Chapter 11 - MY FATHER’S OFFER
Dad waited two weeks before contacting me.
He asked to meet on the mansion lawn.
The same place where he had thrown Grandpa’s box.
I agreed.
No relatives.
No champagne.
No audience.
Just Richard standing beside an empty table.
“I’ll resign as president.”
I had not expected that.
“In exchange for what?”
He almost smiled.
“You always did assume there was a second sentence.”
“There usually is with you.”
He looked toward the house.
“I retain my financial interest.”
“That depends on the audit.”
His jaw tightened.
“You sound like Arthur.”
“Maybe he was right.”
“That company should have been mine.”
“Why?”
“I gave thirty years to it.”
“So did Grandpa.”
“He was my father.”
“And I’m your daughter.”
He looked at me.
For once, the words landed.
I continued.
“You spent my whole life teaching me that family loyalty meant giving you what you wanted.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“You tried to hand my fiancé to Madison because it made your corporate position easier.”
His face twisted.
“I was trying to keep this family intact.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You were trying to keep yourself in the center of it.”
He looked away.
I did not remove him that afternoon.
I told him the audit would decide.
Facts before revenge.
May you like
That was the first decision I made as controlling beneficiary.
And perhaps the first proof Grandpa had chosen correctly.
