by Sandi Lynn
I sat down on the couch for a few moments to collect my thoughts before heading over to the company, because once I got there, the war would have begun.
“Are you having second thoughts?” Wes asked.
“No. I’m just preparing myself.”
“Do you need sex first?” He winked.
A smile crossed my lips.
“I think you gave me exactly what I needed this morning, Mr. Carter.”
“Okay. Just asking.”
We left the hotel and climbed into the black sedan at the curb. When we entered the Young Vine Enterprise building, Roland, the security guard, stopped me.
“Anna,” he spoke. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see my father, Roland.”
“You’ve been banned from the building.”
“Of course I have.” I smiled. “This is really important.”
He took hold of my arm, looked around, and walked me over to the corner.
“Your father isn’t here. He and Mr. Bondi are at a golf outing and won’t be coming back. Your best bet is to catch him at home.”
“That’s right. It is that time of year for the annual golf outing. Thanks, Roland.”
“I just want you to know you did the right thing. I don’t like that Mr. Bondi.”
“I don’t either.” I smirked. “Come on, Wes. It looks like we’re paying a visit to my childhood home.” I sighed.
The car drove up the long winding driveway and pulled up in front of the Young Mansion.
“How do you know when your father is going to be home?” Wes asked.
“He’ll be here in a couple of hours. He and Matthew will walk through the door, laughing like they always do and then they’ll go into the living room for a drink until Clarissa tells them dinner is ready.”
“And what about your stepmother?”
“Nina is most likely at the spa like she always is when there’s a golf outing.”
We walked up the paved steps that led to the front door. Placing my hand on the handle, I took in a deep, cleansing breath. Opening the door, we stepped inside the large marbled space with the oversized Persian rug Nina bought when they were on vacation in Peru. I always hated that rug.
“Oh my gosh! Anna.” Clarissa smiled as she emerged from the kitchen holding out her arms.
“Hi, Clarissa. It’s good to see you.”
“Oh my. I’ve missed you.” She placed her hands on each side of my face.
“Clarissa, this is Wes Carter. Wes, this is Clarissa. She’s been with us since I was a child.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Carter.”
“And you as well, Clarissa.”
“Anna, does your father know you’re here?” she asked with a concerned voice.
“No, and I don’t want him to. I want to see the look on his face when he sees me. Where’s the step-monster?”
“Mrs. Young is at the spa. She’ll be joining your father and Mr. Bondi for dinner.”
“Told you.” I smiled at Wes.
“Anna,” she took hold of my hand, “your father is very angry.”
“I know he is and he’s about to get a whole lot angrier.”
“Oh dear lord.” She made the sign of the cross. “Can I get the two of you anything?”
“No. We’ll just help ourselves to the bar.”
“Very well. If you need anything, just ask.”
I led Wes into the living room and walked over to the bar.
“Neat martini?” I asked him. “We’re going to need it.”
He let out a chuckle. “Sure.”
I made the martinis and took them over to the couch, where I handed Wes his. As we were talking, the front door opened, and I heard the voices of my father and Matthew. Instantly, my stomach felt sick. I took in a deep breath as I looked at Wes.
“What the hell are you doing here?” my father asked as they walked into the living room.
The look on both of their faces was priceless.
“Hello, Dad,” I spoke. “Matthew.”
“You have some nerve showing up here,” Matthew spoke. “If you came here to beg for my forgiveness, you can forget it. I will never forgive you for what you did.”
“Please, get over yourself. You aren’t worth begging for forgiveness from.”
“Anna, I’ll ask you one last time, what the hell are you doing here?” my father commanded.
“I need to talk to you about the company.”
Chapter 23
Anna
“The company is none of your concern anymore. In fact, I’m glad you’re here. I have papers for you to sign. I’m buying back your shares of the company. Don’t even try to fight me on it, because in the contract, I made sure to include a buy-back clause.”
“Who is this guy?” Matthew harshly asked as he pointed to Wes.
“This is Mr. Westin Carter. I picked him up in Paris while I was on our honeymoon.” I smirked.
“Why you—”
My father put his hand up.
“Stop, Matthew.”
“Dad, I need to talk to you in private.”
“I have nothing to say to you, Anna.”
I sighed. “Okay, then. I guess we’ll just hash it out right here. There’s an employee in the company who is embezzling money.”
“That’s ridiculous. Nobody that works for me would ever do that. And how do you know this?”
“Yeah, Anna?” Matthew nervously chimed in. “How do you know this?”
“I was tipped off by one of your concerned employees, Dad.”
“Who?” Matthew angrily shouted.
“Why are you getting so worked up, Matthew?”
“What is going on in here?” Nina asked as she walked into the room. “What is she doing here?”
“Hello, Nina.” I grinned.
“That’s your stepmother?” Wes asked.
“Shut up.” I slapped his chest.
“She’s here on business, Nina. Go see if dinner is ready.”
“What business could she have? She doesn’t work for the company anymore. Clarissa will let us know when dinner is ready.”
“Anyway!” I loudly voiced. “Since Matthew won’t fess up about embezzling money from the family company, I guess I’ll just have to show you, Dad.”
“What? You think I’m the one?” Matthew nervously laughed.
“Anna, you’ve gone too far this time,” my father shouted. “First you broke this man’s heart and humiliated him in front of our family and friends and now you stand there and accuse him of stealing from me?”
“Damn right I do.” I reached into my bag and pulled out the file. “Here are all the bogus invoices he created and signed off on for services and supplies that the company never received. And these are the account numbers to which the company deposited the funds. The account numbers were traced to a few offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands, with over a million dollars total. A million dollars of your money, Dad.”
He hastily grabbed the file from me and thumbed through the invoices.
“I’ve never even heard of these vendors.” He looked at Matthew. “Why wouldn’t you have run these by me first?”
“I—I didn’t want to bother you. They’re legit companies. I checked into them myself,” he nervously spoke. “I would never steal from you. I can’t believe you’re standing here believing what she’s saying. Especially after what she did to the both of us.”
I stood there and rolled my eyes.
“Maybe you should have him check his accounts,” Wes leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I had the money transferred out of those accounts and placed back into the company account.”
“What?!” Matthew shouted as he pulled out his phone and started typing away.
“Matthew?” My father cocked his head at him and then grabbed his phone from his hand. “What the hell?”
“What is it, Dad? Did someone get caught with their hand in the cookie jar?” I
smiled.
“YOU BITCH!” Matthew came at me and Wes stepped in front of me.
“I suggest you back the fuck up now,” Wes sternly spoke.
Matthew stopped and then turned and looked at Nina, who was slowly walking out of the living room.
“Oh no you don’t, Nina. If I’m going down, you’re going down with me. This was all your idea!” he shouted.
“Oh shit.” I laughed. “I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Neither did I,” Wes spoke.
Suddenly, there were police cars with their sirens and flashing lights in the driveway. Clarissa opened the door and two police officers stepped inside and handcuffed Matthew.
“Take her too. She was a part of this,” my father spoke to the officers. “How could you, Nina? How could you do this to me after everything I’ve given you?”
She just stared at him as the officers hauled her and Matthew away. My father stumbled into the wing-backed chair and placed his face in his hands. I wished I could say that I felt sorry for him, but I didn’t. This was his punishment for the way he treated me since the day I was born.
“How did you know, Anna?”
“I didn’t know about Nina, but Becca paid me a visit in New York. She and Frank suspected something was up.”
“Then why didn’t they come to me? Why the hell would they go to you?”
“Because they knew you would never believe them. Plus, when Becca confronted Matthew, he gave her some spiel about how the two of you talked and wanted to take the company in a new direction. And then he threatened to fire her. Becca had no choice but to come to me.”
“How on earth did you find out about those accounts?” he asked.
“I’m not at liberty to say. But I knew I had to put a stop to it.”
“Thank you, Anna.”
That was the first time I’d ever heard those words escape my father’s lips.
“Don’t thank me. I didn’t do it for you. He was stealing from me too. My work here is done. Come on, Wes, let’s go.”
“Anna, wait,” my father said. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what? Never being a father to me? Never loving me? Never trusting in me enough to make the right decisions for myself? Sorry that I was ever born?”
“Stop it!”
“No, Dad. I won’t stop it. Because all of it is true. You chose to love and trust a man more than your own daughter and that is something I can never forgive you for,” I spoke as tears filled my eyes.
“Anna, don’t do this.”
“It’s too late, Dad. This can’t be undone. There’s too much damage. Send the papers to Franco’s apartment in New York. That’s where I’m staying. I’ll sign over my shares to the company.”
“No!” He stood up. “You are my daughter and part of that company belongs to you.”
“I was never your daughter, Dad.” I wiped my eyes and walked out.
Chapter 24
Two Weeks Later
Wes
Anna and I walked into the room at the Hudson Terrace and I could say that I was highly impressed. She did an excellent job of getting everything organized and set up.
“This looks great, Anna.”
“Thanks. Actually, it was kind of fun. I think I like being on the other side of business things.”
I gently kissed her lips and then walked over to Christopher, who was grabbing a drink at the bar.
“Anna did a good job.” He smiled.
“She sure did. I’m very proud of her and I love her.”
“That’s great, man. I’m happy for you. Who would have thought that your one-night stand in Paris would become the love of your life?”
“I know.” I laughed. “It’s weird how things work out sometimes.”
People started to pile inside the room and I walked up to the microphone and welcomed everyone and gave a short speech. Anna and I walked over to the buffet, grabbed some food, and then took our seats at the table where she had arranged for me to meet with the hopeful candidates that I would invest in their company.
“Hello, I’m Wes Carter.”
“I’m Francine Lutz. Cupcake?” She smiled.
“Oh. I love cupcakes.” Anna grinned as she reached over and took one. “These are beautiful. Did you bake them yourself?”
“Yes,” she shyly spoke. “Cupcakes are my life and I’ve always wanted to open a cupcake store. I had been saving money for a couple of years and then my husband left me for another woman, and he stole the money I had saved.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry,” Anna spoke as she reached over and placed her hand on hers. “Well, let’s taste these beautiful-looking cupcakes. Holy shit. These are the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. Oh my god, Wes. Try this.” She shoved the cupcake in my face.
“Yes. It is very good,” I spoke as I took a bite.
“What is in this frosting?” Anna asked.
“It’s a family secret.” She giggled.
She was a homely-looking woman who appeared to be in her late thirties with pin-straight long brown hair, thick bangs, and large black-rimmed glasses that looked too big for her face.
“Oh. I love those family secrets.” Anna smiled.
“My ex-husband put together this business plan for me a couple of years ago when I talked about wanting to open up a shop. Then he laughed at me and said nobody would want my stupid cupcakes and he told me good luck. He crushed my dream. But I still had a vision.”
“Well, thank you, Francine. I’ll look this over.”
“Thank you, Mr. Carter. I appreciate it. Would you like to have the rest of these cupcakes?”
“Yes! We’d love them!” Anna spoke in excitement. “Thank you, Francine.”
I glanced over at Anna as she shoved another cupcake in her mouth.
“What?” she asked.
I laughed as I shook my head at her. When the event ended, we headed back to Anna’s place so she could grab some clothes since she was spending the weekend at my place.
“I think you should invest in Francine’s cupcake business,” she said as we walked into her apartment.
“Umm. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“What’s not a good idea?” Franco asked.
“Oh my god, Franco. Taste one of these cupcakes.” Anna beamed with excitement.
“Lord have mercy. Those are the most gorgeous cupcakes I’ve ever seen. Where did you get them?”
“Taste it,” she said as she unwrapped one and shoved it in his mouth.
“I think I just orgasmed.” He smiled.
“Right? Aren’t they fabulous?”
“I am completely jealous of the person who made these.”
“See,” Anna said as she turned to me. “And he’s picky.”
“There’s no profit in that, Anna.”
“Sure there is.”
“Not really. Plus, did you see her? She doesn’t exactly fit the business model.”
“Wow. So you’re saying because she’s a little on the plain side, she can’t sell cupcakes?” She placed her hands on her hips. “Franco, this poor woman saved up all her money with the hopes of opening a cupcake store one day and her lousy cheating bastard of a husband left her for another woman and ran off with the cash.”
“That poor thing. My gosh, I don’t even know her and I feel sorry for her.”
“Right? But Daddy Bucks here seems to think she can’t make it in the cupcake business because she’s a little plain.”
“I did not say that, Anna. Stop putting words in my mouth.”
“You most certainly did, Mr. Carter!”
“All I’m saying is Carter Capital is not investing in a cupcake business. So drop it.”
“Uh oh,” Franco spoke.
“Did you just tell me to drop it?” She got in my face.
“Yes. The answer is no! I’m the business owner and I make the decision on whom to invest my money in,” I sternly spoke.
“Is that so?”
“Well, guess what? I’m the owner of my life and I decide whom I want to spend the weekend with, and it isn’t going to be you!”
“Oh come on, Anna. You’re acting like a child. You don’t get a say in what I invest in. You’re my personal assistant, not my business partner.”
“I’m going to go upstairs,” Franco said as he bit down on his bottom lip.
“Did you just call me a child?”
“I said you were acting like a child. All because I don’t agree with you about the cupcakes. It’s like we’re having a one-sided conversation and you always think you’re right.”
“I am right!” she yelled.
“No, you’re not! You think because you were the COO of your father’s company, you’re right about everything?”
“You did not just say that!”
“Yeah, I did! I shouted. “You know what, maybe you’re right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“That you’re not spending the weekend with me. Enjoy your weekend alone.” I headed towards the door.
“I’m not alone! I have Franco! Asshole!”
I shook my head, walked out the door, and then I heard a thump.
Chapter 25
Anna
“UH!” I shouted as I stomped around the apartment.
“Calm down, Anna. Here, eat a cupcake,” Franco said as he shoved one in my face.
“Can you believe what he said to me?”
“Well, it is his company and his money. If he doesn’t want to invest in cupcakes, that’s his decision.”
“Since when do you side with him?” I shot him a look.
“I’m not siding with anyone. It’s his company.”
“Did you hear how he demeaned me? Telling me that I’m just his personal assistant.”
“Sugar cakes, you are just his personal assistant. Sure, the two of you are in a relationship, but in all honesty, that doesn’t give you the right to try and make his business decisions. You know I love you.”
“Shut up, Franco.”
I sat down on the couch and placed my face in my hands.