I didn’t know what I would do if something happened to her. Before—
Before what, I didn’t know.
Before I could tell her how I fucking felt?
I shook away my thoughts and met Alan’s eyes. He was standing at the corner of the room, and for once, my usually loudmouth cousin was silent.
I indicated with my head for him to meet me outside the waiting room.
I could see the resignation in his eyes as he slowly followed me out. I waited until we were a distance away before I turned to him.
“What happened?”
“What do you mean?” he asked. His voice was casual enough; his eyes said something completely different. My mom was a force to be reckoned with. And she was strong. And more importantly, she was healthy.
At least, that I knew of.
How did a healthy, strong woman suddenly have a heart attack?
I didn’t say anything, just stared at him, watching the way he shifted on his feet, the way he fidgeted with his hands, and the way his gaze moved from one place in the room to the next, avoiding my eyes.
Finally, his shoulders drooped, and he looked down at our feet. “I fucked up, Jensen.”
“Fucked up how?” I asked quietly.
“I advised Cooper Ridge’s granddaughter to invest in Peter’s real-estate company.”
Cooper Ridge was our biggest client. The CEO and founder of Cannon Ridge Co., a lodging company that had revenue in the nine figures annually, he was also one of the firm’s oldest clients.
My fist clenched. “Why would she follow your advice and invest in a real-estate start-up that has no backing from any of the financial world?”
He met my eyes briefly, before looking away. I clutched the front of his shirt and pulled him closer to me. “Does my mom know about this?”
He didn’t have to say anything. I already knew the answer. I shoved him back and ran my fingers through my hair. “Is this why?”
Was this why she had the heart attack? The damage done to our company after this one fuck-up must be momentous. A capital banking firm was only as good as its reputation. We might not lose any money or clients now, but we would once this got out; I was sure of it.
“Fuck. How did this happen?” I demanded. “How could you screw us up so thoroughly?”
“I didn’t think Peter would lie to me.”
I could only stare at him, my brows lowering in a frown. “You didn’t think he would lie to you? Why didn’t you do your own research?” His mouth gaped but nothing came out.Shaking my head, I let out a bitter laugh. “You’re right. You didn’t fucking think.”
Suddenly, anger penetrated his eyes and he got closer to me. “Fuck, why do you think you have any say in the company? You walked away. You fucking walked away from us. From me and your mom.”
“You know why,” I gritted.
He shook his head. “Yeah. You don’t want to be controlled by Grandpa. Hate to break it to you, Jensen, but he’s dead. He’s been dead for four years now, and you’re still letting him control you from the grave. You walked away from our legacy over a dead man, and I hope you’re fucking happy now.”
“Ecstatic,” I deadpanned.
He shook his head.
Before he could say anything else, a doctor came out to the waiting room. I ignored Alan and rushed over to him just as Jace and Evelyn stood up.
“Emilia Adler’s family?”
Evelyn nodded. “I’m her sister.”