Chapter 5 - The Contract Behind the Contract
Victor Russo was arrested before sunset.
My father was not.
Not immediately.
That hurt more than I expected.
Three days later, Richard Bennett sat across from me in Aiden’s office.
The forged marriage contract rested between us.
My father looked ten years older.
“I’m going to confess.”
I stared at him.
“To everything?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you asked me in the cathedral if I forged your signature.”
He swallowed.
“And I realized I had become the kind of man your mother would have hated.”
I didn’t answer.
He continued.
“I told myself I was protecting you.”
“You weren’t.”
“I know.”
“You were protecting the company.”
“Yes.”
“You used me.”
His eyes dropped.
“Yes.”
Aiden stood near the window, silent.
I asked my father:
“Why Aiden?”
Richard almost smiled.
“Because I thought he’d protect you.”
I looked toward Aiden.
My father continued.
“I knew Sullivan wouldn’t hurt you.”
“So you lied to him too.”
“Yes.”
Aiden finally spoke.
“That wasn’t particularly appreciated.”
My father almost laughed.
Neither did I.
Richard pushed another folder toward me.
“What’s this?”
“My resignation.”
I opened it.
He was transferring his voting shares into a trust controlled by me.
“You’re giving me the company?”
“I’m giving back what I nearly destroyed.”
I closed the folder.
“I don’t know if I forgive you.”
“I know.”
“Maybe I never will.”
“I know that too.”
I looked at Aiden.
“Can I have five minutes?”
He nodded.
Aiden and Tommy left.
My father looked at me.
“You like him.”
“Don’t.”
“You do.”
“I slapped him.”
“Your mother slapped me once.”
“That explains a lot.”
He laughed.
And suddenly I remembered being ten years old, sitting on his shoulders at Navy Pier.
That was the worst part about betrayal.
Bad people were easy to hate.
People you loved were complicated.
When my father left, Aiden returned.
“He’s cooperating with prosecutors,” he said.
“What happens?”
“Probably a plea agreement.”
“Prison?”
“Possibly.”
I nodded.
Aiden sat across from me.
“Claire.”
“Yes?”
“I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“The wedding.”
“You were lied to.”
“I still should have spoken to you directly.”
“That would’ve helped.”
“I assumed your father represented your wishes.”
“Never make that mistake again.”
“I won’t.”
I looked at him.
“There won’t be another wedding.”
Something flickered across his face.
“Obviously.”
“Why did you agree to marry me?”
He hesitated.
“Business.”
“Liar.”
His eyebrows rose.
“You investigated me.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what charities I worked with.”
“Yes.”
“My education.”
“Yes.”
“My favorite restaurant?”
Silence.
I smiled.
“You knew.”
Aiden looked annoyed.
“Tommy included unnecessary details.”
“Sure.”
I stood.
“So?”
Aiden looked up at me.
“So what?”
“Why?”
He considered lying.
Then didn’t.
“Because I admired you.”
That surprised me.
“Before meeting me?”
“I watched you refuse to sell your employees’ pension fund to cover company losses.”
“That was private.”
“Nothing involving eight million dollars is private.”
I laughed.
He continued.
“I thought you were brave.”
“You still think that?”
May you like
Aiden touched his cheek.
“I have supporting evidence.”
