Chapter 2 Bryce
“You’ve gotta be shitting me,” I said, staring from the words to Simon like I’d read them wrong.
He capped the marker, putting it back in the tray, then stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I can assure you, I’m not shitting you.”
Aaric said, “Are you thinking clearly, Simon? Does this condition affect your mind?”
Jude stood up next to me, hands balled into fists like this was a physical fight. “This isn’t legal. It’s extortion.”
“Sue me,” Simon said with a shrug. “Then all the shares will be tied up in the courts. We all know the government will make great choices with my assets.”
Quentin got up and paced along the wall of windows, brow furrowed. He has to be coming up with something, I hoped. My mind had been wiped clean by Simon’s last request.
Cruz said, “We’re already prepping to launch the new software arm of the app. Isn’t that enough to deal with without being forced to find a wife too?”
Aaric nodded quickly. “Simon, isn’t there another way? Surely you don’t want us marrying for money.”
We all waited for his answer, and Simon stepped closer to the conference table, bending at the waist and resting his hands against it.
“The research spanned multiple countries and cultures. Whether it was an arranged marriage or a love marriage, the results were the same: Life improves for married men.” The conviction was clear in his tone, but a softness, too, as he added, “You boys are like my children. I can’t fail you like I’ve failed them. ”
Cruz spread his hands wide, his watch scraping over the conference room table. “We’re doing great, Simon. That’s all thanks to you. There’s no need for this extra stuff.”
“Don’t blow smoke up my ass,” Simon said, aiming a long, hard look at Cruz, then the rest of us. “You boys have a successful company. What else do you have to show for it?”
He gestured at Aaric. “That stupid self-driving electric car?”
Aaric frowned. “It’s good for the environment,” he muttered. But Simon’s gaze was already on Quentin. “You own a football team? Congratulations on watching people throw a ball around.”
Quentin scowled in return.
Then Simon said to Jude, “You have a hospital named after you? Whoopie.”
“I didn’t do that,” Jude retorted.
Simon gestured to Cruz. “That family compound of yours is pretty cool, and yeah, Bryce, you hired some help for your old man on the farm. But you boys all work more hours than you don’t. You don’t have lives.”
Now the room fell silent, because Simon was right. Work was our life. Had been for years.
“Pretty soon you’re gonna be old men like me,” Simon continued.
“Given months to live only to realize that you’re missing everything that really matters in life.
” He looked at the ground, blinking back the mist from his pale-blue eyes.
“I’m having my lawyer draw up the prenuptial agreements for all of you, and he’ll have the paperwork for the sale ready for me to sign as soon as I see your completed marriage certificates. ”
Jude arched an eyebrow, “What if we don’t all get married? Will you sell the shares to some of us?”
It was a fair question—and could keep Simon’s children from having a majority stake in the company. For the first time since Simon started writing his list, I felt hopeful.
He shook his head like he saw right through Jude’s question. “It’s all of you with rings on your fingers or nothing.” Like we really were his kids and he’d had enough of our arguing, he said, “My decision is final.”
Silence echoed through the room, suffocating with its weight.
After letting his words sink in, Simon left the conference room.
The five of us founders were alone. Jude and I standing with arms folded over our chests, Quentin pacing, like wearing a hole in the flooring could solve our problems, and Cruz and Aaric slumped in their chairs as if there was no hope in the world.
“There has to be a solution,” Jude said, tugging on his blazer from where it lay on the back of his chair.
I gave him a curious look. “What are you thinking?” Simon was like a stubborn mule—once he set his feet, he wasn’t moving no matter how hard you pushed or pulled.
“Easy,” Jude said. “Simon’s kids understand one language: money. I’ll go see if I can preemptively buy them out of their shares.”
Aaric looked confused. “Isn’t Damien in some Himalayan rehab? He must be hard to get to.”
“I’ll find him,” Jude said. “We’ll start there, and then it should be easy to convince Aleyna once he’s on board.” His confidence gave me some relief. “Jasper will be happy to have money to build another yurt in the desert.”
“Good,” I said. Because I couldn’t get married like this. If there was one thing my family had taught me growing up, it was that marriage was sacred. Not a business transaction or some temporary arrangement to get out of when life got hard.
When I married, it would be forever. And considering there wasn’t a woman romantically involved in my life... I shook my head at the thought of promising forever to some stranger who only wanted me for my money. “Make it happen,” I said to Jude. “Whatever it takes.”
He nodded, then spoke to me. “You’ll act as CEO while I’m out.”
Quentin spoke to me, “Let me know if you need me to pick up any slack.”
“I will,” I agreed. Serving as the chief technology officer and CEO would add some extra challenges, but my assistant was a lifesaver, and my team was the best.
“We’ll figure this out,” Jude assured us all.
But Quentin didn’t look so sure. He warned, “This company under the wrong hands won’t last long. Especially since they’ll have unlimited access to intel. They could sell our information for a fortune.”
Aaric replied, “We could sue.”
Cruz looked hopeless as he countered, “Sue them while they’re off in some country without an extradition agreement? It would be too little, too late.”
My chest felt tight with every word, especially considering my team was currently developing a new software add-on that would change the moving game, making it cheaper and easier for end users.
Shame wracked through me. I had been naive to never consider what would happen in the event of Simon’s passing.
“Why didn’t I plan for something like this? ”
“Our legal counsel should have prepared us,” Jude said with a stormy look crossing his face. “Stop beating yourself up. We can’t go back, so we need to move forward.”
I nodded, knowing he was right.
Cruz said, “Stop blaming yourself–you need to spend your time finding a wifey.” He cracked a smile. “Might have to find myself two.”
The joke fell flat, but I forced my lips up for a moment at least. My mind was running ragged as I left the conference room. Maya, my executive assistant, walked beside me, keeping pace at my side in her sky-high heels.
She handed me a manila folder. “The new daycare provider is demanding a meeting with the CEO. Which means you as of five seconds ago. She’ll be up in fifteen minutes.”
I grunted. Jude briefed us just a week ago on the new employee daycare center on the ground floor of The Tower. It was supposed to boost employee retention and save us millions in the long run. “What’s going on?”
“She... has some concerns,” Maya said.
I raised my eyebrows. “About?”
“She’s demanding to talk to the man in charge about it.”
I cringed. This was part of why Jude made an effective CEO; he was good at disappointing people while somehow making them feel like he’d done them a favor. It was like magic watching him in action.
But Jude wasn’t here, so when I reached my office, I tugged back the frosted glass door letting us inside.
It was a massive suite with floor-to-ceiling windows, a desk large enough for all three of my monitors, bookshelves, a small meeting table, and an exceptionally comfortable couch along the wall.
I’d spent more nights there than at home lately.
Maya continued, “Also, Grandpa said to tell you he and Aggie are coming to the city this weekend and wants us to go to lunch with them—and not talk business.”
“Ironic, considering we’re not supposed to talk about family at work,” I reminded my niece.
At first, I’d been nervous to hire family, but she was scrappy as hell and worked just as hard as any of the founders, despite being fresh out of college.
“Add it to my calendar,” I finally said. “I’ll be there.”
A firm knock sounded at the door, and I looked up to see the most beautiful Black woman with glowing umber-toned skin standing in the open doorway. Even dressed modestly in all-black clothing, her curves caught my attention, along with the determination showing in her deep brown eyes.
“Looks like she’s early,” Maya said.