Epilogue #2
When I’d considered the consequences of killing Barrett, my main concern had been how Belle might react. When that proved not to be a problem, the only other issue I thought we needed to tackle was what to do with the body.
The obvious solution would have been for Barrett to simply remain missing, but Belle would have the complication of an absent husband, and I didn’t want her to be Mrs. Emerson for a second longer than necessary. So we came up with another plan.
Belle reported Barrett missing after the first week, and spun a story of how he was abducted by a man with a Russian accent.
It only required a slight tweak of the facts.
The kidnappers had only taken Barrett after a fight that left Belle injured.
They’d threatened to kill her husband if she went to the police, and it was only after losing contact with the kidnappers, that she felt able to break her silence.
The delay gave us time to stage Barrett’s death in a fresh location where we could control the evidence.
His was the only body found, and there was no indication as to why the kidnapping had ended badly.
The Russian Bratva were suspected of being involved, but there have been no firm leads to the people responsible.
The case was cold as soon as it was opened.
As loose ends go, Barrett’s remains turned out to be the easiest problem to manage.
What none of us had expected was that, although Barrett had a prenup to protect his assets in the event of a divorce, he’d held off writing a will.
I suspect he thought Belle would fall in love with him and he would want her and their offspring to inherit his wealth.
They didn’t have offspring, but Barrett had adopted Piper. And upon his death, she became heiress to an empire.
Belle wanted to turn her back on it all, but that risked a collapse of the company and the loss of thousands of jobs. And as much as I might want to see my mother’s legacy destroyed, I couldn’t do it at the cost of other people’s livelihoods.
It took a while to come up with an alternative, but Rory and I have a solution that feels just. We’re not going to destroy the Emerson empire, but we will dismantle it.
We’re going to sell off the company, limb by limb, to a mixture of shareholders, ethical investors, co-operatives and the original business owners who faced hostile takeovers during Barrett’s reign.
There’s also going to be a long overdue settlement with the Anderson family for a patent Alice stole from them and my father.
Our intention is to give back what the Emersons took. Little wonder Belle will have the numbers to pass the resolution and start the ball rolling. All voting members of the board will take their own slice, and that includes Ray, but we can’t have everything.
I lift my whiskey to Rory. “Here’s to a very brief term as Emerson Holding’s newest board members.”
“To good times,” Rory says, eyeing me over his glass as he takes a sip. He’s been fighting a smug grin for our entire conversation.
It’s a mistake to ask, but… “What the fuck is so funny?”
His lips thin as he continues to fight a smile. “You,” he says. “You look different.”
I’d thrown on a black t-shirt and sweats after drying off from the water fight. I rake my fingers through my damp hair. I don’t think I look that bad. “What’s wrong with the way I look?”
“Did I say there was anything wrong?” he throws back at me. “If anything, you look good. Relaxed. Or as relaxed as you can be given the task ahead.”
My friend’s flattery takes me by surprise. “Thanks, Rory. And thanks for your help. I know you have your own headaches to deal with.”
He shrugs. “The divorce is almost finalized, and at least my daughter’s old enough not to require a custody battle,” he says. “And to top it all, I have a Moncrief wedding to look forward to.”
I wince. “Please pass on my sympathies to the groom. I never expected Katarina to insist on going through with it.”
“Neither did he,” Rory says with a sadistic chuckle. “My brother’s still holding out for a very long engagement.”
“I’ll try to avoid him in the meantime,” I reply. I do feel bad given it’s my fault that he got tangled up in Katarina’s web. “Tell him we are trying to entice his fiancée back to our original plan, but between you and I, I don’t think she’s ever going to settle for a quiet life.”
“As opposed to you,” Rory says. “Have you told your brothers yet that you want to take a step back?”
I wait for a knot of anxiety to tighten in my stomach at the mere mention of handing the reins over to my brothers and their partners, but my gut tells me it’s the right thing to do.
“I’ll leave sharing my exit strategy until everything’s settled, maybe wait until after Quinn’s had the baby.
It’ll give Belle time to work on her business plan for the resurrection of Simmons whiskey, and for us to design the house in Eastham Grove.
Plus, I’d like to give Piper more time to bond with the family before we leave.
I think my brothers are going to miss her more than they’ll miss me. ”
“They want you to be happy. We all do,” Rory says. “And fatherhood does seem to be agreeing with you.”
I glance over at the conference table where Piper has set up her chess board. She’s teaching me how to play.
I’m the one with the stupid grin now. “It’s more than agreeing with me.” I check my watch. “And I’m already over the allocated half hour my daughter granted me to work on my day off.”
“You’ve been separated from her for long enough. Go enjoy yourself, my friend.”
I close down my laptop, and I’m making some final notes when the study door opens just wide enough for a tiny human to slip in quietly. I put my head down, pretending I haven’t noticed.
I’m scrawling nonsense on my notepad as Piper appears in my periphery.
She rounds my desk on tiptoe, then lifts my free arm so she can clamber onto my knee.
She sits facing me, her arms and legs wrapping around my body as her head rests against my chest. It brings back memories of the night I carried her out of the lodge, and it’s not the first time she’s wanted me to hold her like this again.
I close my arm around her so she feels safe.
“Ash?”
“Hmm, hmm,” I say, still scribbling.
“Do you want to know a secret?”
“Sure.”
Piper doesn’t answer right away. Her fingers pluck at the fabric of my t-shirt. “Reid put a baby in Quinn’s tummy.”
My pen presses hard against my notepad. Nope. Not ready for a sex education talk with my five-year-old daughter. I’m not sure I ever will be.
“But Daddy Ethan didn’t put me in Mommy’s tummy,” she continues in a whisper.
My hand stills. Belle has been introducing the term Daddy Ethan in preparation for the day that…
“And the only person that loved Mommy before him was you.”
Oh, shit. My heart swells and there’s no room left in my chest for my lungs to expand. I can’t breathe.
Piper tilts her head upwards. “I think you’re my daddy.”
Her hazel eyes fill with tears as she waits for my reaction. I drop my pen to stroke her damp and bedraggled hair. “And how would you feel about that, honey?”
Her lip wobbles. “I’d like that,” she says as a fat tear slides down her cheek. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Good, because I am your daddy, Piper,” I say hoarsely. “I’ve always been your daddy, and I always will be.”
“You are?” Her little face crumples and she fights a sob.
Her beautiful face shimmers as my vision blurs. “I am.”
I’ll never know if this is how I might have felt on the day Piper was born, but the sense of overwhelming completeness is one I’m never going to forget.
My little girl’s grip on me tightens as she presses her head against my chest again.
I know she must hear the steady thud of my heart, and it’s a heart that’s had the final cracks mended.
As I rock Piper, the study door opens once more. Concern etches Belle’s face when she sees my dazed expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“Absolutely nothing,” I choke out.
“It’s OK,” Piper sniffles without looking up. “Daddy’s not in trouble for working. We’ll be finished here soon.”
Belle’s legs almost give way from under her, but she makes it to my desk. She leans over and rests a hand on the back of Piper’s head. Her other hand wipes away the tears running down my face.
“Is this our happy ending?” she asks with a trembling smile.
I kiss her palm. “Not a chance, sweetheart. This is just the beginning.”
Thank you so much for reading Wretched TRUTH.