Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
His walls were lined with family photos—children, grandkids, holiday parties. Not a single business award.
Not that he deserved one.
In his parlor room, he poured whiskey into two shot glasses and handed me one. I took it down in a single swallow.
“I don’t even care that you sold me a company in terrible condition—or the fact that you knew damn well it was a house of cards.” I needed to make my true intentions quick and get out of here. “It’s disappointing, of course, but it won’t break me in the long run.”
“So, why are you here, exactly, Mr. Cross?”
“Why didn’t you promote Andrea to CFO years ago?” I asked the question that’d been stuck in my mind since week one. “She deserved it more than anyone.”
“She did.” He avoided my gaze. “But I couldn’t afford to pay her what she deserved.”
“You were paying plenty of people six figures to do nothing.”
“Tenured people who relied on me,” he said. “I kept hoping I’d get to a point where I could give Andrea more, but the budget was tight.”
“No, that’s not it,” I said. “Tell me the truth.”
“I didn’t want anyone else to get her, so I kept her hanging on in hopes it would change.”
“I’m only giving you one last chance to stop bullshitting me, Mr. Lewis.”
“Fine.” He sighed. “I didn’t promote her because I knew she would’ve audited the hell out of the books and discovered what I was hiding.”
“You mean, found out you were a fraud?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Does she know now?”
“She knows some, and I still have no idea why I hid the worst of it from her.” I glared at him. “I think it would’ve broken her heart.”
“I was really trying to change things around long before you came along… I promise you, Harrison.” He looked genuine, but I knew a con man when I saw one.
Well, now anyway.
“Are you planning to turn me over to the SEC or the government?” he asked, looking wary. “If so, I’d appreciate at least a full month’s notice so I can get my affairs in order.”
“I’m not angry enough to make things any worse for you,” I said. “I’m more interested in you making things better for all the employees you claimed to love.”
“Huh?” He looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“I overpaid for your company.” I pulled out an agreement from my pocket. “By about four hundred fifty million, right?”
“Right.”
“So, you’re going to be a gentleman and refund me half.”
“Half?”
“I can spell the word out for you if you’d like,” I said. “Then you’re going to write out a check for all the money you should’ve paid Andrea over the years, and we’ll go from there.”
“Mr. Cross, I’m not sure why you—”
“This isn’t a negotiation session.” I was done with the conversation part. “You owe Andrea Stone. And you also owe me.”
“Let me guess…” He swallowed, pulling out a pen. “You’re going to use this to make yourself look like the good guy in her eyes?”
“Not at all.” I pointed to the line he needed to sign. “I’ll have to do something else for that…”
FORTY-SEVEN
HARRISON
One Week Later
(I think it’s been a week…)
Schedule Alert: Final Contract with Lay Group. Session Pushed Up.
Imuted the notification for the third time this morning, mentally running through the final pros and cons.
“Austin would want me to do this, right?” I looked over my shoulder at Ciara and Aaron. “It’s just one step closer to saving us and ruining Starbucks.”
They exchanged glances, but neither of them answered.
“Hello?” I asked. “Am I talking to myself? Would Austin want this?”
“Harrison,” Aaron said, sighing, “I was on Andrea’s side when it came to the layoffs…”
“Me too…” Ciara whispered softly.
“Andrea is no longer here with us.” I rolled my eyes. “Who cares what she thinks?”
“You do.” Aaron stepped closer, holding out a spreadsheet. “If it takes longer, it can take longer. You’ll still be a multibillionaire.”
“I see.” I hesitated to take it from him. “I called Ken Lay earlier this morning and told him to come here. I’m ready to handle the deal today, and I’d like to rehearse the words I plan to say.”
“We’ll let you get to it, then,” Ciara said.
“I meant with you two.” I glared at her. “Have a seat and let me tell you what I’m going to say.”
They ignored my demand and left the room, but not before shaking their heads at me and making me question whose side they were on.
Sighing, I flipped through the spreadsheet and realized I’d seen it before.
I’d pulled it off Andrea’s cloud weeks ago, and her numbers were right—as usual. They just didn’t align with the timeline I originally wanted.
Well, what I thought I wanted.
“Mr. Cross?” Heather poked her head through the door. “Mr. Lay is here.”
“Send him in.”
The door swung open and Mr. Lay strolled in, armed with a pen and the contract we’d hammered out together last week.