Chapter 42
Chapter
Forty-Two
ZACK
T he boardroom feels colder than usual, though the afternoon sun streams through the tall windows, glinting off the polished surface of the table. I stand at the head, my hands resting on the chair in front of me. Around me, the board members murmur, some flipping through their notes, others casting curious glances my way. My parents sit closest, their expressions a mix of worry and expectation. They know something’s coming, though not what. Not yet.
I take a slow breath; the words I’ve rehearsed rattling in my mind. It’s the right decision. The only decision. And yet, the thought of saying it aloud feels like tearing something out of myself.
“I’ve called this meeting to inform you all of a significant change in our plans,” I begin, my voice steady despite the storm raging beneath. “As of this morning, the merger with the Fairchild family is no longer?—”
The doors swing open with a bang, cutting me off mid-sentence. Brett strides in, his usual swagger accompanied by an energy that borders on manic. His blond hair is a mess, his suit slightly wrinkled, and he looks like he hasn’t slept. Yet somehow, he manages a grin that’s both infuriating and triumphant.
“Sorry, everyone,” he says, his voice too loud, too cheerful. “But it looks like my big brother’s got his facts wrong.”
I stiffen, my jaw tightening as he strolls to the table, addressing the room like he’s the one in charge. “There’s no need to cancel anything,” he announces, leaning casually against the table’s edge. “The merger is still on, and so is the wedding.”
A ripple of confusion spreads through the room. My mother frowns, while my father’s brows knit together in a rare display of visible emotion. I glance at them briefly before turning my full attention to Brett.
“What the hell are you doing?” I say, my voice low but laced with barely contained fury.
“Saving your ass,” Brett replies smoothly, his grin widening. “Honestly, Zack, what were you thinking? Throwing away a billion-dollar deal for what? Some girl?”
The air in the room shifts, the tension thick enough to choke on. I take a step closer to him, my fists clenching at my sides. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, don’t I?” Brett asks, his tone mocking. “Jenny’s a sweet kid, sure. But let’s be real…she’s just a distraction. A pretty face with no business being part of this family.”
My vision blurs at the edges, the rage bubbling up faster than I can control it. “You don’t know a damn thing about her.”
“Don’t I?” he says again, his voice turning cruel. “Come on, Zack. She’s not one of us. She never will be. And if you’re throwing away everything we’ve worked for because you think I’ve got some future with her, someone not even worthy enough for us to wipe our shoes with then you’ve really lost it.”
I don’t even realize I’ve moved until my fist connects with his jaw. The sound echoes through the room, followed by the gasps of our parents and the stunned silence of the board. Brett stumbles back, clutching his face, but when he looks up, he’s grinning again, blood staining his teeth. I’m confused.
“What is wrong with you?”
“I knew it,” he says, his voice a mixture of pain and triumph. “I fucking knew it. Do you know, in all our years as brothers, you’ve never hit me before? And now suddenly, I insult Jenny, and you lose it. You have to see it now, don’t you? You can’t be this dense. You have to see that you’re in love with her.”
The words hit like a blow, harder than any punch I could throw. I freeze, my chest heaving, my heart pounding so loud I can barely hear anything else. He’s right. Goddamn it, he’s right.
Brett straightens, rubbing his jaw as he steps closer. “You’ve never lost control like this before,” he says, his tone softer now, almost understanding. “Not over the company. Not over money. Not over anything. But over her? You’re ready to throw it all away.”
I turn away, my hands trembling as I grip the back of the chair. The truth I’ve been running from is now laid bare for everyone to see, and there’s no taking it back.
“Look,” Brett says, his voice quieter now. “I’ve got a car and a chopper ready for you. If you leave now, you can still make it to the airport before she leaves.”
“What?” I’m shocked. “She’s leaving?”
“Right now,” he replies. “She moved her flight to this evening.”
I glance back at him, my eyes narrowing. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because I’m your brother,” he says simply. “And because for once, you’re not being an unfeeling robot. You actually care about something. Someone. And you’re too goddamn stupid to see it.”
The room is still silent, the board members too shocked to speak. My parents exchange glances, their expressions unreadable. But I don’t care about any of them anymore. All that matters is her.
Without another word, I stride toward the door, the weight in my chest lifting slightly with each step. I don’t know what I’ll say when I see her, but I know one thing for certain: I can’t let her leave. Not without a fight.