Chapter 13 - MARK'S CONFESSION
Mark listened to the recording in Arthur's office.
His own voice filled the room.
Do whatever you need to do, Claudia.
Just make sure my father never finds out.
When it ended, nobody spoke.
Mark looked like he had aged ten years.
Richard stood near the window.
“Explain it.”
Mark stared at the table.
“Claudia wanted me to support a shareholder challenge.”
Richard waited.
“She said you would never let me become anything while you controlled the company.”
“So you helped her?”
“I thought she was trying to force you into retirement.”
Richard's laugh contained no humor.
“You thought stealing voting control from a child's trust was retirement planning?”
“I didn't know about Ethan's medical evaluation then.”
“But you knew about the shares.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about the refinancing.”
“Yes.”
“You knew about some of the money.”
“Yes.”
Richard turned around.
“And when you discovered what she was doing to Ethan?”
Mark's face crumpled.
“I told myself it wasn't connected.”
Richard stared at him.
“I kept separating everything.”
Mark's voice shook.
“The money was one problem.”
“The discipline was another.”
“The company was another.”
“I kept pretending none of it formed one picture.”
Richard walked closer.
“Because if you saw the whole picture, you would have to choose.”
Mark looked up.
Richard's voice broke for the first time.
“And you were afraid you wouldn't choose your son.”
Mark began crying.
Richard wanted to comfort him.
He hated that he wanted to.
Mark was still his child.
But upstairs was a smaller child who had no power at all.
Richard stepped away.
“I need you to leave.”
“Dad.”
“Leave.”
Mark stood.
At the doorway, he turned.
“Will Ethan ever forgive me?”
Richard looked at him.
“That is not a question you have the right to ask yet.”
Mark left.
Two hours later, Ethan found Richard sitting alone in the library.
The boy climbed onto the sofa beside him.
“Grandpa?”
“Yes?”
“Is Daddy bad?”
Richard's heart cracked.
He took time before answering.
“Your daddy made bad choices.”
“Like Claudia?”
Richard looked at Ethan.
“Different choices.”
Ethan leaned against him.
“Does he love me?”
Richard closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The answer was true.
That was what made everything harder.
Ethan whispered.
May you like
“Then why didn't he open the door?”
Richard had no answer.
