by Sloan Storm
I nodded but didn’t reply.
“What are you going to do if Marco calls?”
I looked away from her, staring blankly at a wall across the room. Chloe and I talked about Marco’s confession, about his marriage to Serena and the destruction it brought to my life. She was understandably defensive and protective of me.
She warned me about being too lenient with him if he tried to call. In fact, before we’d gone to bed, she’d just about convinced me to be done with Marco for good. I’m sure the hour-long crying session I had after my phone call with him didn’t help. In spite of that, I decided to at least wait to hear what he had to say. At this point, all the damage was already done. It wasn’t like I had anything else left to lose, including my dignity.
I shrugged a reply. “I know that you don’t want me to talk to him, Chloe. But I feel like I owe it to him.”
Chloe scoffed.
“Puuhhleease…” she began, looking away from me and rolling her eyes at the same time. “You don’t owe that jerk anything.”
“Chloe, if you were in my situation, I guarantee you would do the same thing. One last phone call isn’t going to make a bit of difference at this point. I’m not expecting miracles or anything, I just want some honesty, that’s all.”
She ignored my response. Instead, Chloe moved her hand away from my thigh. Wrapping her fingers around her knees, she pushed herself up, standing next to the couch.
“On second thought, I do think I’m thirsty.”
She looked down at my nearly empty glass.
“Do you want some more?”
I shook my head.
“Not right now. Thank you.”
Like I had minutes earlier, Chloe did her own version of my early morning shuffle, scooting her feet along the tile floor. Right around the time she reached the kitchen, I heard my cell phone ringing in my bedroom. Chloe stopped in place and spun to face me, her eyes wide.
“Do you think that’s him?”
Listless, I shrugged. “Don’t know.”
Chloe pivoted. Turning in place, she started to walk in the direction of my bedroom, picking up the pace of each step along the way.
“Where you going?” I called out.
“Where do you think?” she said, disappearing around the corner.
Two rings later, I heard the sound of her voice. The words, however, were muffled. I frowned and took a final sip of my water, placing the glass on the coffee table in front of me and standing. I began to follow in her footsteps, making my way towards my bedroom, coming around the corner moments later.
“Oh,” Chloe muttered into the receiver, sadness in her tone. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Let me go get Dani. It will just take a few seconds.”
Chloe turned and stopped dead, her face framed in a mask of disbelief. Without speaking, she covered the phone’s receiver with the palm of her hand.
“What?” I asked, crossing my arms at a sudden chill I felt in the room. “Who is that?”
Chloe kept her hand on the phone and walked towards me.
“I’m so sorry, Dani. Honey I, I totally feel terrible for you.”
I frowned at her.
“What are you…” I muttered. “What’s going on? Who is that? Is it Marco?”
Her hand still in place, Chloe straightened her arms and extended the phone in my direction, her eyes glazing over with the beginnings of tears. She repeated herself from moments earlier, saying the same thing, over and over.
“I’m so sorry, Dani,” she whispered. “I'm so, so sorry.”
I swallowed hard and took the phone from her hand. Turning it over I expected to see Marco’s name at the top of the display. Instead, I saw the word ‘Mom’.
Oh no.
MARCO
The receptionist looked up at me, her mouth hanging open.
“I’m sorry sir,” she began, her eyes darting between me and her computer screen. “What was your name again?”
“Marco Rhys.”
“Mr. Rhys,” she said, striking her keyboard with lightning fast strokes. “Did you have an appointment?”
I shook my head.
“I don’t need an appointment. Just tell Bernard and Leopold that I want to see them in the next five minutes, or they can forget about managing my assets.”
The young woman looked up at me again, her eyes wide like saucers.
“I-I um, let me…” she stammered, standing from her chair and looking in every direction. “Can you wait right here? Please, I-I'll be right back.”
With that, she disappeared around the corner and, out of sight. To either side of me stood my family’s long time attorneys. After my call with Serena, we took my jet to New York first thing the next morning. It wasn’t long, maybe a minute or so later, when I heard a familiar voice.
“Mr. Rhys!” Bernard exclaimed, walking towards me with a rapid pace.
Just behind him was the frantic secretary. He extended his hand in my direction. I didn’t take it.
“We have some important matters to discuss, Bernard,” I began, looking past him. “Where is Leopold?”
“He um, he’s here,” Bernard replied, gesturing behind him. “He was on a call when Jessica came to get me. I’ll um…”
He paused, turning to the woman still standing behind him.
“Go get Leopold right away,” he ordered, urgency in his tone. “I don’t care who he’s talking to. Understand?”
Doe-eyed and slack-jawed, she nodded for a second before turning around and hustling away again. Once she disappeared from view, Bernard looked at me.
“This is…” he paused, looking at my attorneys. “Quite unexpected. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit today?”
I waved my hand in front of his face.
“Don’t insult me, Bernard. You and Leopold are hanging on to control of my account by a thread, sir.”
The smile on Bernard’s face melted, transforming itself into an expression of deep doubt.
“No – of course, I would never… No one here at the firm would…”
I held my hand up again.
“I don’t want to waste time, Bernard. Is there somewhere we can speak in private?”
He turned to one side, gesturing down the hallway.
“Yes, of course,” he said, moving out of my way. “We can go to my office. Leopold will join us right away.”
Minutes later, the four of us took seats around a large circular table in the center of Bernard’s office. Just then, Leopold walked inside, closing the door behind him. Apparently, he’d gotten word from the secretary that I hadn't come by for a social call. Quietly sliding into his chair next to Bernard, Leopold nodded in my direction.
“Mr. Rhys, sir,” he began, flashing a polite smile at me. “It’s good to see you again.”
I eased back into my chair.
“I wish I could say the same for both of you.”
The men repositioned themselves in their seats, straightening their jackets and summoning the last bit of courage they looked to have.
“I’ll make this quick,” I said, dropping my hands in my lap and interlocking my fingers. “I have no intention of allowing this firm to manage my money without Dani Simms in charge. This request is not negotiable.”
Before I could continue, Bernard interrupted, “Mr. Rhys, I can assure you that whether or not Dani is involved in the management of your assets, your funds are in good hands and…”
Leopold jumped in.
“Yes, to echo what Bernard said, it’s come to our attention that Dani is a liability to the firm. For reasons we are not able to discuss, we were left with no alternative but to terminate her.”
I shook my head and chuckled. If there’s one thing I’d learned, it was that just because a person can handle billions of dollars, it doesn’t necessarily make them smart – or competent. While I’d seen more than my share of inept and ridiculous money managers over the years, these two really were in a league of their own.
“And I can
assure the both of you that you have been duped by Serena and her counsel,” I began, gesturing towards my attorneys. “These men represent me and the estate of my late father. The annulment decree for Serena and me is in its final stages. She is in no position to bargain or negotiate on behalf of my estate. If your firm offers her client services, I can assure you that you will be in for a lengthy legal battle.”
Once I finished speaking, Bernard and Leopold glanced at one another.
“Mr. Rhys,” Leopold began, nodding first towards me and then, my attorneys. “I’m sure you can appreciate that this information comes as a complete surprise to Bernard and me. I’m not sure if you’re aware of the circumstances surrounding Dani’s dismissal but they are quite compromising. Further, I…”
I shook my head, waving him off.
“Leopold, I know exactly what’s happened. Not only have I discussed it with Dani, but I’ve also discussed it with Serena. Serena has manipulated you and your firm. Even worse, she’s caused you to fire the best asset in your entire company. All the while, she did so without any authority from me.”
I paused, leaning forward and resting my elbows against the table. Looking at each one of them individually before I spoke, I continued.
“I believe I’ve made my point. The two of you need to bring Dani back to the firm, or I will not do business with you. Is that clear?”
Bernard nodded while I spoke.
“Yes, of course, Mr. Rhys. Both Leopold and I understand your position. But, this has suddenly become a complicated situation. We’ll need to consult with our own in-house counsel on this matter.”
Attorneys rule the worlds of the rich and famous. It didn’t surprise me one bit that they put me off with a response like that.
“I understand,” I replied. “Don’t waste much time. That's the only warning you’ll get from me on this subject.”
Not long after, my attorneys and I prepared to leave their offices. There was only one thing remaining – one piece of information I didn’t have. I approached Bernard and Leopold to get it.
“Putting our issues aside for a moment,” I began, sliding my hands into the pockets of my pants. “I need a favor from the two of you.”
They glanced at one another. Bernard responded.
“Of course, Mr. Rhys. Anything.”
MARCO
“1E,” I muttered to myself, raising my hand and preparing to knock on the door. But at the very instant my knuckles were about to strike the wood, it opened. Frowning, I stepped back and looked at the piece of paper in my hand and then looked at the number on the apartment door.
“Who are you?” a beautiful blonde woman snapped. “What do you want?”
I recognized her voice. I couldn’t recall from where. Folding the paper, I slid it into my pants pocket.
“Yes,” I began, looking past her into the apartment. “I was told that this is Dani Simms’ residence. I…”
The woman wrapped her hand around her hip and tossed her hair away from her face.
“Who told you that?” she replied, looking past me as well. “What do you want with Dani?”
“So you know her?”
The woman’s expression changed, growing more serious.
“Hey, I’m not gonna ask you again,” she began, wrapping one hand around the doorknob. “Like, what do you want with Dani?”
Without thinking, I stepped towards her, extending my hand.
“Stay where you are,” she warned, making a move to close the door. “You have three seconds to tell me who the hell you are and what you want with Dani. Otherwise, I'm closing the store and calling the cops. I will totally do it.”
I stopped in place.
“Hey,” I said, taking a step back for good measure. “I don’t want any trouble. I just want to talk to Dani. That’s all.”
She cocked her head to one side.
“Yeah, no shit, you’ve already said that, like a hundred times. This is your last chance. Who are you? What do you want with Dani?”
Exhaling, I answered her questions.
“My name is Marco Rhys. I’m a… client of Dani’s, at her investment firm. There’s been a misunderstanding. It’s very important that I talk to her and straighten everything out. Her career depends on it.”
While I talked, the woman’s mouth dropped open.
“Holy shit, holy shit…” she muttered, raising her hand to her mouth. “You’re him. You’re totally that guy - the race car driver. The one I talked to on the phone!”
The memory returned to me as well.
“Yes,” I replied, nodding and beginning to feel more frustrated with each second that ticked by. “That’s me. Is she here?”
Her posture changed. She released her death grip on the doorknob and nearly walked out into the hallway to talk to me.
Shaking her head, she replied, “No, she’s not here.”
“Well where is she? It’s very important I talk to her.”
The woman looked away from me. Her flaky behavior was getting on my nerves.
“You have my name but I didn’t catch yours.”
She turned her head in my direction. “Chloe.”
I smiled, nodding and hoping that our small amount of rapport would get the conversation back on track.
“Chloe, I need your help. Please. I need to be able to speak with Dani, and I don’t have any time to waste.”
Chloe’s posture changed again. This time she stepped back from me and crossed her arms.
“You really hurt her. You know that, don’t you?”
I had no idea what this person did or didn’t know, but there wasn’t any time to stand there and try and figure it out.
“Yes, I know that Dani’s hurting right now but, that’s the reason I’m here - to fix it. There’s been a huge misunderstanding. I just need a chance to make it right. That’s all.”
She remained silent for a couple of seconds. At last, she shook her head and backed away, trying to slam the door in my face at the same time.
“No, no,” she muttered, grabbing hold of the handle. “You’ve already caused her too much pain.”
At the last instant, I jammed my foot into the door, blocking her from closing it.
“Get out of here!” she yelled, leaning against the door with her shoulder. “I’m going to scream if you don’t. Like, I will totally yell at the top my lungs!”
Shaking my head, I kept my foot in place and replied, “Scream all you want. I’m not here to hurt you, and I’m certainly not here to hurt her. Please, Chloe. Please.”
She resisted me for a few more seconds. At last, she eased the tension on the door and stood back. The door swung open on its own momentum. Our eyes met.
“For the last time, is Dani here?”
Chloe shook her head.
“No,” she replied, somberness in her tone.
I peeked inside out of suspicion, just to be certain.
“Well, can you tell me where she is?”
As before, Chloe crossed her arms, closing herself off from me.
“I can’t…” she began, shaking her head. “Dani would kill me.”
“I’m here to help, Chloe. I’m the only person that can get Dani her job, and her career back on track. But, I can’t do any of that unless I know where to find her. Do you understand?”
Chloe turned away from me, shaking her head and exhaling.
“Chloe,” I said, taking one step towards her. “There’s not much time. If you know, you need to tell me.”
Slowly, she turned around to face me once more.
“She’s in… Pennsylvania. Her father died. She went there to attend the funeral.”
DANI
I never expected this day to come, but I knew it would have to, eventually. Everyone dies.
Since the day I was born, I’d only ever known my father as someone who was full of life, eager to live each day like it was his last. And now, here I stood, looking down on his lifeless body. His skin was tinged gray, but not with t
he color of illness. More like… a mask. His cheeks were drawn, framed in their last pose, sending a ghoulish chill over me.
While I stood there, I wondered what it took to do an undertaker’s job. How could you be careful with the body of a person you’d never known, yet was more important to grieving loved ones than you could possibly imagine? Probably it boiled down to being disconnected, aloof.
Not uninterested, but not involved either.
We’d cried so much already that morning. Unfortunately, the rest of the day would be filled with many more tears. He’d gone so fast, there hadn’t been time for my mom to give me any warning. I should have stayed, made more of an effort to be there.
I shared my guilt about it with her. I felt I had no choice.
Death has a way of wiping away pettiness. All the issues, large and small, fade away in its grim shadow. For the first time I could remember in years, my mom and I found a way to put aside our issues. Not long after the funeral, we spent some quiet time together. Sitting on a bench outside of the mortuary overlooking a reflecting pond, she took my hand in hers.
“Dani,” she began, squeezing my fingers. “Your father would be so proud of you, everything you’ve achieved and the woman you’ve become.”
I wasn’t used to hearing compliments or praise of any kind from her. In fact, all the time I’d spent putting distance between us and keeping my private life private made her compliment all the more awkward to accept.
“Thank you,” I began, pulling a strand of hair away from my face. I tucked the windblown wisp behind my ear. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, Mom. Everything’s been so busy, work just consumes me.”
I didn’t expect her to understand or forgive my excuse. High achievers were few and far between in my family. She and my dad certainly didn’t fit the mold.
“I understand,” she said, letting go of my hand and looking away from me, toward the reflecting pond. “Believe it or not, I do.”
She turned in my direction, staring at me again.
“What’s going on with you, Dani? In your life? Are you happy? Do you have anyone significant?”
I shifted in my seat, swallowing and averting my gaze. Being completely honest in the situation, I would’ve had to reveal everything about what happened with Marco. But since so much of it still seemed hard to believe, I wasn’t sure where to begin or even if I should.