Chapter 5 - THE BILLIONAIRE’S SON
Marcus had Owen and Claire moved within eight minutes.
Adrian did not ask permission.
He also did not send them to one of his mansions.
Grace had warned him against that kind of instinct.
Do not take him away by force.
Earn his trust.
So Adrian gave Claire a choice between three secure properties near Briar Glen.
She chose a modest lake house twenty minutes away that belonged to one of Adrian’s corporate foundations.
By noon, discreet security surrounded the property.
Owen hated it.
“There are men outside every window.”
“They’re keeping you safe,” Claire said.
“I was safe yesterday.”
Adrian looked at him.
“No, you weren’t.”
Owen turned.
“You don’t know that.”
“Someone threw a device through your kitchen window.”
“That happened because you came.”
The sentence hit exactly where Owen intended.
Claire opened her mouth.
Adrian stopped her.
“He’s right.”
Owen blinked.
Claire stared at him.
Adrian continued.
“Thomas wanted something before I arrived. But my appearance probably forced him to act faster.”
“So if you leave?”
“He still knows who you are.”
“Maybe he’ll leave me alone.”
“I won’t gamble your life on maybe.”
Owen glared.
“You don’t get to decide everything.”
“No.”
Adrian lowered himself into a chair so they were closer to eye level.
“But keeping you alive is one decision I’m willing to make you angry about.”
Owen stood abruptly and walked toward the hallway.
Then he stopped.
“You sound like Mom.”
Adrian smiled sadly.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Owen disappeared into his room.
Claire waited until the door closed.
“That went better than expected.”
“He hates me.”
“No. He’s scared.”
“I know.”
“He also feels guilty.”
“For what?”
“Because part of him is excited that you’re here.”
Adrian looked toward the hallway.
Claire softened.
“He worshipped you from a distance, Adrian.”
“Grace said he watched my interviews.”
“He built a cardboard model of Meridian Tower when he was eight.”
Adrian stared.
Claire continued.
“Grace found him online once looking at apartments in Manhattan.”
“Why?”
“He wanted to know how far you lived from Central Park.”
Adrian looked away.
Claire’s voice became quieter.
“He used to ask what would happen if he accidentally met you someday.”
“What did Grace say?”
“That if it was meant to happen, it would.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“Twelve years too late.”
“Eleven.”
“What?”
“He’s eleven. You have time.”
Adrian looked at her.
It was the first thing Claire had said that sounded remotely like forgiveness.
His phone vibrated.
Rachel.
He answered.
“Tell me something good.”
“I can’t.”
“Of course.”
“The board is demanding an emergency meeting. News outlets learned you left negotiations yesterday.”
“So?”
“So Cole Meridian’s stock dropped four percent this morning.”
Adrian barely reacted.
“And?”
Rachel paused.
“You normally threaten to fire someone when we lose half a percent.”
“My priorities changed.”
“Apparently.”
“What else?”
“Your mother called the board.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“She did what?”
“She told them you are suffering from an emotional crisis after Grace Bennett’s death.”
Claire heard enough to raise an eyebrow.
Adrian stood.
“Schedule the board meeting remotely.”
“When?”
“Thirty minutes.”
“Adrian—”
“Thirty.”
He ended the call.
Claire folded her arms.
“You’re going to run a billion-dollar company from Grace’s lake house?”
“For now.”
“And your mother?”
Adrian looked toward the room where his son sat.
“She just made her first mistake.”
Thirty-two minutes later, Adrian sat before a laptop facing sixteen members of Cole Meridian’s board.
Victoria Cole occupied one square on the screen.
Elegant white blouse.
Pearls.
Calm.
As always.
Board chairman William Hart cleared his throat.
“Adrian, we’re concerned.”
“I’m touched.”
“This is serious.”
“So is my reason for leaving.”
Victoria spoke.
“No one is suggesting Grace’s death isn’t painful.”
Adrian stared at her image.
“My son’s mother.”
Several board members shifted.
Victoria froze.
Adrian continued.
“Grace Bennett was the mother of my eleven-year-old son.”
Complete silence.
Then chaos.
“What?”
“Your son?”
“Since when?”
Adrian let them speak for ten seconds.
Then raised a hand.
The room quieted.
“I learned yesterday.”
Victoria said sharply, “This is not appropriate for a board meeting.”
“Oh, I disagree.”
“Adrian.”
“You told them I was unstable.”
“I said you were grieving.”
“You implied I couldn’t run my company.”
“I was protecting shareholder confidence.”
Adrian smiled without warmth.
“That phrase sounds familiar.”
Victoria’s face tightened.
Adrian continued.
“Twelve years ago, you also claimed to be protecting my future when you told Grace I wanted her gone.”
William Hart leaned forward.
“Victoria?”
She said nothing.
Adrian watched everyone’s expressions.
“My absence from yesterday’s negotiations was personal. My leadership is not compromised. Meridian’s acquisition will proceed if the terms remain favorable. Rachel will distribute revised schedules.”
One director asked, “And the child?”
Adrian’s tone became ice.
“My son is not board business.”
Victoria interrupted.
“Except his existence may affect the Cole Trust.”
There it was.
Claire, listening from the doorway, visibly stiffened.
Adrian looked directly into the camera.
“How quickly you got there.”
Victoria realized her mistake.
“I’m simply stating a fact.”
“No. You’re revealing a priority.”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“My son’s mother was buried yesterday and the first thing you’re worried about is voting control.”
“I am worried about the stability of everything your father built.”
“My father?”
Adrian leaned closer.
“Interesting choice.”
Victoria went still.
“Richard Sloan is missing.”
For the first time, her composure cracked.
Only slightly.
But Adrian saw it.
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because Thomas Vale took him.”
One board member asked, “Who is Thomas Vale?”
Adrian never looked away from his mother.
“My father’s half-brother.”
Several directors clearly had no idea.
Victoria whispered, “Adrian, stop.”
“You knew he existed.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he cut my brake lines.”
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
Adrian smiled grimly.
“I never said he cut them.”
Victoria’s face drained.
Board members began talking over one another.
Adrian felt no victory.
Only confirmation.
“Meeting adjourned.”
He closed the laptop.
Claire stared at him.
“You baited her.”
“Yes.”
“She knew.”
“She knew something.”
“You think she wanted you dead?”
Adrian did not answer.
Because Owen stood in the hallway.
He had heard everything.
“What happens to me if you die?”
Adrian’s chest tightened.
“Nothing is going to happen to me.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Adrian slowly stood.
Owen approached.
“What happens to me?”
“You stay with Claire unless you want something different.”
“And the company?”
“Not relevant.”
“You said there’s a trust.”
Adrian exhaled.
Of course Owen understood.
He was eleven, not stupid.
“Yes.”
“Does Thomas want money because of me?”
“Partly.”
“So I’m the reason?”
“No.”
“But if I didn’t exist—”
“Stop.”
Adrian crossed the room.
“None of this is because you exist. Do you understand?”
Owen looked down.
“Thomas made his choices. My mother made hers. Grace made decisions because adults around her failed her. None of that belongs to you.”
Owen’s chin trembled.
“My mom got sick because she was scared all the time.”
“No.”
“You don’t know.”
“Cancer doesn’t work that way.”
“You don’t know!”
Owen turned and ran outside.
Security moved immediately.
Adrian followed.
Owen reached the edge of the lake before stopping.
“Leave me alone!”
Adrian stopped several yards behind him.
“Okay.”
The boy turned.
“You’re still there.”
“I’m very bad at instructions.”
Despite everything, Owen almost smiled.
Then tears filled his eyes.
“I miss her.”
Adrian nodded.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You’re right.”
Owen cried openly now.
“I woke up this morning and forgot for like three seconds. I thought she was downstairs making pancakes.”
Adrian’s throat closed.
“And then I remembered.”
He took one step closer.
Owen did not retreat.
“I hate remembering.”
“I know that feeling.”
“From your dad?”
“From your mom.”
Owen looked at him.
Adrian continued.
“For twelve years, I woke up sometimes thinking she was still beside me. Then I remembered she had left.”
“But she didn’t leave because she stopped loving you.”
“No.”
“Does that make it better?”
Adrian thought.
“No.”
Owen nodded.
“Me neither.”
They stood beside the lake.
Then Owen whispered, “I wanted to meet you.”
Adrian’s eyes burned.
“I wanted to meet you too. I just didn’t know it yet.”
“That’s weird.”
“Very.”
This time Owen did smile.
Barely.
Then one of Marcus’s security men approached quickly.
“Sir.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
“We found something.”
Marcus emerged from the house carrying a laptop.
His expression was grim.
“The threatening device had a cellular transmitter. We traced the signal.”
“To Thomas?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Marcus turned the screen.
A map showed a location less than two miles away.
Adrian frowned.
“That’s Grace’s cemetery.”
“Yes.”
Security footage appeared.
A dark vehicle sat beside the cemetery road.
A man stepped out.
Gray hair.
Limp.
Thomas Vale.
He walked directly toward Grace Bennett’s fresh grave.
Then another person emerged from the passenger side.
A woman.
Tall.
Elegant.
Silver hair.
Owen gasped.
Adrian felt his entire body go cold.
Victoria Cole.
His mother had told the board she was in Manhattan.
Instead, she was standing beside Thomas Vale over Grace’s grave.
And when the security camera zoomed closer, Victoria handed Thomas a black envelope.
Thomas opened it.
Then looked toward the camera as if he knew they were watching.
May you like
He smiled.
And Victoria Cole smiled back.
