Page 11 of Sharing Shadow Secrets
“Brandon is taking me to Cable on Thursday.”
“Must be nice to be rich. Now, Taylor, I must focus on my special project.”
“Ah yes.” I nod and get up. “The honeytrap,” I say, making my way to my room so I don’t distract her anymore.
Taylor
I’m excited to go there and talk about DVP with you.
I toss my phone onto the bed after sending that. He’ll either like my humor or he won’t, but so far it seems like he likes it. Brandon is cool.
8
Thursday, July 10th
“I’m not going to Switzerland,” I say, on the phone with my dad and some of his wealth managers while in my office at Cryptoball. I swivel back and forth in my leather computer chair, staring out at Lake Michigan through the hi-rise’s window.
“You have to sign these documents, and you will be in Germany next week anyway.”
Telling my dad I have a date won’t go anywhere. He doesn’t value anything but money.
“Kent, we talked about you hijacking my schedule,” I say, swiveling back to my monitors, staring at my calendar on one of them.
“Brandon. Your trust needs to buy this company, and they need your signature.”
“Why are you telling me the day before I need to be there?”
“Deals come and go. We had to jump on this one.”
My dad’s drug of choice is money. Even though he’s not supposed to be involved in the investments my trust makes, herehe is, elbows deep in it. He can’t help himself. Seventy-three years old, acting like he still needs to hustle for every dollar. Dude sold his investment firm for ten fucking billion dollars and won’t quit.
“I’m not flying to Switzerland tonight.”
“Brandon,” the trustee of my trust says and begins his dissertation about why this is essential. Trying to make me feel like an asshole for turning down this kind of investment opportunity. I get a vote, but when these two gang up on me, it feels like I don’t have a say. I loudly sigh.
“I’ll fly to Switzerland in exchange for not hearing from any of you until January.”
There’s a few seconds until my dad’s voice says, “We’ll reconnect in January.”
I hang up, knowing his assistant will be sending me an itinerary soon. It’s a win, but it’s not.
Once I turn thirty-five, I get complete access to my trust and have every intention of donating it as a final fuck you to my dad. That act might send him to an early grave. But he’s always loved money more than me.
That used to really bother me, but I mourned the dad I wished he were years ago. Now he’s Kent, a sad old man who only calls about business, never to ask how I’m doing.
I step out of my computer chair and pace around my office. It’s nice with a small sofa and coffee table.
Taylor is now on my mind. We need to reschedule. She’s also at work. I shouldn’t call out of the blue. I’ll text her.
Brandon
I can no longer get dinner at Cable tonight. I’m needed in Zurich. So … your night can go one of two ways. You can fly in a private jet to Switzerland with me or you can take one of your friends to Cable.
Taylor
Why are you going to Zurich?
Brandon
