Page 22 of Collateral Damage
“This contract is ironclad,” King’s head lawyer practically booms across the oak table. He reminds me of an angry pit bull with a bone. “Due to the marriage between Ethan and Arden, of which we have copies of the certified marriage certificate, ten percent of the Laurence family ownership will go to the King family, and vice versa.”
Our legal team is top-notch, but they have found no room for us. Their red faces are boarding on purple, and it’s painfully obvious there’s no getting out of this. Doesn’t help that I’m avoiding eye-contact with Cooper. The man has a smirk glued to his face, like he couldn’t be happier to intermingle our company shares.
At least Ethan appears pissed off. His chest is puffed out, and his eyes are narrowed.
Our head lawyer speaks up. “Gregory Laurence never intended Arden Laurence to be included in this contract. He didn’t acknowledge his parentage while he was alive, nor did he leave her anything in his last will and testament. As far as we’re concerned, it’s egregious she be considered a child for this contract only—a clear violation of the spirit of the contract in the first place.”
A tug-of-war of emotions battle inside me. Arden is family, but Dad didn’t put her in the will. He was an ass not to, but it was also his wish. I don’t know how to feel about this.
“The spirit of the contract?” Cooper mocks, rolling his eyes. “I believe the term you were looking for was spirit of thelaw. Enforcing a contract is upholding the law, and if Gregory didn’t want Arden to be included in his family, he should’ve amended the contract.”
Ethan stiffens.
“He would have if he’d known this was going to happen,” our lawyer argues. “He didn’tknowArden and Ethan were together until the day of his death.”
Unable to look at anyone, my gaze falls to my lap, and prickles of discomfort crawl up my body.
“Sounds to me like there’s more we should subpoena for our discovery if you want to take this to trial,” the King pit bull challenges. “What else was Gregory hiding that not only involves King, but that would be of interest to Arden herself? It’s clear Gregory Laurence was playing a different game than the rest of us.”
Oh hell, they want to dig up more dirt? My heart aches, imagining what other surprises could be out there. Tears threaten to come, but I turn them into a glare instead, gazing at Kings and putting on an air of righteous indignation.
“My husband is dead,” my mother snaps, her eyes jumping from person to person across the table. She’s so poised, even in this, but I know her—she’s dying inside.
At least Arden isn’t here. None of us are angry at her for what’s happened, but she doesn’t need to hear this.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d show a little compassion for our situation,” Mom finishes, and I’m not lost in the irony. We weren’t the most compassionate last summer when the police came for Ethan… or when Cooper lost his leg.
I meet Cooper’s gaze, and a quiet intensity builds between us. I’d do anything to undo the past. I think he would, too, but we’re stuck on opposite sides of what’s becoming a war.
Conrad King speaks up, taking control of the room like he always does. “It doesn’t matter what Gregory intended or didn’t intend; the law is on our side, so we can drag this out, speak to the media, see what happens to your stock prices, and wait for a judge, or we can hash it out right now. What will it be, Millie?”
Millie. The nickname only my dad and my mom’s closest friends use for her. Nobody has used that name since last summer, and hearing it now is a twisting knife of history. Millie isn’t here anymore; it’s Amelia now.
She frowns at Conrad King like she doesn’t recognize him.
We all know why he’s changed—why he’s bitter and vindictive. He loved his wife, and when Victoria died, he buried not only the woman he shared a life with, but the future he planned for them. Then he buried the idea of her. She wasn’t who he thought she was. She was a cheater and liar who had an affair with his best friend and business partner.
It destroyed Conrad King, and he rebuilt himself to be someone who is cold, calculated, and hell-bent on revenge.
When my mother didn’t stand up for Ethan when our father died, that’s when Conrad turned his revenge directly on her. The media went after the King family, and now Conrad is going afterus. Does it matter Mom did the right thing, eventually? No. The damage to King Media’s reputation was done, and if there’s one thing that was drilled into me during my marketing classes in college, it’s that perception is everything. It’s going to take a lot of time and effort to return the King family to their pedestals.
But it doesn’t explain one very important thing.
“Why do you want to do this?” I ask, attempting to sound calm and collected. “I know why you’d want ten percent of our ownership, but why would you want us to have ten of yours?”
Conrad gazes at me like I’m clueless, and I’m struck by how much has changed. He used to see me as a daughter.
“Even if you have the majority stake in King,” I continue, “you’ve never been the type to let go of control so easily. It’s why you never went public. Is giving up ten percent of your company really worth it?”
While I’m talking directly to Conrad, Cooper is sitting next to him, and his eyes narrow.
“Control isexactlywhy I’m doing this,” Conrad clips.
Ethan’s mouth is a thin, angry line. Does he hate my father even more for what he’s done to Arden? I get it, I do, but Dad isdead.Haven’t they already won?
“It’s not enough that my father died,” I growl, my eyes jumping from King to King to King. All three of them. “You have to take this, too?”
“I do,” Conrad confirms without hesitation. “Your family will no longer have majority ownership of Laurence. When you want things done, you may have to run them by Ethan and Cooper, and I think that’s fair, given everything your family has put my family through.”
