7. Her Savior, Her Jailer #2
"Your loving parents, you see, had seen nothing wrong with bartering with their youngest. With Holly, they were much more particular.
There were some offers, but nothing extravagant.
Smaller families, all hoping to gain access to the connections of the Blackworths.
Once the interest in Iris became evident, they began searching for a husband for Holly in earnest when she turned twenty-two.
" His eyes met Holly's, and while not warm, they were not filled with the same burning hatred as they were when they met Augusta's face.
"By twenty-five, there was no husband for you, and the company desperately needed cash-flow.
Iris might have had offers, but for some reason, none were accepted.
The company was on the verge of collapse.
" Nash paused to sip his wine. He lowered his glass and his lips turned up into a humorless smile.
"And then, suddenly, it wasn't. An anonymous investor stepped in and saved you all.
Twenty million dollars just appeared out of thin air, the Hail Mary they needed.
At least, if the money had been managed better, it would have.
Instead, it was merely a bandage hastily thrown over a gushing wound. Buying them a paltry few years."
Nash looked at Augusta and raised a brow, she sniffed elegantly and turned away. As if he was somehow beneath her, which was laughable. Before their fall, the Nash family was still by far the most powerful family in New York. Nash appeared unbothered by her snub, and turned back to Ash and Holly.
"So they continued husband hunting for Holly. But as the years passed, they struggled with finding a match. Everyone knew that taking on your family was risky. The writing was on the wall, and the company was heading for ruin. No family wanted to have a poor connection hurt their own legacies."
Here, Holly looked to her husband. "Is that true?" Jonathon nodded slowly, his lips tight. "Then why did you even marry me?" Her soft, hesitant words caused Nash to let out a bitter chuckle.
"Because once I was engaged to Iris, the risk of marrying a Blackworth disappeared.
It would not matter if your parents complete and utter incompetency caused the company implode, you would still be connected to me through your sister.
Your parents suddenly were able to find several agreeable men for you to meet with and allow to court you.
Funny how that worked out so well, wasn't it? "
"But if a strong match for Iris opened up so many options for me, why did they hold off accepting a proposal for so long?" Holly whispered, her brow furrowed and beaded with sweat. The toll this conversation was taking on her in her delicate state was visible for them all to see.
"Because they couldn't. They had promised Jamison Ackery that his son could have Iris years before in exchange for their twenty million dollars.
" His words were harsh, bitter. As if the twenty million dollars was somehow personally insulting to him.
"When she was no more than fifteen, they promised her to the likes of James Ackery.
Your parents agreed that in exchange for a small investment from the Ackery's in advance, they would have you marry James.
Thankfully, your father at least insisted she finish college before the marriage would take place.
" His eyes hardened as he spoke James' name.
"James Ackery?" Ash blurted out. Even Johnathon sucked in a sharp breath at this. Nash nodded his head slowly. Rage descending over him like a dark cloud.
"Indeed. They cared nothing that he was twenty-nine and asking to marry a fifteen-year-old girl.
They cared nothing that the man was notorious for his crimes against women.
" Nash reached into his jacket pocket, and produced an envelope that he threw carelessly on the table toward Ash.
"In there, you will find proof that your parents were made aware of more than a dozen rape allegations against him at the time.
Not to mention the four paternity suits.
And his plethora of gambling debts." His eyes lashed her parents.
Her father was the only one who has the decency to look ashamed.
Her mother merely looked outraged that her sins were being exposed.
"They didn't care about any of it. There were other alternatives.
In there, you will also find offers from many influential men offering their much younger sons as a match for Iris in exchange for helping them out of the hole they were in.
They declined those offers. And accepted the Ackery's.
A family with long-suspected criminal ties. "
Ash immediately picked up the envelope and tore it open. He wasted no time and began leafing through its contents. Augusta protested, but he shot her a blistering glare and continued reading. His face darkened with every new sheet of paper looked at.
"How could you agree to something like this?
" Her brother demanded, disgust clear on his face.
"The Holbrooks offered Michael! He was in her class.
They were friends. It says here they would have financed repairs and advancements in the companies worth over thirty million dollars.
What could have possessed you to accept James Ackery over someone she could actually be happy with?
Did you truly hate her that much?" Ash's words settled heavy in the room around them.
Did they really hate her?
Iris's breath hitched, the truth a physical blow that left her reeling. The room with all its rich furnishings began to swirl around her, the chandelier’s crystals blurring in her vision.
Her life, her entire future, had been bartered like a commodity.
Her parents, the people who were supposed to protect her, were more than willing to sell her for their own gain.
To a man who was sure to abuse her, at that.
Marrying him would have made her miserable.
They cared nothing for her. Less than she had ever suspected.
Her worth was not even measured by the salvation she could bring to the Blackworth legacy, it was less than that.
To turn down proposals from friends, and accept one from a violent man fourteen years her senior... They must truly care nothing for her.
Hearing Ash say it so clearly, that they hated her, broke something deep inside of her.
"Don't be such a child, Ash. This had nothing to do about hatred.
" Her words did nothing to appease Iris, however.
The truth was staring her in the face. They chose the worst option for her.
Her happiness was not even a fleeting thought to them.
"The Holbrooks simply wanted more. In exchange for saving the company, they were insisting upon having executive privileges and to be on the board.
" Here, Augusta Blackworth drew herself up to her fullest, sniffing disdainfully.
"As if we would accept such an offer after they so blatantly insulted us.
Insinuating we couldn't run our own company. "
"You couldn't run the fucking company!" Ash exploded.
His hands slammed onto the tabletop, Stacy and Holly both jumping at the loud sound.
"That's why you were in the mess in the first place!
Iris never should have been brought into this.
I cannot believe you had an agreement in place with Ackery!
Not when there were other options. The Holbrooks should have been on the board, that was a good deal.
Why would you turn down a deal that saved the company and would make Iris happy? "
Augusta just shrugged her shoulders, as if admitting to a fault was somehow beneath her and blatantly ignored his questions.
"Never mind that, the Ackery's offered us enough money up front to carry the company until she was older.
All they wanted from us was our promise that we would not accept any other offers for her.
Then, when she graduated from college, they would wed, and we would get another much larger amount that would save us permanently.
They wanted nothing else from us except Iris.
Asked for no claims on the company, it was simply a much better deal. "
"For you." Ash's words were hard, cold. Iris looked at her brother with dull eyes. She'd never heard him speak like that before. "It was a better deal for you, but it was a terrible deal for Iris. Your child." Augusta once again sniffed, and brushed aside her son's comments.
"We saw no reason not to accept that money. Especially when the marriage would not occur for several years. Plenty of time for James to have gotten his wild years out of the way. It was a good deal, and I stand by it."
The revelation hung in the air like a blade, its sharpness cutting through the veneer of civility that had clung to the evening.
Ash's face contorted with outrage, his fists clenching at his sides as he spat out the ugly truth.
"The Ackery's are bankrupt—criminals! We long suspected they had ties, but it all came out a year ago.
They were laundering money for the mafia, and their empire has crumbled into nothing! Most of them are in jail!"