Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
ZOEY
“ S o you haven’t spoken to your dad at all?” Matt asks as we drive the familiar route that leads to Oliver’s place.
“I haven’t heard anything back, no. I tried to call him, but he’s not picking up. According to his assistant, he flew to Europe last week to do some damage control with investors.”
Matt hums, his gaze fixed on the road. “I’m surprised. The issue over there must be very important for him to stay silent.” He glances at me. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“No.” I shake my head, fingers laced together in my lap. “We’re a huge organization. There are always investors who need coddling, hands to shake. It never ends.”
He hums again. “I think Charlee will have a lot to tell you.”
I hope so. I’m so close to finding the last piece of the puzzle and having the complete picture. And with any luck, Charlee can lead me to it.
When we get there, his friends are all sitting on logs arranged around a crackling bonfire.
Nervousness sweeps across my body as we approach.
These are Matt’s people. His family.
I don’t want to mess it up.
As if he can sense my hesitation, Matt rounds the truck and circles his arms around my waist. “You’re gonna be fine. I love you, so they’ll love you too.” With that, he guides me toward his friends.
“Hey guys,” he throws out when we get there. “This is Zoé.”
“Finally!” A woman with auburn hair jumps out of a man’s lap.
I recognize her immediately.
“You’re Charlee, right?” I ask, cradling my laptop to my chest.
She raises her eyebrows, a smirk stretching on her lips. “Matt talked about me?”
I chuckle. “No. I mean, yes, but that’s not where I heard of you first. I saw one of your documentaries on TV.” My cheeks heat. “Your passion for this town is contagious.”
Her face lights up in the glow of the fire. “There’s no better place in the world. This is Oliver, by the way,” she says, settling back on his lap. He waves, drawing her closer to him.
I offer him a smile as Matt motions for me to sit on one of the logs, James and Lola scooting over to leave us some room.
“It’s nice to see you again, Zoey,” Lola says as she gives me a beer.
Matt snags it before I can grab it and twists the top off, hitting me with a grin that makes his dimple pop.
“So what do we do?” He asks, diving straight into it. “How do we put a stop to Oscar’s plan?”
I garner my nerve and sit a little taller.
“I need to know what happened here with his deal two years ago.” I scan the group.
“We don’t have any record of the attempted project, which is weird.
We typically keep copies of everything, even if proposals fall through.
There’s something he doesn’t want me to know, but I think you all do. Tell me what happened.”
Charlee watches me, the light of the fire dancing on her face.
“Of course he doesn’t. Oscar’s shady as fuck.
” She glances at Oliver, who nods for her to go ahead.
“Your dad wanted to tear down a historical building and put his resort in its place. When we realized it was against our bylaws, he still tried to convince our mayor to look the other way. Offered him money for it.”
My stomach drops.
I knew it.
How many times can my father betray me? How many secrets will unfold before the man I thought I knew better than anyone turns out to be a total stranger?
“I think we should do some digging. Tonight,” I say.
Eyes glinting, she rests her elbows on her thighs. “Because if he could do this to us…”
“Then how many other towns like Pine Falls are out there?” I conclude, nodding.
“How come you never realized what he was doing?” James asks, his tone marked with skepticism. “Aren’t you the head of business development?”
“I am,” I say, tearing my gaze away from Charlee.
“But it doesn’t mean I know everything my father does.
” Although I thought we were honest and transparent with each other.
“I oversee a big team that scouts potential locations, identifying places we can expand or transform. My dad does his own thing. Clearly.”
Matt rubs circles on my back. “I’m sorry, beautiful.”
“Do you have access to the company’s files?” Lola asks, nodding toward my laptop.
“I do.”
I open it, connect to my phone’s hotspot, and log in to Imperial Excellence’s servers.
“So we find other examples, then we build a case against the company,” Charlee says. “That should do the trick, shouldn’t it?”
I swallow. “That’s the plan.”
My dad betrayed, lied to, used, and humiliated me.
By all accounts, I should relish the thought of ripping his legacy to shreds.
I should crave the satisfaction of watching it all burn to the ground.
But we’re talking about bringing the whole corporation down.
His life’s work. I can’t shake the sticky feeling crawling up my spine at the idea.
I won’t back down. But Imperial Excellence is all I’ve ever known.
“We don’t have to do this,” Matt whispers, his gaze fixed on where my fingers hover above the keyboard. “We can find another way.”
“I don’t—” Charlee starts.
“We can find another way.” Matt cuts her off sharply, punctuating every word.
I shake my head. “No, she’s right.” I blow out a deep breath, opening our acquisition data. “This is our best shot.”
All I have left is this town. These people. And I’ll do everything I can to protect them from Oscar Marchiatto.
Turns out, good old Dad has a lot of skeletons and shady business deals in his closet.
Questionable expropriations, construction on wetlands, last-minute changes to plans without approval from our architectural firm. We discovered at least five projects in the last ten years that raised my eyebrows.
In the past two weeks, with the help of Matt’s friends, we’ve put together a solid case against Imperial Excellence, one concrete enough to present to the authorities.
During those two weeks, we called mayors and contractors, gathered information, and asked for evidence.
And bit by bit, we built an irrefutable record.
I leave my rental car in the company’s underground parking and turn off the engine. Matt offered to come with me—insisted is more like it—but this is something I have to do on my own.
It’s my dad to confront, my mess to clean, my future to build.
My inner child to heal.
As I’m striding for the elevators, my phone rings.
“Hi, handsome.”
“Did you make it there okay?” Matt’s voice is tinny and a little choppy down here under the building.
“Just parked.” I press the elevator button with a shaky finger, my heart thumping against my breastbone. “Heading for his office now.”
“How do you feel?”
I heave out a sigh. “Ready for it to be over.”
He hums. “I understand. When you get home tonight, Daph and I will be ready to welcome you back with ice cream and a movie. Right, Daph?”
“Zoey can have the ice cream,” she calls in the background. “I want the popcorn.”
“Okay.” I can’t help but smile at the sound of her voice. “I’m going up,” I say as the elevator doors whoosh open. “Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need it. Give him hell. I love you.”
“I love you.”
All the way up, my eyes remain fixed on the floor numbers as they scroll by.
Three . The number of weeks it took me to realize I was my dad’s puppet.
Five . The people that I now call family.
Eight . How many times I’ve cried from sadness and rage over the past two weeks.
Twelve . The age I was when I understood my dad didn’t really care about me.
Fifteen . The number of days it took me to bring this company down.
Ding.
The doors open on the twentieth floor, and I walk straight into my father’s office, heart in my throat.
He watches me from his chair behind his desk, the Vancouver Harbour in the background.
“Finally back in the city, I see.” He doesn’t bother to stand and greet me. “I’m glad you came to your senses, princess.”
“I’m not staying long,” I say, holding his gaze.
He frowns, his mouth following the downward path I’m so familiar with. “Where are you going, then?”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I drop the envelope on his desk. “This is my official resignation letter. Today is my last day. I quit.” I exhale sharply. “ God , it feels good to say those fucking words to you.”
He stares at the envelope like I’ve just tossed a bag full of trash, then sighs.
“You never went through a rebellious phase as a teenager, so I guess I should have expected an early midlife crisis.” He finally hauls himself out of his chair, then holds his hands out.
“What do you want me to do, princess? Tell you I’m sorry I had to keep you in the dark with this project?
I can’t, because I’m not. It had to be done this way. You know why?”
He takes a step toward me, but I don’t budge.
“It’s because I know that heart of yours. You’re tough on the outside but not so tough in here.” He pats his chest. “The second I saw you with that man, I knew I’d made the right call. The faster you get over it, the faster we can move on.”
His words glide over me like water on a pane of glass.
“In two minutes,” I say, my tone stronger than I feel, “the police will barge through those doors and seize every document in this building. An investigation into the hotel group will be triggered. You will be arrested for fraudulent operations involving hush money, multiple law violations, and abuse of power. And me? I’ll be cooperating with them in every way I can. ”
I take my own step forward, my voice as cold as steel. “I’ll be the good little girl you taught me to be and burn your goddamn legacy to the ground.”
He’s too stunned to speak, his eyes full of horror and shock.
I don’t linger.
I turn around and press the elevator button. When the doors open, I’m met with half a dozen police officers.