Page 12 of Because You Loved Me

He turned and slowly looked at the room full of his siblings. “There’s no other way. We’ll have to take an extension on this one.” He clasped his hands as if the matter were settled…which, in his mind, it was. “January first is probably the next logical date for?—”

“I’m afraid that isn’t possible.” William spoke up. “The requirements are clear,” he continued.

Asher turned around slowly as the other man spoke.

“Once the will stipulation is communicated to all family members.” He lifted his head and gestured to the group. “As it has been done here.” He nodded and continued speaking. “The clock starts on the required six months.”

“So, we give it a few extra weeks.” Asher could feel the uncomfortable sensation of stress start to burble in his stomach. He never allowed himself to get worked up about business things. His ability to remain calm when it came to business was a point of pride for him. And thiswasbusiness.

But it was also family.

Family that was really going to fuck with his business.

“I’m sorry, Asher. That’s just not?—”

“Youjustdid it with Charli.” He whirled around and pointed in his sister’s direction. “Were we not supposed to have the fourth will reading when Craig finished out his six months?”

Everyone in the room was silent as they waited for the answer. Craig had been the last sibling to complete his stipulation. He’d been required to hire a nanny. One he’d subsequently fallen in love with, a fact that Asher couldn’t let himself think about at the moment. His required six-month time period had ended at the end of November.

“That was an extraordinary situation,” Steven Larson chimed in. He’d been their father’s assistant for as long as any of them could remember. “William and I have been given the power to pause the reading of the stipulations in the event of extraordinary situations. Such as the end of a pregnancy.” He smiled at Charli. “We decided that it was in everyone’s best interest to wait until after the baby was born, which is why we postponed this next reading.”

“But now that we’ve read the terms,” the lawyer once more picked up the thread of conversation, “the clock starts now, Asher. As of midnight, you are on a required six-month leave of absence from Carlson Corporation, which means that you will suspend all management duties of all kinds, including but not limited to, answering emails and phone calls. You are also required to cease day-to-day management of the premises and are to have limited access to all Carlson properties.”

His pulse pounded in his forehead. “This is ludicrous and complete corporate suicide. Irunthe company. I cannot simply walk away for six months without any preparation at all.” He scanned the faces of his siblings. All of whom looked as startled as he felt.

“There is an alternative, of course.”

Asher once more spun and stared at the lawyer. Logically, he knew William Evans was only the messenger. It wasn’t his fault that he had the task of reading out these increasingly stupid stipulations to their father’s will.

“What’s that?”

“You could forfeit the inheritance,” he said simply. “All assets, including the complete holdings of Carlson Corporation, would be transferred to the charitable organizations your father?—”

“And that’s an option, how?” Asher slammed both hands on the tabletop and stared at the lawyer, unable to keep his frustration at bay. “If I do it, I risk losing the entire company. And if I don’t do it, it’s gone anyway. What kind of fucking choice is that?”

“Whoa, brother.”

“Calm down.”

Chase and Craig flanked him, each threading an arm through his and pulling him backward and away from the lawyer.

“It’s not that bad.” Kat appeared in front of him.

“Not that bad?” Asher’s mouth dropped. “I’m not sure what it is you think I do, but we’re not only in the middle of the busiest holiday season we’ve ever had, but we’re also hosting a huge wedding in the middle of everything. Never mind all the events that are coming up in the new year. That’s only right now.”

“We’ll help.” Charli stood next to Kat. She was the only other sibling who’d ever worked for Carlson Corp, but had quit recently to start her own floral business because of her stipulation from their father. Besides that, she was the mother of a newborn baby. She wouldn’t be any help. Even if shecouldhelp. A fact that Steven reminded them all of a moment later.

“Please don’t forget that you’re required to carry out your task by yourself, without any direct help from your siblings.”

Asher shook himself free from his brother’s grasp. “And what was that about limiting my presence at any corporation properties? Iliveat the lodge on the hill.”

“Right. Your father took that into consideration as well.” William slid a manila envelope out from under the stack of papers and handed it to him. “I think you’ll find that?—”

“My dad is trying to screw me over from beyond the grave? Yes,” he snapped as he snatched the envelope away. “I think I’ll find that’s exactly the case.”

He needed air. He needed to think. He needed to get out of there.

Of all the scenarios he’d imagined his father presenting him with, never had Asher considered that Michael Carlson would take away the one thing that mattered to him. His entire identity was caught up in Carlson Corp and the pride he took in running the family business so successfully. He was good at it. Damn good. And he loved it.

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