Page 32 of Believing in a Billionaire
The line clicked, and Grant set his phone down as his stomach twisted into a knot. If he made the wrong call, he could leave them open to a bevy of issues. He flicked his gaze back to the numbers filling the screen.
They painted a gruesome picture of where the company would stand after the buyback. But at least it would remain under his control. It would be a small price to pay. And he’d work to restore it to stability in the short term. This would only be temporary.
As he stared at the numbers on the screen, the door to his office burst open. He twisted to find Kyle guiding Julia throughthe door. Her pinched features made his jaw tighten. Had something happened?
“Something wrong?” His voice betrayed his tension.
Julia’s features scrunched as he studied her, a mix of worry and upset clouding her eyes. What had Kyle done now? Or had they heard about Lydia’s release?
“Yes,” Kyle answered. “Something is very wrong. We need to talk.”
His heart stopped at the words, and he flicked his gaze from his son back to his wife as he rose from his chair and crossed to her, wrapping his hands around her arms. “Julia, what happened?”
“What happened is Julia received a threatening note, and being Julia, she didn’t tell you because she thinks you’re already dealing with enough with whatever the problem is at Harrington Global.”
Kyle’s sharp words made it clear he was annoyed with both the situation and Grant. Unsurprising, given their difficult relationship.
“Is that true?”
She nodded as she pulled it from her pocket and handed it to him. His brow furrowed as he read the message scrawled on it, a cold dread settling over him. The timing was too coincidental coming so close to Lydia’s release. “The game isn’t over yet?” He focused his gaze on her. “When did you get this?”
“Yesterday,” she answered.
“Yester–“ His voice cut off as he sighed and shook his head. “Julia, you should have told me right away.”
“That’s what I said,” Kyle responded. “You can thank me, Dad. Otherwise, you’d still not know.”
“I’m sorry. I just…planned to tell you when you weren’t so stressed.”
“I’m… you should have told me. I’m never too busy for you.”
“I didn’t say you were. I just…it’s nothing. It’s probably some prank by Lydia just to upset us. I’m sure she’s probably coming up with dozens of ways to strike out while she’s cooling her heels in her cell.”
He swallowed hard at the words, not wanting to break the news to her that Lydia was no longer behind bars.
“While I don’t agree that you spend enough time with Julia, I do think she should have told you,” Kyle added. “This is important enough, Julia, that it shouldn’t wait.”
“Kyle’s right.”
“Wow, thanks, Dad,” Kyle answered, his voice filled with surprise.
“Well, sort of. I haven’t spent time with her because you and Sierra are busy monopolizing her time. And Julia, I don’t care what you think it is, I’m not taking any chances. I’m putting a full security detail on you.”
“Security detail?” Alicia’s voice questioned from the foyer. “Has something happened?”
“No,” Julia answered as Kyle and Grant said, “Yes.”
Alicia’s brow furrowed as she scanned them. “Okay…I don’t know–“
“Nothing happened, Alicia. It’s just–“
“Julia received a threatening note, and we’re all concerned about it given that she nearly died two days ago,” Kyle answered.
The color drained from Alicia’s face. “You what?”
“That’s not–“
“Don’t say it’s not true, Julia, because it is,” Kyle interrupted. “Lydia almost threw you off the roof.”
