Chapter 29
Ben
My gaze locked on the man who I spent my entire life wanting to make proud of me.
Who I sacrificed my moral compass for time and time again just to please him, hoping that by some miracle, it would finally be enough.
It was never enough. He took and took, never looking to give back unless it benefited him in the end.
I had just been too blind and stupid to see it.
Now I couldn’t unsee it. The proof that Chardonnay had presented… I had seen all of it, but even then, a part of me didn’t want to believe I came from something so evil.
My father continued to clap as he made his way down the aisle, then stopped in the row I stood, his eyes still glued to Chardonnay. “Very impressive presentation,” he said in that mocking way of his.
I would give Chardonnay credit. She didn’t flinch. She didn’t smile or thank him. She stood tall, shoulders squared, eyes locked on his like she’d been waiting for this very moment.
“Save your applause. This isn’t a show. This is the end of your bullshit,” Sherry said, and pride filled me at her defiance and refusal to back down to a man who spent his life manipulating others and hiding behind power plays.
She stood tall, chin lifted, voice unwavering, and for the first time in his life, my father looked unsure. Dad’s fiery gaze burned into Sher, and I dug for the courage to speak, but before I could get the words out, he swung his attention to Chardonnay.
Brady stepped forward, but Mr. Grasso put his hand out, stopping him. Tension spread through the air, but everyone continued to stand their ground. If I only I had their strength when facing my father, maybe things could have been different.
Sherry’s hold on my hand tightened. Her other hand wrapped around my bicep and squeezed.
Dad’s eyes broke free of Char and darted to me, any uncertainty completely gone, replaced with that arrogant confidence. “You look well,” he said with more warmth than he’d ever shown me before.
I knew what he was doing, and it wasn’t going to work.
“I’m actually glad you’re here,” Char said, pointing to the screen. “I’m about to show how you not only destroyed your competition, but how you destroyed your own son.”
Dad’s eyes widened as they swung back to me. “They know. So, if that was your wild card, I’m afraid it’s already been played.” I stepped out from the row, Sherry’s hand in mine as we brushed past him, standing defiantly with Chardonnay at the front.
His mouth parted, but no words came out. For once in my life, someone was two steps ahead of him. An unexpected thrill coursed through me. I was no longer being controlled by the puppet master. I cut the strings, and now it was time for us to finish him.
“Char, if you could hit the next slide, I’d love to show you all exactly what my father did to destroy the one thing that brought me joy in the miserable existence he afforded me.”
“Miserable existence? I gave you everything!” His voice boomed through the room, his meticulous control slipping.
“You gave me nothing. Everything you ever gave me was tied to future promises and expectations. Nothing ever came for free.”
“You’re just mad your company failed.”
“Yes, I am. It had the makings of being a massive success. So stop being rude and let us finish with the presentation. Then when we’re done, we’ll decide who actually caused the failure of the label.”
Char smiled and happily clicked to the next slide. My heart sunk as even more evidence than what she had already showed me appeared on the screen. She must have done more digging.
I already knew he was responsible, but I didn’t realize how deep his betrayal went.
Email chains, altered contracts, a leaked supplier list sent to a rival three weeks before my funding was pulled.
What made it all worse? My name was on every single document—documents I had never seen before today.
A sharp inhale beside me drew my attention from the screen. Sherry’s grip didn’t tighten, and it didn’t loosen, but her arms trembled. Fire radiated in her light brown eyes. She wasn’t just angry; she was angry for me .
“I stumbled on all this last night,” Char said. “This is how Redmark Reserve was dismantled from the inside, and this,” she pointed to the screen, “is the signature that ended it all.”
Another gasp erupted through the room, but my limbs became numb, jaw stuck in a tight clench.
My eyes followed the familiar signature. It was undeniable.
It was my father’s.
He stood there, arms crossed over his chest as if he was still untouchable, but there were tiny kinks in his armor. The slight twitch in his jaw, the tight lines around his eyes deepening with each controlled breath. This man who had always seemed so untouchable to me was unraveling.
And just like the last time I stood up to him, I didn’t feel victory. This time, all I felt was disappointment and anger. I was his son, but he never cared about me.
Sherry’s arms wrapped around my middle, and I pulled her close, kissing the top of her head, relishing in her familiar scent. I didn’t need him. Not when I had Sherry and this room full of people on my side.
Dad’s glare shot toward me. “You were always soft.”
“No,” I said, holding Sherry even tighter. “I was strong enough to survive you”
“You’ll regret this. All of you.”
“Is that a threat?” Albert asked, stepping forward and the old man looked more intimidating than ever before. He survived Vietnam, and I’d wager to say he could survive Edmund Golde.
Dad sidestepped him and snapped his fingers. The Men and Black cast all stood and filed out.
“Hey, where are you going?” Char called out. “We’re not done yet.”
As the last of the suits disappeared from view, the room broke out into applause. And now.
Now I felt victory.