28. Maddie
Maddie
M y hands and face feel grubby after spending all morning in the archives.
I’d love a shower, but there isn’t time.
The file resting on the passenger seat is at least twenty years old, and it might look faded and forgotten, but its contents could be about to bring the paper mill’s operations to a standstill.
I bring the Audi to a squealing stop in front of the house, and race inside. I burst into the office so fast that Hunter literally jumps. It’s a relief to see that Ash and Reid are back. I’m going to need everyone’s help to find a solution to the looming crisis.
All four brothers are around the conference table and there’s a steaming carafe of coffee in the middle as if they’d timed it just for my arrival.
I glance at Mace, and he looks decidedly shifty.
I should have known he’d be tracking me.
Hunter hadn’t wanted me to leave this morning.
That man can’t relax with me out of his sight.
“We have a problem,” I say, shoving a stack of papers out of the way so I can set down the file. “I know why Morgan’s been visiting John Cooper, and presumably why Ray Forsyth has been lurking in Lancelyn Heights ready to do Barrett’s bidding.”
I open the file and pull out an old map printed on yellowed paper. There’s a dotted line that someone had drawn in red marker pen and although it’s faded to pink, its significance hasn’t been lost. I follow the line with my finger.
“This is the main road that links Brimstage to Lancelyn Heights,” I say. “John and my father planned the route together. It benefits both towns, but the mill most of all. It’s our main trading route north, and most of our supplies come through this way. John owns the land.”
“And if he denied us access?” asks Ash.
“There are smaller roads, but none that would cope with our trucks and containers,” I explain. “The only practical alternatives would add another three, or even four hours to every journey. With that delay comes extra costs in fuel and driver time. The increase would cripple us.”
“Do we have any rights?” asks Reid.
I flick pages and take out a copy of the signed agreement between my father and John.
“I’ve scanned through this, but I can’t see anything that would stop John, or a new owner, from disrupting the route,” I say, passing it to Reid for closer inspection.
“It’s little more than a gentleman’s agreement. ”
I’m still on my feet as I glance around the table. All eyes are on me, but there’s something about Hunter’s expression. It’s like he’s looking straight through me. He hasn’t spoken yet. I hope that means he’s thinking up a solution.
“I was aware that we had to maintain the road,” I continue, “but I never questioned why. Every year, we undertake a maintenance program and we pay John generously for any trees we cut down. ”
“I’ll work with our lawyers to see what we can do,” Reid says. “At the very least, we should be able to serve an injunction to keep the road open for now.”
“At Hugo’s memorial, Theo mentioned that John has plans to clear some woodland. I have a horrible feeling it’s the trees he wants,” I say. “He could create a blockade, and then we’d be stuck. I just don’t understand why John would do this without telling me.”
“He may not think he needs to if he talked to Morgan,” says Ash. “And who’s to say Hugo didn’t have a conversation with John too.”
I wipe my grimy hands on my jeans. “You might be right. It would be just like Hugo to make plans to sabotage the mill once it changed hands.”
Mace gets to his feet and returns to his desk. “It’s possible, but since we couldn’t break the code in Morgan’s messages, there might be another way to check what’s happening around the land. Give me a minute.”
As he taps away on his keyboard, Ash pours me a coffee. I wrap my hands around the mug, and as we wait in silence, I offer Hunter a smile. I want him to be proud of me for uncovering the conspiracy, but it’s sadness in his eyes.
“Shit,” Mace exclaims. “As of this morning, there’s been a switch in ownership. John remains a sitting tenant, but you’ll never guess who owns the land now.”
“Emerson Holdings,” Ash says. His eyes snap to Reid. “You need to get the lawyers on this right now.”
“Sure, but what about…” Reid tips his head towards the papers I’d moved out of the way when I arrived.
“Hunter and I can handle that,” Ash says. “You and Mace get to work keeping that damn road open.”
I return my gaze to Hunter. He still hasn’t said a word. “Are you OK? ”
“Sit down, Maddie,” Ash says before Hunter can respond.
His voice is soft and reassuring, but I feel my legs wobble. I’d assumed I was bringing the crisis into the room, but the brothers had already been dealing with one. That’s why they’d gathered around the table. Waiting for me.
I sink into a chair. I know what this is, and I’ve been dreading it for weeks. Just because Hunter and I hadn’t spoken about ending our marriage, didn’t mean work wasn’t going on behind the scenes. I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s Ash, and not Hunter, who seems to be leading the charge.
“We appreciate all the hard work you’ve been doing,” Ash begins.
“And I know you put a lot of trust in us when you agreed to sell the mill. Which is why we want to give you the chance to buy back your half. We’ll absorb the admin costs so you’ll be paying exactly what you received when we took over. ”
I can’t keep my eyes off Hunter as he stares into his damn coffee. It’s a generous offer. Almost too good to be true. “Why?”
Ash slides a document across the table to me. “Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Is it?” I ask, directing the question at Hunter.
When Hunter looks up, I feel my heart swell as it always does when I’m caught in his gaze. I see pain for the briefest moment, but before I can grasp the connection between us, a coldness falls over his features.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” I ask.
His gaze flicks to a large brown envelope that was hidden beneath the papers. It has my name on it. Whatever’s inside, I don’t want to see it. I’m not ready.
My husband clears his throat. “I’m sorry, Maddie,” he says. “We knew this day would come. There’s no reason to keep you bound to our arrangement any longer.”
I gasp out the breath I’d been holding. “You’ve drawn up the divorce papers,” I say numbly.
Hunter’s nostrils flare as he looks to Ash to answer.
“We’ll be entering a new kind of partnership with you,” Ash says. “The divorce and the transfer of shares can all happen on the same day. And as soon as we’ve addressed the issue with John Cooper, we’ll close down our operations here and head back to Chicago.”
The hot liquid in my mug trembles in my grasp as I wait in vain for Hunter to speak up. I need to hear him say he wants this. “You’re leaving me on my own?” I ask, my voice cracking.
“You’ve proven yourself more than capable, Maddie,” Ash says. “In fact…”
He forces the pause and waits for me to tear my gaze from Hunter. I will myself not to cry. This is a business meeting. That’s all it is. Business. That’s all it ever was.
“As a reflection of our faith in you,” Ash continues, “we’d give you an additional one percent of our shareholding.
You’d become the majority shareholder.” When I don’t react, his brow furrows.
“And your father’s house is yours too, as a parting gift.
All you have to do is sign the divorce papers by the end of the week. ”
A tear trickles slowly down my cheek as I turn back to Hunter. “You didn’t need to bribe me. I owe you everything. All you had to do was ask, husband .”
To disguise his flinch, Hunter snatches up the brown envelope and offers it to me. “Damn it, Maddie. Just sign and we can be done.”
There’s a coldness in his stare, but I meet his ice with fire. “You couldn’t have done this in private? You needed your brothers here as back up?”
“It’s business,” he spits out.
I take the envelope, holding it between my finger and thumb as if simply touching it will corrupt my soul and leave me as heartless as the Griffins. “I suppose I should be grateful. Lose a husband, gain a company, and a multimillion-dollar house.”
“It’s your home,” he says.
I clench my jaw, but the words come out anyway. “So were you for a while.”
Gathering up the papers I’ve been handed, I stand on shaking legs.
I don’t know if they’ll carry me to the door, but I’ve walked away from worse situations.
Like the day I ran out of the chapel. Or when I stumbled out of the library after Hugo almost choked me.
Or all those other times my brother had beaten me down.
But I still can’t think of a time when I hurt as much as I’m hurting now.
As I step away, Hunter stands. I can’t be sure if he’s going to stop me, or simply help me out of the door. I shake my head. Fuck him. “I need some time on my own,” I say.