AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Neither do I,” she says. And the hollow sound of her voice breaks my heart.
She doesn’t shy away when I reach for her hand again, much to my surprise. I take her hand in mine, hoping that this gentle touch tells her all the things I find myself unable to verbalize.
“Do you want to stay the night?” she asks. “It’s fine if you—”
“I would love to,” I interrupt. “If you’ll have me.”
The smile on her face warms my idiotic heart.
Chapter 38
Madison
The morning light filters into my office, casting a soft, warm glow across the room. It used to be a place where my father’s wisdom and love filled the air, but lately, it’s become nothing but a battlefield.
I remodeled the office when I officially took over the company after my father’s death, getting rid of everything but my father’s large mahogany desk. And I placed a framed picture of Dad right next to my screen, a constant reminder of his enduring presence. My fingers trace his smiling face, and I can’t help but wonder how deeply disappointed he would be if he knew what was transpiring right now.
“Good morning, Miss Hailey!” Ann-Marie pipes, as she bounces into my office.
“Good morning,” I greet her. On any other day, her cheerful mood would be infectious, but today, I can barely mirror the smile on her face.
“I just wanted to check in with you, about that investment being put on hold,” she begins, and my heart sinks immediately. “Is there anything I should know? It caught me by surprise, because there’s no explanation for it, and I thought we were—”
“It’s Walter,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose with two fingers, as I try to keep my cool.
“Oh, so should I talk to him or—”
“No, Ann-Marie, you should not fucking talk to him!” I snap at her.
She jerks back, her hand flying up to her chest, while she stares at me with wide eyes. Once again, I’ve been venting my anger at the wrong person. My heart plunges into my stomach when I see the look on her face.
“I’m so sorry,” I murmur, regret washing over me like a heavy wave. “It’s just… everything’s become so complicated lately.”
She nods, a silent understanding passing between us. Ann-Marie, like me, shared a deep bond with my Dad, and the thought of the company he tirelessly built being sold off weighs heavy on both our hearts, I know that much.
Taking a deep, calming breath, I confide in her, explaining the turmoil with my uncle, and how he seems to be using this investment delay as a coercive tactic to force me into selling. She listens intently, her unwavering support a lifeline amidst the chaos.
“We have to find a solution,” she states, her resolve mirroring my own. “We can’t let this happen.”
“You’re right about that,” I agree—a little surprised about the liveliness with which she plunks down into the chair on the other side of my desk.
“Let’s figure something out,” she says. “I’ve been watching this for too long to just go on and stand by while Mr. Hailey ruins everything. Girl power!”
She raises a fist in the air, and I can’t stop myself from laughing. Her upbeat energy is contagious and I find my heart beating with excitement.
Ann-Marie and I engage in a focused discussion, the weight of our predicament heavy in the air. We brainstorm solutions, our determination to preserve my father’s legacy unyielding.
And then, it comes to us—an idea that sparkles with promise in the dimness of our worries.
I lean forward, my eyes meeting Ann-Marie’s with newfound resolve.
“I think this could work,” I say, the words infused with determination. “We need to talk to our third shareholder, Mr. Whalon, who holds the remaining twenty-five percent of the company.”
Ann-Marie nods, her eyes gleaming with intrigue, ready to recap the details of what we’ve just figured out.
I continue, my voice laced with conviction: “If I can convince Mr. Whalon to work together, we could convince the investor for our 3d technology—Mr. Johnson, from HealthWell Enterprises—to finalize his participation in this. Mr. Johnson and I were on good terms before all of this happened, and Mr. Whalon and I hold a majority over my uncle. I just need him to stay on board and to believe in the future of this growing company, instead of selling his shares.”
A glimmer of hope dances in Ann-Marie’s eyes as she recognizes the potential in our plan.
