Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Willa
I sat on the closed toilet lid, holding a pregnancy test in one hand, and a stress ball in the other, staring at the two pink lines laughing at me. I laughed back at it, then I cried.
“DAMIEN BLACKWOOD, GET IN HERE!” I shouted.
The bathroom door opened, and Damien stood in the doorway, shirtless, holding Daisy like a football. “Are you okay? Why are you screaming?”
I held up the test and cocked my head.
“Is that?—”
“You bet your billion-dollar ass.”
“Again?” The panic in his eyes was humorous.
I stood up and set the test stick on the counter. “Damien, we have a six-month-old who just started sleeping through the night. Life is returning to somewhat normal, whatever that even means, and I still have maternity pads in the bathroom drawer. I thought my uterus had a five-year lease.” I cocked my head. “Not an immediate re-rental!”
He stared at me momentarily during my hormonal meltdown and grinned like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Stop smiling,” I warned him.
“I’m sweating. It’s more like a panic glow.” His grin widened.
“My boobs are still trying to recover from their duty. We just let Sabrina, the night nurse, go. I finally lost all the baby weight I put on!” I left the bathroom and walked into the bedroom.
Damien set Daisy in the middle of the bed, walked over, and gripped my shoulders.
“Hey,” his low, incredibly sweet voice said. “We did this once. We can do it again. We’re pros now. We have already made all the mistakes, and we learned from them. This baby will be a breeze now that we know what we’re doing. We’re just multiplying the chaos. No big deal. We’ve got this.”
“We’re going to have two children under the age of two,” I whined.
“Think of how beautiful our family of four will be.” He pulled me into him. “And also, you’re legally required to blame all of this on me. So, go ahead. Let it all out.”
I broke our embrace and shoved his shoulder. “This is YOUR fault! You and your smug little post-bedtime eyebrow seducing raises.”
“I always knew the eyebrow was a powerful thing.” He smirked.
I managed a laugh and buried my face in his chest. “Oh God. What if it’s twins?”
I felt his body tighten. “Don’t joke, Willa. Do twins run in your family?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
Suddenly, his body loosened. “Then we don’t have to worry. But maybe you should call your mom and ask.”
“No. Then she’ll want to visit again. And I can’t deal with her right now.”
Daisy let out a cheerful screech. She was full-on smiling in the middle of the bed.
“See. Daisy is happy to have a sibling. She’s going to be an amazing big sister,” Damien said. “I love you, sweetheart, and I’m ecstatic we’re having another baby.”
“Okay. But I swear to God. If you say, ‘we’ve got this’ one more time, I’m throwing a pregnancy pillow at your face.”
He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “Noted.” He smiled. “Fuck. I’d better start preparing myself for six weeks of no sex.”
“Longer if I have to have a C-section. You better start preparing yourself for more than six weeks because with two kids under two and building an empire, I’ll be too exhausted for you even to touch me.”
“Now you’re just being dramatic. Stop talking like that. We’ve—” he paused.
“Good boy.” I patted his chest and walked out of the bedroom.
* * *
Damien
Grant, Charlie, and I stepped into the all-glass lobby of the empty five-story office building in the Flatiron District and looked around.
“It’s perfect,” I said, hands on my hips. “It’s modern and right in the heart of everything. What do you think?” I glanced at Charlie.
“I like it. As you said, it’s a great location, and my favorite coffee shop is right down the street.” He grinned.
“Where do we sign, Grant?”
“Don’t you want Willa to see the building first?” Charlie asked.
“She told me she trusts me. Besides, I know my wife, and she’ll love it.”
After we left the building, we headed back to Blackwood Holdings, where I had called an emergency board meeting for later this afternoon.
“I can’t believe we’re really doing this,” Charlie said, sitting in the chair across from my desk.
“I know.” I walked over to the bar in the corner and poured us a glass of scotch. “I never thought in a million years I’d walk away from my father’s company.”
“Technically, you’re not walking away. You’re just not going to run it anymore. You’re still the majority shareholder.”
“True. To new beginnings.” I smiled, holding my glass up.
“To new beginnings.” Charlie clanked his glass against mine.
We threw back our drinks and headed to the boardroom.
“You ready for this?” I asked, buttoning my suit coat.”
“More than ready.” Charlie grinned.
I took my place at the head of the table, staring at Uncle Kroy and the other board members, sitting there with their hands folded on the table, unaware of what was coming their way.
“Let’s get on with it,” Uncle Kroy said. “Why did you call this emergency meeting? We’re all very busy people, Damien.”
I set my hands on the table, fully calm and in control, and stared down each of the board members.
“I called this meeting to inform all of you that as of today, I’m resigning as CEO of Blackwood Holdings.”
The room gasped. Oliver, one of the members, dropped his pen on the table in shock.
“Excuse me?” Uncle Kroy said.
“You heard me.” I smiled. “I’m done. Effective immediately.”
“You can’t just walk away?—”
“I can. I am. And Charlie is, too,” I said, glancing at Charlie.
“That’s right. Effective immediately, I am also resigning,” he said.
“You’re out of your minds,” Uncle Kroy snapped.
“Am I, Uncle Kroy? You’re the one who has been fighting to kick me out ever since my father passed away. I gave my heart and soul to this company. Over and over again. I gave everything I had to this boardroom.”
“This is your damn legacy, Damien!” Uncle Kroy shouted.
“Don’t you worry.” I pointed at him. “I’m still the majority shareholder. This is and always will be my company. I just won’t be running it anymore. Congratulations, Uncle Kroy, on your new position.”
The door opened, and Theodore stepped in and took a seat. “I apologize for being late. It couldn’t be helped. What’s going on here?”
“Damien just informed us he’s resigning as CEO, and taking Charlie with him,” Uncle Kroy told him.
“Damien, is this true? Why on earth would you resign?” Theodore asked.
“I’ve found something better. A company that is built on truth. Something that is actually changing lives. And I won’t keep wasting mine in a room full of people who think empathy is weakness. Theodore, you merged with Blackwood Holdings based on family values. But the family values of this company are nothing but a lie.”
“And what are you going to do?” Theodore asked.
“I’m globally expanding Curated Chaos.”
Uncle Kroy chuckled. “And you think those stupid boxes will replace a billion-dollar company? You’re a fool. You’ll lose everything.”
“No,” I calmly spoke. “I walk away, and I finally have everything that matters.”
“Beautiful. Print that on a mug.” Charlie grinned.
“You all think this company needs someone who’s always here and never leaves the boardroom. You’re wrong. You need someone who leads with vision. I’m no longer that man.”
“You walk away from this, and you walk away from everything your father left you,” Uncle Kroy shouted.
I inhaled a deep breath and smiled. “My father left me his name. You wanted me out, and so I’m out. Congratulations, Uncle Kroy. You won. But make no mistake. I will be watching. One slip-up, and I’ll vote you out.”
Charlie and I slid our resignations across the table.
“Here are our resignations, effective immediately.”
Charlie and I headed toward the door.
“And one more thing,” I said, turning around. “The next time you mock someone for choosing love over power, remember this. Power fades. But what I’m building? That will outlive all of you, one breakup box at a time. You can keep your title, while I keep my soul.” I grinned, opened the door, and walked out with everything ahead of me.