Chapter 41 Zaria
ZARIA
The conference room smells like fresh coffee and expensive cologne.
I sit beside Callum, my hands folded in my lap to keep them from shaking.
Across from us, two lawyers in matching gray suits sit with briefcases open and documents piled around them in neat little stacks. The older one, a man with silver hair and thin-rimmed glasses, introduces himself as Edward Harrington. The younger woman beside him is Claire Dalton.
"Ms. Quinn," Edward begins, removing his glasses. "Or do you go by Ms. Donoghue?"
I swallow hard. "Quinn. I go by Quinn."
"Of course," he says and pulls a file folder closer. "You have no idea how difficult it's been to locate you."
"I've been a bit unavailable." The understatement of the century.
Claire taps something on her tablet. "We searched under both names, prior addresses, which we could only find one in Idaho, and the people at Shadowharbor weren't very helpful," she says, looking up at me.
"Eventually, however, through some rather creative investigative work, we established a connection between you and Mr. Killaney here," she says, glancing at Callum, "and that made things considerably easier. "
"You seem to be going through a lot of trouble to find her," Callum says.
"Well, yes," Edward says. "Given the complexity of the estate in question, we had no choice but to find her."
"Estate?" I ask, my fingers curling against my thighs under the table. "What is this about?"
Edward exchanges a look with Claire before clearing his throat. "We represent the estate of Cormac Donoghue."
Callum's hand finds my knee under the table and he rubs my leg to stop it from shaking.
"Cormac is dead," Callum says.
"Yes," Edward says. "Which is precisely why we're here. Mr. Donoghue's death has triggered the execution of his estate. Or rather…" He pauses, shuffling through papers. "The lack thereof."
"The lack thereof?" I ask.
Claire leans forward. "Mr. Donoghue did not leave a traditional will. No documented succession plan for Shadowharbor or his business holdings. No designated heirs, no charitable bequests. Nothing."
I don't understand. Cormac was obsessive about control. The idea that he wouldn't have planned for his death seems impossible.
"I don't understand. He told me he once had it all secure."
The lawyers exchange confused glances.
Edward clears his throat again. "Anything was null or void, so in the absence of a will, intestate succession laws apply.
Which means his estate passes to his next of kin.
" He looks directly at me. "You, Ms. Quinn.
You are Cormac Donoghue's only living child on record.
A Mrs. Samantha Quinn submitted paperwork. That's how you came on our radar."
Callum looks at me.
"That's my mother."
"Well," Claire says, "I'm sure your mother thought she was just doing standard protocols, but she inadvertently secured you Cormac's estate. The value of which," she pauses and looks down at her paperwork, "is 582 million dollars."
"What?" I blurt out, leaning forward.
Claire nods and slides the paper across the table.
"Shadowharbor Holdings. The umbrella corporation that owns approximately forty-seven subsidiary companies across multiple sectors.
Properties in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and a few various financial services.
" She pauses. "It's a conservative estimate, and it would require you liquidating everything, but it's definitely over half a billion dollars. "
I stare down at the paper, large numbers with dollar signs I can't even process.
"I don't…" I shake my head, trying to make sense of it. "I mean, I just knew about Shadowharbor. Nothing about homes or anything else."
"Well, for whatever reason Mr. Donoghue kept it secret," Edward says, "but all his assets, including all holdings under the Shadowharbor Corporation, will be transferred to you effective immediately upon the settlement of his estate.
That includes controlling shares and his liquid assets of," he looks down at some papers, "21 million dollars that we can wire to your account within 24 hours of signing. "
My mouth goes dry.
"Shadowharbor," I repeat. "You're saying I inherit Shadowharbor?"
"That's correct."
I lean back and almost laugh.
The empire Cormac built specifically to destroy the Killaneys. The machine that funded the Morrígan Order, that paid for the rituals and the robes and the girls who were burned on altars. That money is soaked in blood. My blood. The blood of my sisters is now in my possession.
"This is insane," I say in utter disbelief.
Edward adjusts in his seat. "I assure you, Ms. Quinn, the valuation and paperwork has been thoroughly vetted by our team. Everything is legitimate."
"Well, I don't know the first thing about running a company," I say.
Claire's expression softens slightly. "There's a board of directors currently managing day-to-day operations. You wouldn't need to…"
"Give us a moment," Callum says, his voice cutting through.
The lawyers hesitate, then nod, and step outside.
The door clicks shut, and I exhale a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Callum turns his chair to face me fully.
"Talk to me."
"I can't do this." The words tumble out before I can stop them. "Callum, that company… you know what it is. You know what he built it for."
"I know."
"It funded everything. The Order, the attacks on your routes, your father's…" I can't finish. "That money is poison."
Callum takes both my hands in his.
"Listen to me," he says, his voice low. "You don't need to know everything. Not today. Not tomorrow." He squeezes my fingers. "We can figure it out. Together. This could be a good opportunity for you."
I let out a laugh. "An opportunity? To inherit the weapon my father built to destroy your family?"
"To dismantle it. To redirect it. Maybe even to make it something else entirely." His gaze holds mine. "Or to burn it to the ground, if that's what you want. But the choice is yours."
The choice is mine. Such a simple concept, yet it still seems alien to me.
Cormac ruined my life and that of many others, and now across the table in a manila folder is his entire business, waiting for me to decide what to do with it.
And you know what? I do.
I lean toward Callum and look into his eyes.
"Or you," I say.
He raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
I nod and straighten in my chair. The scattered pieces of my thoughts suddenly align, clicking into place with clarity.
"Bring them back in."
Callum studies me for a long moment, then rises and opens the door. Edward and Claire file back in, retaking their seats.
I wait until they're settled before I speak.
"I would like to sign the company over to the Killaney Trust."
"What?" Edward says, his professional composure cracking for the first time.
Claire blinks at me. "Ms. Quinn, I'm not sure you understand…"
"I understand perfectly," I interrupt, my voice stronger now. "I want to transfer my shares, or whatever it is I have, to the Killaney Trust. Can you do that?"
"Zaria," Callum says, his voice low and urgent. "We should talk about this."
"Technically," Claire says slowly, "as the sole heir, you do have the authority to transfer your holdings. But there's a process. Board approval, securities regulations, potential antitrust concerns given the overlap between Shadowharbor's holdings and existing Killaney Trust operations."
"Zaria," Callum says.
I turn to look at him and take his hand. The one that held me steady in that burning building. The one that pulled me out when no one else would have come.
"That man destroyed my life," I say, trying not to cry. "This is my vengeance. My revenge. Taking the weapon he built and handing it to the people he hated most." A smile tugs at my lips, small but real. "And besides, maybe I can help you run it."
The corner of Callum's mouth twitches. "You want to help me run the company you're giving me?"
"Someone has to keep you from working yourself to death."
He's quiet for a few seconds, and then he asks me, "You're sure?"
"One hundred percent." I nod.
I turn to the lawyers, who are watching this exchange with expressions that suggest they've never encountered anything quite like us before.
"Where do I sign?"
Edward shuffles papers like he's trying to buy himself time to think. "It's not quite that simple. We'll need to draft the contracts. Transfer documents, liability waivers, regulatory filings. It'll take a few days, at minimum."
"How many days?" I ask.
"Three, perhaps four. We'll need to coordinate with your…" he glances at Callum, "with the Killaney Trust's legal team to ensure everything is handled properly."
"Fine." I sit back in my chair. "Let me know when it's all ready."
Edward opens his mouth, closes it, then nods slowly as if he's slightly dazed. "Of course. We'll be in touch."
They gather their things and shake hands with Callum.
"Can you please provide us with your legal team's info?" Claire asks.
"My receptionist at the front will give you whatever you need," Callum says.
She nods and walks out.
I stare down at the business cards they left on the table and then look at Callum, who's waiting for me to speak.
"That felt good," I say finally.
"What did?"
I turn to face him, tucking one leg under me in the expensive leather chair. "Having something to give to someone I care about."
For all the years I spent with the Order, I never really had anything that was mine, and the first time I do, I give it away.
Callum comes over and kisses me, slow and deliberate, his hand cupping the side of my face.
"You're incredible," he says. "But you're going to run Shadowharbor."
I blink. "What? I just gave it to you."
"And I'm hiring you to run it."
A laugh bursts out of me. "You can't hire me to run something I just gave you."
"I can do whatever I want. I'm Callum Killaney."
I laugh again and roll my eyes. "Yes, you are."
"Besides, you're brilliant," he says and leans down and kisses me again. "Who better to dismantle Cormac's legacy than the daughter he underestimated? Who better to rebuild it into something clean than the woman who survived everything he threw at her?"
"I'm a cult survivor, not a CEO."
He shrugs. "I have faith in you. You can learn to run a company."
"With what experience? What qualifications?"
"With me." He squeezes my shoulders. "With an army of accountants and lawyers and advisors who actually know what they're doing.
With a boyfriend who happens to run one of the most successful criminal enterprises in Massachusetts.
And not to mention my sister Keira knows a lot about the company and she'd be glad to help you as well.
I snort. "Quite the résumé builder."
"I'm serious, Zaria." The humor fades from his face.
"You don't have to do this alone. You're never going to have to do anything alone again.
But I want you to have this. I want you to have something that's yours, something you built, something that proves to yourself that you're more than what he made you. "
"I'm scared," I admit.
"I know."
"What if I fail?"
"Then we fail together."
I stand up and hug him, then stand back with eyes wide and look up at him.
"I can't believe I'm a millionaire now. Well, not now now, but when I get the money."
He smiles and puts his arm around me. "You've got me wrapped around your finger. My millions were already as good as yours, baby," he says and squeezes me. "Come on, let's go celebrate."