Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN WHO WANTED MY SHARES
The next morning, Carter Manufacturing's boardroom was full.
My father sat at one end.
I sat beside him.
Alexander stood behind me.
Mason had come too.
For once, there was no wedding.
No music.
No flowers.
Just twelve people staring at the future of a company that had employed their families for generations.
Caroline Whitmore was absent.
But her attorney was there.
He placed a document on the table.
“Mrs. Whitmore is prepared to purchase Carter Manufacturing's distressed debt in full.”
My father looked at me.
I understood.
This was the final move.
“On what condition?”
The attorney looked at me.
“That Emily Carter transfer her voting interests.”
I stared.
“I don't own them.”
“Yes, you do.”
He slid another document toward me.
My mother's old agreement.
My name was listed as successor owner.
I looked at Alexander.
He nodded.
“I told you the agreement mattered.”
The attorney smiled.
“Your client cannot simply refuse.”
“I'm not refusing.”
I looked at him.
“I'm asking a question.”
“What?”
“Why does Caroline want my shares so badly?”
The attorney hesitated.
Mason answered.
“Because whoever owns those shares controls the company.”
“That much I know.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Whoever owns those shares also controls a portfolio of properties your mother transferred into the company before she died.”
I froze.
“What properties?”
“Land.”
“Where?”
“Chicago, Indiana, Wisconsin.”
My father closed his eyes.
I stared at him.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because the land is why Caroline has been after us for years.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“The properties are worth more than the debt.”
I looked at him.
“How much more?”
“Enough to explain the entire campaign against your family.”
The boardroom fell silent.
The company wasn't failing because the business had become worthless.
It was failing because someone wanted it cheaply.
Mason finally spoke.
“My mother engineered the debt.”
I looked at him.
“How?”
“She convinced private lenders to tighten terms.”
“Why?”
“To force default.”
“And you?”
“I was supposed to marry you.”
I felt sick.
“Then your family would control the company.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“I knew enough to suspect.”
I stared at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
He looked ashamed.
“Because I thought I could fix it myself.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps trying to fix my life without asking me.”
Alexander looked at me.
“That ends today.”
The attorney interrupted.
“Mrs. Carter has a decision to make.”
“No.”
I turned toward him.
“The company does.”
I stood.
“I'm not selling.”
The attorney smiled.
“You may not have a choice.”
My father finally spoke.
“She does.”
The board looked at him.
He placed an old ledger on the table.
“This contains the original stock certificates.”
The attorney's expression changed.
“You said those were lost.”
“I lied.”
I opened the ledger.
There they were.
Original certificates.
My mother's signature.
My father's.
And the Whitmore agreement.
The board chairman looked at the papers.
“If these are valid…”
Alexander finished the sentence.
“Caroline can't force a transfer.”
The attorney stood.
“This is not over.”
“No,” I said.
“It isn't.”
He left.
Mason remained.
I looked at him.
“Did you know my father had the certificates?”
“No.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“My mother thought they were gone.”
I looked at him.
“Then why did you believe she could take the company?”
“Because she told me she had already won.”
I stared.
Then I remembered his humiliation.
The accusation.
The public breakup.
Maybe he had been trying to force my father to surrender.
Maybe he had been manipulated.
But the pain remained.
I turned toward him.
“You don't get absolution because your mother lied.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
Alexander placed a hand on the table.
“There is one more problem.”
“What?”
“The lender that holds the debt.”
Everyone looked at him.
“It's not one of Caroline's companies.”
“Then whose?”
He looked at me.
“Mine.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
Alexander's voice was calm.
“I bought the debt six months ago.”
The room went silent.
Mason stood.
“You did what?”
Alexander didn't blink.
“I bought the distressed notes.”
I stared at him.
“You knew my family was drowning.”
“Yes.”
“And you bought our debt.”
“To keep Caroline from buying it.”
My heart pounded.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
His eyes met mine.
“Because your mother asked me to protect the company without letting you grow up believing you owed me anything.”
I couldn't speak.
Then Alexander said quietly:
“I never intended to collect the debt.”
I stared at him.
“Then what do you want?”
He looked at me.
“I want the company free.”
“That's all?”
“No.”
May you like
His voice softened.
“I want you free too.”
