17. Maddison
Maddison
M y stomach is in knots when we arrive at the paper mill, but as I climb out of the SUV, I take a deep calming breath.
The mill was always my safe space. Whatever abuse and neglect I faced at home, my family and their allies presented another image to the outside world.
I was still expected to behave in a certain manner while at work, or else face punishment later, but it felt freeing at the time.
Hunter looks at me curiously as I savor the familiar scent. “This place stinks of steamed cabbage, and you look like it’s making you hungry.”
“What can I say? I like the smell,” I admit. “And count yourself lucky. According to Amos, the mill used to smell like rotten eggs. That was back in the days before we tightened up our environmental controls. It’s the chemicals we add to the wood pulp to bleach it.”
“I think Ash had the better idea of investing in distilleries,” he grumbles, but he’s smiling as he takes my hand and we walk towards the entrance .
The main office is the only brick-built building in what is a small-scale production plant compared to the giants of the industry.
There’s steam and noise coming from the mill itself, and from a casual glance, operations are continuing as normal.
My gaze travels to the row of luxury cars parked nearby.
Hugo’s isn’t amongst them. According to Mace, who’s sending regular updates to Hunter, he’s only just left home.
“Remember, Maddie. We hold all the power,” Hunter says as he follows my anxious gaze. “The board just doesn’t realize it yet.”
It’s an odd feeling moving through reception and passing the small cubby hole that served as my office less than two weeks ago.
There are bright smiles from a couple of office staff behind reception. We all knew I’d be returning as a married woman, but I’m guessing it’s as much a surprise to them as it is to me that the man by my side isn’t the one I’d set off to wed.
Once we’re signed in, I sneak a glance at my husband. His expression acquires a dark intensity that wasn’t there two minutes ago. He must look intimidating to anyone else, but not to me. The mill isn’t my safe space anymore, I realize. Hunter is.
“Game face, Mrs. Griffin,” he whispers when he catches me positively drooling over him.
Hunter opens the door to the boardroom, but lets me enter first. He remains half a step behind as three faces turn towards us. No one smiles, but all three board members stand as I make the introductions.
Morgan is the first to extend a hand to Hunter, but his features remain pinched. He knows what happened to Hugo. “Welcome to Corbyn Paper Merchants. From what I’ve been able to discover about Griffin Corps, this is quite a diversification.”
“Our specialty is restructuring mismanaged companies. So not that different,” Hunter says, squeezing Morgan’s hand until he winces. It might have been a mistake to tell him about Morgan witnessing my mistreatment.
“We’re here to learn all about your expertise,” Conrad says as he approaches.
With Morgan still hovering and Conrad moving in, I make to step to the side, but I feel Hunter’s hand on my back, keeping me in place. It’s Morgan that has to make room as Conrad shakes hands with Hunter.
Amos is last to greet us, and the first to address me. “Congratulations, Maddison,” he says. “I hope you’re doing well.” Concern creases his features. I don’t imagine he likes the idea of me being passed from one man to another like the piece of property my family treated me as.
I give him a hug and breathe in yet another comforting smell. Tobacco. “I’ve never been better,” I say, my words catching as the truth of that statement hits me. My smile softens Amos’s features enough for him to greet Hunter with a degree of warmth.
“You look after her,” he tells Hunter.
“I intend to.”
“Shall we take our seats?” Morgan suggests as he directs Hunter to a chair furthest away from the head of the table.
Hunter ignores him and pulls out the chair where Hugo would normally preside over the board. Everyone stills as my husband indicates for me to take the seat.
“Ah, I don’t… I don’t think…” Morgan mumbles, his balding head glistening with sweat. “Maddison, dear. Is it a good idea for you to be in here when Hugo arrives? ”
“This is Maddie’s board and that’s her seat. I’m only here as her husband,” Hunter says pointedly. “And Morgan, I’d prefer it if you called my wife, Mrs. Griffin.”
Morgan drops down into his seat, but doesn’t say another word.
“Can I get you a coffee, Mrs. Griffin?” Amos says, his eyes dancing in delight.
I have to stop myself from insisting I can get my own. “That would be lovely. And I want you to call me Maddie.”
That makes Amos chuckle, not least because Hugo has a dislike for my shortened name so it’s not one I’m used to hearing at the mill. As he passes Hunter, he puts a hand on his arm. “Can I get you a drink, Sir.”
“Sure, Amos. And maybe when Maddie’s finished with business, you could give me a tour of the plant.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
I’m sipping coffee and listening to Amos give Hunter a potted history of the mill when there’s a notification on Hunter’s phone. He glances briefly at the screen, then tenses imperceptibly. His gaze holds mine. Hugo’s here.
Hunter has done his best to prepare me for this. We’d rehearsed how I’m going to set out our strategy for taking the mill forward, and it won’t be hard to show how passionate I am about it. Our proposals incorporate my ideas as well as Ash’s. It’s the perfect collaboration.
We’d worked late into the evening, running through different scenarios in case one of the board members, and Hugo in particular, try to launch a counter attack.
I’m as ready as I can be to face my brother, but it’s still a shock when the door opens and I catch sight of his bruised and battered face.
“Jesus,” Amos says under his breath.
“Hugo! What on earth happened?” Conrad asks .
Morgan, the only one not to look shocked, tilts his head in Hunter’s direction, and Conrad blanches.
Good. Let them fear Hunter. I don’t want to lose Conrad from the board, but if he’s on the fence about where his loyalties should be placed, I hope he’ll think twice before going against our wishes. Damn, when did I get so ruthless?
I beam a smile at my brother, who’s come to a stop halfway between the door and the chair he had wrongly assumed he would occupy. “It’s good to see you again, Hugo.”
“I hope we can wrap this up quickly,” Hugo says to Hunter.
Hunter waits a beat as if he can’t decide whether or not to add more bruises to the purple around Hugo’s eyes and nose just for ignoring me. He relaxes back in his chair. “That rather depends on my wife,” he says.
“I’m happy to make this quick and painless, this time,” I say.
“Are we happy to recognize Madd– Mrs. Griffin as the chair?” asks Conrad. He manages a look of apology to Hunter and I. “It’s a formality we need to record.”
“I nominate Maddison Griffin as chair,” Hunter states.
“I’ll second that,” says Amos.
Morgan and Conrad wait for Hugo to speak. He pours himself a coffee before dropping into the empty chair next to his CFO. “Fine, let’s get this over with.”
“Then we have a majority,” Conrad says, looking relieved that he didn’t have to vote.
“But what about the codicil?” Morgan argues. “Hugo’s father made it clear how he wanted the company to operate.”
“The codicil grants Mr. Griffin a seat on the board, but there’s nothing to stop him allowing his wife to represent him,” Conrad explains.
“Thank you, Conrad,” Hunter says. “And for the record, Maddie is in charge from now on.” He looks from Hugo to Morgan. “You’ll only suffer my interference if there’s ever an attempt to undermine my wife’s position.”
Despite his warning, it takes a concerted effort to keep my voice from quavering – the voice Hunter has given back to me. I can’t mess this up. “As my brother is so eager to leave,” I say, “I call this meeting to order.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Hunter take something from his pocket. My insides twist.
“What are you doing?” I ask. I keep my voice low even though there’s no way we can keep this conversation private. I try to block out everyone else, which isn’t difficult when Hunter’s moss-green eyes are on me.
A lazy smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. “I’m taking notes,” he says as if it were obvious. And then he taps the yellow pencil against his lower lip. When I glimpse the tip of his tongue brushing the pencil, heat pools in my lower belly.
“Do not distract me, Hunter,” I warn.
His smile broadens. “Relax,” he whispers.
And damn it if I don’t immediately bend to his will. The anxiety that had been crippling me dissipates - even with four sets of eyes on us.
“Right then, gentleman,” I say, finding my voice again. “Onto the first order of business. I propose we sell the mill to Griffin Corps. As I understand it, we have Hugo’s agreement in principle.”
“The sooner, the fucking better,” my brother grumbles. “It’s all about to go to shit anyway. ”
Conrad shifts in his seat. “I presume Hunter and his brothers would take over at that point.”
“Yes, but I would remain as chair,” I tell him.
I don’t need to mention that it’s the clause I had Hunter add to our prenup.
The last thing I want is for Hugo to know about the divorce just yet.
“And for the record, I’d like you and Amos to retain your positions following the buyout. Assuming I can count on your support?”
“Absolutely,” Amos says.
Conrad simply nods, which I take as a maybe. I don’t blame him. He’ll want more details before getting involved with the Griffins. Not everyone can take a blind leap of faith.
Morgan sits back in his chair and folds his arms. His face glows red with rage. “Am I to presume the same offer isn’t being extended to me?”
“Yes,” I say. “Most of the company’s issues stem from financial mismanagement. You’ve made your own position on the board untenable.”
“I can’t say I’m surprised, Maddison,” he says sharply. “I’ve been sitting here wondering when you’d mess everything up, but doing it in the first five minutes is quite something. You haven’t got a damn clue, young woman.”
He shakes his head. It’s as if he’s forgotten Hunter is in the room, but he gets a stark reminder when my husband leans over the table towards him. Even with just one word, the threat is chillingly clear. “Leave.”
Our departing CFO shrinks into himself as if he wants the ground to swallow him up. He attempts to recover himself, but he stumbles when he gets to his feet. “You’re making a colossal error. And my advice to Hugo is to make a deal as quickly as possible while there’s still a company to sell. ”
“Don’t worry, I don’t want to be part of this circus for any longer than necessary,” Hugo says.
My eyes snap to my brother. “You can leave too.”
“Go to hell, Maddison,” Hugo mutters as he jumps to his feet. “Don’t expect the honeymoon to last. And don’t expect me to pick you up out of the gutter when the Griffins have had their fun with you.”
I rest my hand against Hunter’s arm, feeling the tension that’s already cording his neck. “Hunter is teaching me how to look after myself.”
The double entendre I’d used yesterday is just enough of a distraction to stop my husband from adding more bruises to Hugo’s face, and he lets the comment pass.
I wait until my brother is heading out through the door Morgan holds open for him. “Oh, could one of you be a sweetie and ask our new CFO to join the meeting? She’s waiting in reception, and we have a lot of work to do.”
The rest of the meeting flies by. The CFO that Hunter has appointed is a long-standing member of the Griffins’ team of financial experts.
She had a hand in formulating the strategy I go on to present to the board, but she asks questions that allow me to show the rest of the board that this is my plan, and I can be trusted to deliver it.
Conrad and Amos are certainly convinced, and they’re full of enthusiasm when it’s time to leave.
Before Amos pulls Hunter away for his promised tour, my old friend takes me to one side. “I haven’t had this much fun in years,” he admits. “And I’ve never been so optimistic about the future of this plant.”
“As soon as the takeover happens, you’re going to be busy installing all the new plant and machinery.”
Amos scrutinizes my face. “You must trust Hunter if you’re willing to hand over the mill to him. ”
I lean in closer. “I do.”
He nods, and his smile returns. “You’re full of surprises today, Maddie. I’m so happy for you. I never would have believed someone could fall in love so quickly if I hadn’t seen it for myself.” He registers the look of shock on my face and chuckles to himself. “These eyes don’t miss much.”