by Lee, Nadia
“DNA? Wha— How could you have done any tests? You might have been able to get a sample from Eric while you were at my mother’s place, but you couldn’t have gotten one from me.” Merry stopped suddenly, her eyes going wide. “You! You’re the one who broke into my house!”
“I did no such thing,” Claude said.
“I bet you also approached Rob Benson,” Daniel said.
“Who?” Claude said.
“The construction manager for the St. Cecilia project.”
“I made a few charitable contributions, just as I gave to yours, Meredith. The man’s wife and son were hurting.”
“That’s not what he said.” Daniel gave his uncle a hard look. “If you wanted to take the company so badly, why didn’t you try to step up from the beginning and offer yourself as a CEO candidate?”
“Stop trying to make this about me. The issue is Meredith stealing Judy’s son, and the board is now on my side.”
“Hmm. I wonder if they still will be, once I tell them you’ve been sabotaging one of our most important projects.”
“A bold claim to make without evidence.”
“We have witnesses. I never mentioned the manager’s wife and son. You mentioned that and how it was charity. I never said anything about paying the man. And now that I think about it, you’re probably the one behind the minor sabotage at headquarters, how things conveniently went just wrong enough to derail my day.”
“You should look at your assistant,” Claude said. “It’s her job to take care of the business.”
“And I know you were one of the people who told my dad to hire Audrey. I’m sure you have something to do with her job performance.”
Claude sighed. “Barron, please say something to the children. I’m perfectly willing to overlook Meredith’s crime in light of our friendship. I’m sure it was just a youthful indiscretion. But they”—he gestured at Daniel and Merry—“are making that impossible!”
“Friendship?” Barron snorted. “You’re my friend so long as I say you are.”
“What?”
“Attacking my family makes you my enemy.”
“Attacking—! Barron, that woman stole my nephew! She isn’t above the law.” Claude said.
“Neither are you. Breaking and entering. Corporate sabotage. I imagine those are still illegal.”
“I can fight it.”
Barron narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure you can. You might even win. But I’ll ruin you in every way possible before you ever set foot in a courtroom. You won’t have a penny to your name.”
“You wouldn’t…!”
“I bankrupted one of my own for daring to rebel against me. You’re nothing by comparison.”
Claude swallowed. Beads of sweat popped out on his forehead.
“No, I don’t believe we’ll go to court over this…misunderstanding. Here’s what will happen. You’ll sell your share of Aylster Resorts to Daniel,” Barron said. “At a fair market price, of course.”
“Even if I were willing, Daniel can’t afford that.”
“Don’t you worry. I’ll finance the purchase,” Barron said, taking a sip of tea.
“And if I don’t, you’ll ruin me? This is blackmail.”
“No. It will be a proper business transaction. Everything done fairly at current market value. I believe that will enable you to retire in comfort.”
“I don’t want to retire!” A vein bulged in Claude’s forehead.
“Daniel, what do you think? The man says he doesn’t want to retire.”
“He’ll be terminated from his post effective immediately,” Daniel replied. “The damage he’s done to Aylster Resorts and The Lloyds Development have to be recouped, of course, and I’ll have my legal team take a look into that.”
“Same here,” Merry said.
“This is an outrage,” Claude said. “You’re going to jail, little girl. And your son will hear what you’ve done to him. He’s going to suffer more than anybody.”
The jovial twinkle vanished from Barron’s gaze. He leaned across the table, his eyes on Claude’s. “I would think very carefully about that, if I were you. Whatever pain Eric suffers, you’ll feel it tenfold. You will be broken like a matchstick. I will tie you up in court and bleed you dry; you will end up destitute. Absolutely penniless. If you somehow end up in charge of Aylster Resorts, no company within my influence will do business with you. No one will talk to you, no one will acknowledge your existence. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up in some third-world gutter, begging for alms and fighting alley dogs for week-old scraps of food.” His voice went down a register. “I give you my word.”
Claude gripped the armrests of his chair, his knuckles white. He trembled and licked his lips, looking around like a trapped mouse.
“Or, you can sell your shares without any more fuss and retire someplace in relative comfort.” With a smile that looked almost benevolent, Barron leaned back and picked up a sugar cookie. “Of course, the choice is entirely up to you.”
* * *
An hour later, Claude had left and Merry went up to check on Eric. Daniel stayed in the sitting room with Barron, who was finishing up the last of the sugar cookies.
“Sir, thank you,” Daniel said. “That would’ve been far more difficult without your help. And Claude was right; I wouldn’t have been able to buy him out.”
Barron waved it away. “A man needs to understand his place in the world. Overreaching is never good.”
“I’m in your debt.”
“You are in no such thing. I didn’t do it for you. I did it for Meredith and Eric,” Barron said. “I can never forgive those who hurt my family.”
“You realize,” Daniel said carefully, “that what Merry did wasn’t exactly legal either.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that.” Barron sipped his tea. “If Claude had come to me first, I would’ve found a suitable compromise. You and your family lost ten years with Eric, and you have the right to see the boy. But at the same time, there’s his wellbeing to consider. I’m not sure being told the truth would be good for him just now. You can’t destroy a child’s world like that. We’ll tell Eric the truth at the right time, but that time is up to Meredith to decide. And since he’s your nephew, I’m sure you’ll have some say in the matter as well.”
Daniel nodded. He was relieved Merry’s family wasn’t going to traumatize the kid by telling him the whole truth. Eventually he should know, but not right now.
“If you really feel like you owe me one, apply yourself to making Meredith happy. She deserves it.” Barron stopped for a heartbeat, then frowned. “And before you ask, no, Meredith doesn’t owe me anything. I did it for her because I consider her an honorary daughter. I love her mother very much, you know.”
“You could have arranged it so that Claude sold his shares to Meredith instead of to me. Kept your investment in the family.”
“The thought crossed my mind. But I’m inclined to see what you’ll do with the company.”
Daniel digested that. “Do you ever wonder if she loves you the way you love her?”
“Meredith?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Because I am who I am?”
Daniel nodded. “People can…feign affection for their own purposes.”
Barron shrugged. “Of course. But there’s another side to that coin. People like me can accumulate so much distrust that we lose the ability to believe anybody can love us unconditionally. Frankly, of course, most people don’t. People generally approach me because of my power and influence.” He thrust his chin out at Daniel. “I suppose it’s the same with you. Particularly women—you’re a young, handsome fellow with a bit of money. Hard to trust anyone, eh?”
Daniel broke eye contact. It was like the old man was reading his mind.
“When Ethel and I married,” Barron went on, “it was easy. I wasn’t well off. Just a regular fellow trying to make my way in the world. She’s been gone for a long time now, but I never sought any serious female compa
nionship after she died. Oh, I had dates—most of them ridiculously young things—but nothing serious. I never thought I could recapture what Ethel and I had until I met Stella Lloyd. She drives me crazy, of course, but my gut tells me she’s the one.” He leaned forward in his chair. “A businessman’s most important asset is his gut. All the great ones learn to trust their instincts, and you’ll need to trust yours, Daniel. If they turn out to be bad, well…you won’t be the man I think you are.” He sat back again. “At any rate, it doesn’t pay to over-think things. Be happy. After all, it’s practically Thanksgiving!” Barron got up, came around the table and gave Daniel a clap on the shoulder that nearly knocked him off his chair. “Besides, Ethan and Stella are going to cook! We’ll eat well.”
“I understand that you’re going to be in charge of the mashed potatoes.”
“No, Ethan can do it. He’s got the young arms.” Barron brushed the crumbs from his shirt. “Now I need to go find where they’ve hidden the sugar cookies. I know there are more somewhere.”
Daniel stood as Barron left and then slumped back into his seat and stared at his phone. He’d missed tons of calls in the last few days, including ones from Ella and Ashley. He purposely hadn’t responded because he’d been sure they’d side with Claude. But now he wasn’t as certain. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so closed-minded.
Taking a deep breath, he dialed Ella.
“Daniel, thank goodness! I got the strangest call from Claude. Are you all right? How about Meredith and her son? Claude said Meredith stole Judy’s son, but that’s obviously ridiculous. I knew you’d be able to tell me what’s going on better than he can.”
Regret and shame tightened his chest. He had refused to believe that Ella gave a damn about him. He’d kept his distance with cool courtesy, and she deserved better than that for supporting him at the company…along with everything else. It wasn’t her fault Judy had died, or that Claude had manipulated Rissa into withholding information from him.
“Everything is fine,” he said. “Claude has turned out to be something of a wolf in the fold, and I’m sure he’s lied to you quite a bit in the past few days, but it’s true that Eric Lloyd is actually Judy’s child. Meredith…adopted him unofficially when Judy died.”
“My god.”
“We should meet next year. Or if you prefer, maybe you can come meet him over Christmas. I don’t know what Merry’s family’s planning, but I can ask.”
“Daniel…” There were tears in her voice.
“You don’t have to meet him if you don’t want to,” he reassured her hurriedly.
“Of course I want to meet him! So will Ashley.”
Daniel nodded. “Excellent. And, Ella?”
“Yes?”
He swallowed a big lump in his throat. Ella deserved to hear this from his own lips. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk all these years. I should’ve never taken my anger at Dad out on you. You’ve always done what you could to be a mother to a sullen boy who made it clear he didn’t want you around.”
The silence was so long, he thought maybe their call had gotten disconnected in the middle of his apology. Then he heard a small sob.
Ella sniffled. “Would you like to visit again?”
He felt his face relax into a faint smile. “I’d love to. And this time, I’ll make sure to stay for the full week.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Meredith told herself everything had gone well. The holiday dinner had been spectacular—no surprise with Ethan and Stella cooking—and Eric seemed to have gotten over the effects of his few days with Claude. Meredith made sure she stayed close, and everyone paid attention to him and cheered him up. The crowning event was Justin and Nate taking him shopping on Black Friday.
“That’s real love, you know,” Kerri said, watching the trio returning with bags full of god only knew what. “Justin and Nate never shop on Black Friday.”
“Really?”
“Too lazy. Besides, Justin usually brings a woman, and you know what that means.” Kerri stretched out her legs and examined her pedicure. “Too busy boinking to think about anything else.”
Meredith choked back a laugh as Eric ran toward her. “Mom! Guess what I got!”
“What did you get?”
“Justin and Nate bought me an iPad! And this huge TV that I can mount on my bedroom wall! They’re going to have it delivered to Virginia. And get this! It’s the latest model with all the bells and whistles. The sales guy said so!”
“You really shouldn’t have,” she said to the brothers with a bit more severity than she’d intended.
“We found ourselves helpless in the face of a clearance sale,” Nate said.
Meredith wasn’t amused. “New Apple products are never on clearance. Besides, the latest model? Really?”
“They’re just early Christmas presents. Don’t make a big deal about it,” Justin said. “Think of them as an appetizer.”
“Does this mean there’s going to be more later?” Eric said, his eyes shining.
“Of course! Who stops eating after an appetizer?” Justin put a hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go get it set up.”
“Yes!” He jumped and followed the two tall, handsome brothers upstairs, almost tripping both of them.
Meredith cringed. “Oh my gosh.”
“Let them spoil the kid,” Kerri said. “They can afford it, and they’re enjoying themselves. Besides, Eric needs to feel a bit special, don’t you agree?”
“But buying him stuff isn’t the way.”
“If all they wanted to do was buy him stuff, it would’ve been easier to send a personal shopper out to pick up an iPad and a TV instead of going to the mall and spending all that time with him. Trust me. Eric probably had a great time. Plus knowing Justin and Nate, Eric also got tons of ice cream and other treats. Let them have fun with the kid. If he misbehaves, they’ll set him straight.”
Meredith set aside her unease. Kerri was right, but a part of her couldn’t help but wonder why Daniel seemed so standoffish. He was friendly and attentive to everyone, and he’d spent extra time with Eric as well, teaching him a bit of advanced chess strategy. Apparently Daniel was a pretty good player himself. But she sensed him pulling away whenever the two of them were in a room alone. I miss the old intimacy, she thought. Maybe she’d ruined everything by hiding who Eric was from him. It probably wasn’t something he could just…overlook, even if things had turned out okay after all.
Why didn’t I have the courage to be honest from the beginning? The regret she felt was like a stone in her throat.
* * *
Daniel watched Merry throwing a football outside with Eric and her brothers. It was odd how happy and relaxed she seemed. Or maybe it was just an outward projection she’d created to make sure people didn’t fuss over her and Eric. Daniel could never be sure with Merry.
“It’d be more productive just to talk to her instead of watching from a distance,” Kerri said, her voice not unkind. She was wearing a bright green sweatshirt that set off her red hair. They were alone in the library.
“Probably. But what’s there to talk about?”
“Whatever’s bothering you, obviously,” Kerri said. “I thought you’d be happy after you outmaneuvered Claude.”
“I am happy.”
Kerri laughed. “Think you could sound any more morose? Look, we all know what’s been going on between you and Merry. If you’re going to be like this, you should just let her go.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think you’re in a position to tell me what to do. I’ll take your relationship advice under consideration, though.”
Kerri folded her arms. “I’m serious, Daniel. Meredith wants the kind of grand romance Hilary Rosenberg had. You heard about that, right?”
“I think the entire country heard about it.”
“Right. So if you don’t love her enough to move heaven and earth to show her what’s in your heart, just stay away,” Kerri said. “Don’t drag your dysfunctional fa
mily dynamics into her life, or hurt her by not loving her the way she deserves to be loved. She’s such a generous, giving person—most people don’t even realize she has needs too. And frankly, I don’t want to have to hate you.”
“You love her.”
“Of course I do. She’s like the little sister I never had.”
* * *
Daniel avoided Merry. It’d been seven days since they’d returned to Virginia, and he hadn’t called. She hadn’t reached out either. Once Eric was back with his family and the holiday was over, Daniel hadn’t been sure what more was left between them.
Even her declaration of love seemed unreal now, something he’d dreamed rather than experienced. It was chilling how things had changed so fast between them. On the other hand, he shouldn’t have been so shocked. Nobody stayed constant for long. It had been his mistake to buy into the sweet fantasy Merry had created, making him believe she might be different. But people were people; nobody was different.
The only thing left between them seemed to be the project in St. Cecilia. Once that was completed, they really wouldn’t have any reason to interact with each other.
What about Judy’s son?
Just because Merry had lied didn’t mean Daniel should cut his ties with Eric. Then again, Judy had never told him about her pregnancy during all those weekly calls while she’d been in Europe. Didn’t that mean maybe she didn’t want him near her child?
She had to have known Daniel would never betray her to their father.
Daniel removed the key from the ignition and stared out at the sullen landscape outside. He was back at the cemetery, with no idea how he’d ended up there. He’d intended to leave for lunch.
Everything he’d thought he knew about the circumstances surrounding Judy’s death had been lies. What could he possibly say to his sister now? Unlike some fanciful people, he didn’t believe in life after death. Judy was just dust now, unable to see or hear or feel. He could rage all he wanted at her grave; nothing would change.
He opened the door and started walking toward her burial site. The elderly groundskeeper smiled at him. He was in a jacket, an old roadster cap pulled low on his head. “Hey. So you’re here too.”