Chapter five

We have a big problem," my dad said, his voice tight. He was pacing the length of his office. I’d never seen him this unsettled. He was usually, the calm one in the storm.

"What's going on?" I asked, a cold knot forming in my stomach.

Anything that had my father sweating like someone who had run a hundred miles had to be terrible.

"The anonymous partner I told you about, He wants out," Dad said, stopping to look at me. "He said he won't partner with an amateur like Adam. He’s threatening to pull his funding the moment I step down if Adam is the one taking the reins."

"But you’re not handing the company to Adam," I reminded him, stepping closer. "You’re handing it to me. Why didn’t you just tell him that?"

My dad let out a bitter, empty laugh and sank into his chair. "Tell him I’m letting my daughter take over? He’d laugh in my face, Rebecca. To him, that’s worse than Adam. The man lives in his world. He's strict, traditional, and since his wife died, he’s turned cold as stone."

"I thought you said he was anonymous?"

"To the public and the board, yes. But I know him."

"Then let me talk to him. I can make him see reason."

Dad shook his head. "Top politicians and elites wait months just for a ten-minute slot on his calendar. I doubt he’ll make time for a woman."

" Not just any woman, a Greene. Besides, we don't have to tell him it’s me, Dad. He’s your partner, and I know you have formal meetings. Fix one. Let me go in your place." I leaned over his desk, my voice steady. "I know I’ve been a spoiled brat. I know I’ve been a disappointment. But I’m not going to sit back and watch our family legacy be erased."

A slow, proud smile spread across my father’s face. "You’ve never been a disappointment, princess. Not once. It only broke my heart to watch you shrink yourself to fit inside an insecure man’s pocket. I’m glad you’ve found your footing." He sighed, glancing at the skyline. "I hope this works. I’ve poured my blood into this place."

"It will," I promised. "You probably shouldn't have even told him you were retiring. He’s a ghost. He wouldn't have known the power had changed."

Dad laughed for real this time, though it was weary. "He would have found out. Nothing escapes Michael Knox. Besides, I didn't tell him. Adam went running his mouth, hoping to impress the man. Adam thinks that once he owns the Greene Empire, he’ll finally be worthy of his uncle's respect."

"His uncle?" I froze.

"Yes. Michael Knox is Adam’s uncle. Not that he cares for the boy; they don't speak. Michael is straight to the point, no drama. He doesn't keep in touch with anyone."

I felt a wave of nausea, but I kept my face neutral. If the bullshit Adam had fed me about his family was even half-true, Michael Knox was the king of the very traditions that had kept me in headscarves for three years.

Suddenly, Dad’s phone buzzed on the desk. I watched the color drain from his face as he answered. I couldn't hear the caller, but the look of pure shock that flashed across his features didn't escape my eyes. When he hung up, he threw the phone down and massaged his temples.

"He wants to meet tomorrow," Dad whispered. "He wants to dissolve the partnership immediately."

I was speechless. No prior notice? No legal grace period? what kind of a man is that?

Before I could ask another question, my father began to cough. a strong hoarse sound that shook his entire frame. He started trembling, his eyes rolling back. I screamed for help, and within seconds, security and staff were flooding the room.

The next few hours were filled with the smell of drugs, drip stands and hospital halls. The doctor eventually emerged to tell me he was stable but unconscious.

I sat by his bedside, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. He looked so small under the white sheets. This wasn't the same man I spoke to yesterday. I leaned down and kissed his forehead, a strong determination taking over me. I didn't care who Michael Knox was. I was going to make sure he stayed.

I went back to the office and tore through my father’s private files until I found it: Knox, M. There was an address for a private estate, but no phone number. I checked Dad's phone, the last call had come from a private, untraceable line. Was this man living in a different century?

I went home to an empty house. I felt relieved. I wasn't in the mood for Adam and his first wife. Or rather, real wife.

For the first time in years, I walked into the house library. It was a bit dusty. Adam only used it to look important during Zoom calls.

I spent hours hunched over a laptop, scouring the internet for anything on Michael Knox. There were a few dry business articles, but no clear photos.

The next morning, I woke up at dawn. I spent an hour straightening my blonde hair until it was silk, then pulled it into a bun so tight not a single strand dared to stray, then tied it with a black scarf. I needed to look like a professional, but I still wasn't ready to take off my scarf.

Rummaging through my closet, I realized I didn't own a single business outfit. Everything I had was either a floral sundress or something sexy for a club. It was 9:30 AM; I didn't have time to shop.

I settled for a black backless dress and threw an oversized blazer over it to hide the skin. I found a pair of clear-lens glasses Kate and I had bought for a costume party once and put them on. I looked like a nerd playing dress-up, but it would have to do. I stepped into my red stilettos and headed downstairs.

Adam was in the dining room with Elena and Becky. They were laughing, a perfect little family unit. Becky was picking at her eggs, but her eyes lit up the moment she saw me, completely oblivious to the tightening in my stomach. She screamed my name, drawing Adam and Elena’s attention to me.

"Going somewhere?" Adam asked, his eyes raking over me like I was a piece of furniture he had forgotten when he bought.

"I’m going to see my father," I said, my voice clipped. "He’s in the hospital. It’s all over the news, Adam. Are you still waiting for someone to tell you that?"

I didn't wait for him to answer. I kissed Becky’s forehead and walked out the door, the click of my heels echoing off the marble. I could feel their glares boring into my back.

They could stare all they wanted. I wasn't ready for them yet.

Right now, I had a bigger monster to face. Michael Knox.