I want to fight about this; I want to win her back.
“Noah, we need to stop fooling ourselves,” she explains.
“I can't even begin to tell you, how sorry I am,” she continues.
“Don't be,” I reply in a gentle tone.
She needs time to grieve.
Even if I can't be the man to help her do that, I understand that at least.
I understand that she probably thinks she was a disappointment to her father.
In time she will understand that he would've wanted her to be happy.
Even if that was with me.
This whole experience makes me wonder if Tinsley and I have a better chance of being together.
Here I am at her father's funeral, only aware of the fact that she is suddenly in charge of her own life again.
She can choose me.
She is free to choose me now.
Tinsley knows we belong together, and my faith has never wavered in this.
She does return to me eventually.
“Do you need anything?”
Ever the gracious hostess, she runs around to make sure everything is perfect.
“No, just you,” I take a chance on telling her this.
“You know you want to be in my arms right now,” I whisper.
“I want nothing more but Noah,” Tinsley tries to get the words out.
“Noah I just can't,” she shakes her head.
I can almost hear a 'but' at the end of her sentence.
But she does want to be with me.
How can two people want to be together so badly?
Only to never see it happen?
“I'll see you tomorrow maybe,” I regard Hazel's funeral, and Tinsley nods, walking me towards the door.
We hug, and I hold her for far longer than necessary and let her bury her head in my chest.
When Tinsley looks up at me, her cheeks are wet.
“I miss you,” she admits tearfully.
“I wish this were different. It's not fair that all of this just fell apart,” she cries.
I let her cry into my chest.
“I'm always here for you,” I whisper.
“And I you,” Tinsley confirms what we both know.
We won't be able to stay away from each other for very long.
She's still in my arms.
“But, this can't happen anymore,” her words put a tightness in my chest.
“You have to let me go,” she tells me.
I won't.
I never will.
My conscience tells me to hold her, to not let her have her way.
But I'm infuriated by the whole situation, and I step away from her coldly.
“I should go,” I tell her with a firm voice.
Then I'm walking away.
Not for the first time.
But I believe we'll fall back together.
There's no way we won't because we always do.
When I arrive home, I find myself in front of the door, unable to unlock it and go inside.
I can’t bring myself to think that Tinsley and I may not make it through this.
Then I sink to the ground in front of my front door.
I don’t want to go inside.
I don’t want to anywhere.
That is until the elevator dings open, and there stands Tinsley in all her glory.
Tinsley practically glows to me, she’s gorgeous even with that somber look on her face.
“You can’t do that,” Tinsley tells me.
“You can’t just be cold with me like that, I can’t take it,” she adds.
“I’m sorry,” is all I can offer her.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I don’t exactly know,” Tinsley admits.
I stand up and unlock the door as we wander inside.
“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Tinsley wails suddenly.
Immediately, I wrap my arms around her as begins to cry into my chest.
All I can do is hold her, there’s nothing I can say that can erase what has happened.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur into her hair.
Tinsley cries until her sobs turn to hiccups, and I offer her a drink.
“Just water,” she hiccups.
I bring the water to her on the balcony, overlooking the expanse of the park and the rest of the Manhattan skyline.
When I set it down in front of her she takes a few large gulps and I swirl my whiskey around in my glass as we fall into a comfortable silence.
“Noah how are we supposed to do this now?” Tinsley asks.
“I don’t know what to tell you, mostly because I still want you to be my wife, and I understand that you’re going through something challenging, but that doesn’t change how I feel,” I tell her honestly.
“I want to be your wife,” Tinsley admits.
She begins to tear up again.
“I just don’t know how we’re supposed to be together, the last things my father and I said to each other, they were just awful, and, I don’t know how to reconcile that with the man that I love,” she sobs.
“Come here,” I whisper.
Tinsley willingly moves into my arms and I pull her body against mine, an attempt to help her find comfort.
“How did you feel when your father died?” She asks.
“I was numb,” I admit.
“I wasn’t there for a lot, and I was a bitter disappointment to him my whole life. I got into Cambridge, and decided not to go. I was in a relationship with a Darlington, which pleased them, only we couldn’t make it work. He didn’t understand me, my whole life, when he died I was sad but I wasn’t exactly sure if I was sad over his death, or sad that he wouldn’t get to see me become what he wanted me to become,” I explain.
“I’m that man now, and, I know somehow he knows that,” I add.
“Do you think he would’ve ever come around to us?” Tinsley asks.
“As a father, I know I want what’s best for my children. I do believe he would’ve come around, but you’re the only one that can decide that for yourself,” I tell Tinsley gently.
She nods.
“It’s hard to believe that he’s gone,” Tinsley admits.
“And it will be, for a while. I remember still expecting my father to walk through the door and scold me for something, for a while after the funeral,” I try to explain myself.
“That’s exactly what it is,” Tinsley replies.
“What I wouldn’t give for him to, walk through the door and start screaming at me for something again, or anything. I don’t care what he would do, I want him here to do something, anything,” she adds.
“It gets easier,” I offer to Tinsley.
“That’s what I’ve been told,” her voice sounds far off.
“I’m not going to pressure you, to make a decision now, I understand that you’re fragile, and you need time. Just know, that I’ll wait as long as you need me to,” I whisper gently.
Tinsley swallows hard, her hazel eyes focused on mine.
She’s out of things to say.
Instead she presses a simple kiss against my throat.
For now, I am content to hold her, I haven’t lost her yet.
14
Tinsley
August 7, 2017
There’s a somber mood in the room as I take my seat beside my mother, across from Connor, Alexander and Rita Bradford.
With all our lawyers present it is imperative for Whittaker Energy and Bradford Energy to have the state of affairs, of our companies, figured out before we go any further.
I suggested we push it until after Hazel’s funeral but Connor wouldn’t hear of it.
As Connor sits across from me, a notepad in front of him, I wonder exactly what he’s thinking.
“Now that everyone is present, can we begin?” Robert Cantor asks.
Hale is the Bradford’s lawyer.
Our lawyer, Brett Bergmann, is a shark.
He isn’t nearly as d
ecrepit as Robert.
“Yes, we are,” Brett nods.
“The last will and testament of-” Brett begins.
“However,” Robert interrupts.
“The last will and testament of Jamesen Whittaker is superseded by, the succession orders of the company, which were filed after that will,” he explains.
Brett sighs.
“You didn’t produce those,” Brett states flatly.
“I didn’t have to,” Robert dismisses him.
“According to the succession orders of the company, Whittaker Bradford merged in its entirety, upon completion, would go to Mr. Connor Bradford,” Robert reports coldly.
I can’t help the audible gasp that leaves my mouth.
“In its entirety?” Brett asks.
“Is there a problem?” Robert raises an eyebrow at Brett.
“There’s no way my father would’ve left everything to Connor, and nothing for us,” I interject.
“No, no, Ms. Whittaker, you’ll still get to keep your apartment and your seat on the board of Whittaker-Bradford,” Robert says.
“A seat!” I ask.
“After all my family has done for Whittaker, built it from the ground up, I am relegated to a seat on the board?” I am indignant.
“I’m sorry Ms. Whittaker-” Robert begins.
“The merger isn’t completed,” Brett interrupts him.
“Therefore, those succession papers, do not stand,” Brett explains.
“Well thank god,” I mutter under my breath.
My mother squeezes my arm, because I am hardly being professional.
“Unfortunately, Bradford Energy still has a majority shareholding in Whittaker, the point is moot,” Robert fires back at Brett.
“Ms. Whittaker still owns part of the company,” Brett shoots back.
“Not for long,” Robert says.
“The merger will happen, and Ms. Whittaker will get her seat on the board, without the majority shareholding, the shares transferred to Ms. Whittaker upon to death of Jamesen Whittaker, are useless,” Robert crows.
Damn it.
He’s right.
“What does this mean?” My mother whispers.
I have to take a few deep breaths as our lawyers continue to argue back and forth.
“It means we may lose the company,” I whisper back to my mother.
“We can’t let that happen,” My mother pleads with me under my breath.
“I won’t,” I tell her.
Although I don’t know how in the world I’m going to manage this.
“Jamesen Whittaker, transferred those shares, contingent on the agreement that, Bradford shares would be transferred to them upon their return to New York,” Brett tells Robert coldly.
“There are no papers drawn up for this, unless you have something further to produce, I suggest you back down, Mr. Bergmann,” Robert sneers at him.
“I think we’re done here,” Brett announces.
He leads my mother and I out of the boardroom, and into his office.
“What are we going to do?” I ask pointedly.
“I’m not sure, but I know we’re looking at a fairly intense court battle. Your father and Julian agreed to transfer those shares equally to each other, I’ll have to see what can be retrieved, in context of email and messages but, this isn’t going to be easy Tinsley,” Brett addresses me.
“A court battle would look terrible on both ends, we’ll lose contracts,” I point out.
“Is there any other way? Maybe you can talk to Connor? Settle this?” Brett asks.
Connor is in no way, a reasonable man.
However, what choice do I have?
If I go through with a public court battle, and we lose our energy contracts, everything will be nothing and the company will go bankrupt anyway.
It’ll be for nothing.
I refuse to let this company slip through my fingers.
“Let me see if I can talk to Connor,” I say finally.
“I’m sure he’ll see reason,” I add.
I end up back in mid-town at the Law firm where Connor used to work, where he’s cleaning out his office.
“Tinsley,” he says my name, before I have a chance to knock on the door.
“I was hoping we could talk about this, come to some arrangement,” I cut straight to the point.
There’s no use in small talk with Connor.
“Some arrangement?” Connor raises an eyebrow.
“What could you possibly have that I want?” He asks.
Connor takes a moment to put a picture frame into a box, and then he sits behind the desk.
“Connor, my family built this company, there has to be something we can think of, together. I can’t lose this company due to some formality, and neither of us wants to go through an intense court battle. That’ll destroy both our companies in the process. Do you want to lose your energy contracts?” I ask.
“It would be worth it to see you fall flat on your ass, after what you did to me,” Connor sneers.
“You knew I never wanted to marry you! You cornered me! Then you went and married my best friend, I don’t think I’m in the wrong here,” I try to remain calm.
“Does that make us even then?” Connor’s voice is snide.
“Let’s sweep all of that off the table, okay?” I ask.
“You and I both know, you need me just as much as Whittaker does. Whittaker would be nothing without their green initiatives, and Bradford will only-” I start.
“Tinsley,” Connor cuts me off.
“I don’t need you for that, my energy contracts aren’t dependent on silly little whims, Tinsley. What do you have, that you can give me? That’s the question. I don’t suspect that there’s anything, other than board seat,” Connor laughs.
“Why are you doing this?” I plead with him.
“Connor our fathers would’ve wanted us to make this work, together,” I add.
“Then let’s make it work together,” Connor shrugs.
“You know, what would be a great story? A phoenix risen from the ashes! Look at us, we’ve survived all this tragedy around us. Wouldn’t it be just, the perfect public relations opportunity for us to get back together?” Connor smiles.
For real.
I don’t have any idea of what to say this.
He can’t be serious.
“I’m serious Tinsley, think about it. We could rule the world, from Whittaker-Bradford,” Connor adds.
“We don’t love each other,” I tell him pointedly.
“So?” Connor shrugs.
“Who’s ever married for love?” He asks.
I want to tell plenty of people, but in our world, it seems few and far between.
The only person I know in a happy marriage is Ava, and she survived her entire life outside of how twisted the world of the elite can be.
“Connor-” I start.
“No,” he shakes his head.
“I’ve decided that’s my offer. If you marry me, and pull off this public relations story, we’ll split the company fifty-fifty. You get everything you want, Whittaker is safe, and I get what I want,” Connor states.
“There’s another way,” I begin to tell him.
“Really?” Connor asks.
“Too bad, that’s what I want,” Connor adds with a sneer.
The world no is ready to burst out of my mouth, but if I say no, if I don’t go down this road, then I’ll lose Whittaker Energy, forever.
I’ll be the one that lost Whittaker.
Whether I say no, and bankrupt the company with a legal battle or refuse to work with Connor on this, I’ll be the first Whittaker in the history of my family, to lose the company.
Generations after me, the Whittaker family will remember me, as the one that lost everything.
It’s not even just me, my uncles, the rest of my family, my mother?
All of them will lose the entire life they’ve come to know.
“Connor, there has to be another
way,” I tell him.
“There is, but that’s not what I want,” he shrugs at me carelessly.
“I want a prenuptial agreement drawn up, before I decide anything,” I reply coldly.
“Alright, I’ll have it sent over,” Connor laughs.
I walk down the hallway with the sound of Connor’s laughter ringing in my ears.
15
Noah
August 7, 2017
The Manhattan skyline fills the windows of my tastefully minimalistic office as I swirl a glass of whiskey around in my hand.
“Mr. Stone, I have a package for you,” My assistant says as she appears in the doorway.
“I’ll take it,” I tell her.
I take the large envelope from her hands, and follow her to the doorway then lock it behind her.
No one needs to know that I have this.
Jamesen’s Will.
Call it instinct or jealousy, whatever it is, but I’ve gotten the distinct feeling that whatever reason Jamesen had for tearing us apart all these years is in this Will.
But when I rip open the envelope, the Will looks odd to me.
It’s older, and aged, and somehow, I’ve been sent what looks like an original copy.
I scan the papers to find nothing.
When I scan them again, everything is suddenly crystal clear and crisp in my line of sight.
I swallow the rest of my whiskey and analyze the papers carefully.
This regards the line of succession, regarding lands, from Her Royal Majesty, going back hundreds of years.
Tinsley’s father was royalty.
It’s right in front of me, in plain sight, and I suck in a deep breath.
How could they have hidden this all these years?
All of this has been forced in the name of lands worth millions, maybe more.
Shit.
It all makes sense now, the energy business, Jamesen’s insistence on Tinsley and Connor marrying.
If Tinsley were to marry Connor, that would increase their grip on the energy industry.
An industry given to the Whittaker’s hundreds of years ago, out of loyalty to the crown.
Maybe this was known years and years ago, but simply forgotten.
Truly, Jamesen has done his worst, because I finally scan the lines regarding his daughter.
Denial_A Stone Billionaire Series Novel Page 7