his reply stops me.
“There’s something you’re dead wrong about. You’re nowhere near done with me. And I’m certainly not done with you. Only one thing you said is actually true, though.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?” I put my hand on my hip and meet his smug expression with one of my own.
“You own everything that used to belong to me, including my heart.”
“That would be a great line, Wyatt…if you actually had a heart.” I turn and walk away at a brisk pace, putting him behind me where he belongs.
“You’re always running away from me. Why don’t you stand toe-to-toe and talk to me?” He jogs to catch up with me, then walks backward to stay in my face.
“All right. What’s the next topic you want to cover?”
“I’d bet my last dollar you haven’t had dinner yet. Probably didn’t eat lunch either.”
“You want to discuss my eating habits?”
“Yes,” he exclaims. “Over dinner. Let me take you out to eat.”
