One year later
“How are you so calm, cool, and collected?” I look over at Casey as he just stands there looking down at his phone.
“Well, for one.” He tries not to smirk. “I have no skin in this game. I’m here because they heard of me and took the meeting. And number two, I’ve been where you have been.” I look at him, my eyebrows pinched together. “First thing I did when I had money was buy the farm my ex owned. No one knew it was me. I broke it to her in the middle of the barn, where I found her fucking someone else. It was a good day.”
“So the moral of the story is?” I look out the window.
“Moral of the story is I won, one, by buying her farm and, two, by finding the love of my life, which wasn’t her.” He puffs out his chest. “Now, relax.”
I’m about to say something to him when the door to the conference room opens, and a woman comes in. “Showtime,” Casey says and I nod my head.
She’s dressed head to toe in a designer outfit. “Hello, gentlemen.” She smiles at Casey and then her eyes fall to me as she smirks.
“Kristina.” I nod at her as she pulls out her chair, putting her phone on the table.
Her brother is the next one in, who looks annoyed that he was called into this meeting. Which doesn’t surprise me since he actually has no idea what the fuck he’s even doing. “I have a meeting in thirty minutes,” he huffs, pulling out a chair, and I know he does. He’s actually having an affair with his fiancée’s best friend’s boyfriend.
I don’t bother even acknowledging him, because in walks the man of the hour. I have never in my life been more nervous, but I’ve never in my life hated someone more than I hate this man who is walking into the room next. “Gentlemen,” he greets, smiling to me. All I can do is nod instead of wanting to throat punch him.
“Mr. Laurier.” I nod at him. “How has your day been?”
“It’s been good,” he replies, pulling out the chair at the head of the table where the president usually sits. I look over at Casey, who pulls out the chair in front of him that is in the middle.
“Shall we get started?” I look over at them.
“Should we not wait for the rest of the shareholders?” Kristina smiles at me as she taps her finger on the table.
Gerald takes a deep exhale and looks bored AF and just wants this over with. They are the only three who we haven’t shared the news with. News I’m ready to share with them. News I hope shatters their whole fucking world. “I think we can start without them,” I state, looking over at Casey, who leans back in his chair. Cool, calm, and collected.
“Yes, let’s,” Casey says, smirking. “Knock them dead.”
“Well, I don’t want to drag this on, so let’s get to the point. Since your company is public, and Casey has been looking into purchasing stocks to become a majority shareholder in Laurier Lumber for a while now.” I look over at Casey, who just rocks back and forth. “I’ve met with several of the shareholders.” I put my hands on the table. “And your numbers are, well, how do I put it?” I look over at Casey. “Fictitious.” I look at the reaction of all three of them, the only one who isn’t surprised by this is the man at the head of the table. “You see, I’m really good at my job.”
“He’s lying,” Casey cuts in. “He’s the best at his job, even I’m somewhat impressed.”
“Thank you,” I tell him. “Now, as future shareholders of Laurier Lumber, I think it’s our right to see how much Mr. Laurier has, how do I put it?”
“I think it’s called embezzling.” Casey leans in like he’s going to tell me a secret, but the whole table can hear him. Kristina, who smiled at me before, now just looks at me with big eyes.
Gerald suddenly sits up in his chair, now paying very close attention.
“Excuse me?” Mr. Laurier says, sitting up in his chair.
“You’re excused,” I say to him as I open the folder I placed on the table when we walked in. I hand them each a sheet of paper with columns and numbers. I slide it to them, Mr. Laurier snapping it up in his hands. “As you can see, the three of you have been, well—” I look for words to say. “Having a field day with funds that were not yours.” I look over at Casey, whose face grimaces. “So, for the past couple of weeks, we’ve had the pleasure to show this to some of the shareholders.”
“Past couple of weeks?” Mr. Laurier says. “Are you saying you went behind my back?”
“I am, in fact,” I say, nodding, “saying that we went behind your back.”
“I’m not taking the praise for this,” Casey declares. “This was all Stefano. I’m just here because I knew someone.” He looks at me. “Go on.”
“This is bullshit.” Mr. Laurier slaps the table with his hand. “I want you out of this office now.”
I just stare at him while Casey laughs. “I don’t think so.” I laugh also. “You see, I sort of—” I move my head from side to side. “Kind of”—I snap my fingers—“am the majority shareholder.”
“That’s,” Mr. Laurier shouts, “that’s impossible!”
“But is it?” Casey asks him, then turns to me. “Go for it.”
“Mr. Laurier,” I say his name, “from my findings, you have been dipping your hand where it shouldn’t go.” I smirk. “But you aren’t the only one.” I look over at the other two. “You see your son, Gerald, has a hotel room that is booked four times a week with the company card.” I look at him, and his face goes white as I turn to him. “And I don’t think you are bringing clients there.” I don’t wait for him to say anything. “And, well, Kristina over here, she has a little bit of an issue that she needs help with.”
“Shut the fuck up,” she says, slapping her hand on the table.
“And, well, you.” I point at Mr. Laurier. “There are the family vacations. The hotel suites. The private jets are all paid for by the company.”
“I have an allowance.” He shoots to his feet as his chair flies back. “My father started this company.”
“He sure did,” I confirm. “And we aren’t even going to go into all that. Because if we went through all of it, your father would have been behind bars for the way he obtained some of his materials. But, in the end, I’m sure you will be handing it down to your kids.” I look at the two next to him.
“It’s a family tradition,” he states.
“You have just the two children, then?” I ask him, and he is about to answer me when the door opens and in comes the other person I hate.
“What is going on?” she asks, looking around at her husband and kids. “Why the hell did you summon me here?” I shake my head and look down. How the fuck did Addison come from these people? My hands bunch into fists on the table.
“Mrs. Laurier,” I say, my voice tight, “I was explaining to your husband and your two children that I now am the primary shareholder in the company.” Everything I’ve done in the last year has paid off for this moment right here. Standing before her family, taking what they love the most away from them.
“This is fucking bullshit.” Gerald jumps out of his seat, just like his father.
“No,” I say quietly and stand. “What is bullshit is the four of you.” I look over at Casey, and he just smirks. “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced.” I look over at the woman. “My name is Stefano Dimitris.” They all look at me like it means nothing, and I guess to them, it doesn’t. “You would know who I am if you were in your daughter’s life.”
They look over at Kristina, who holds up her hands. “I have no idea who he is.”
“Not that daughter,” I explain. “I’m talking about Addison.” The minute I say her name, the blood drains from their faces. “I’m guessing from the reaction on your faces that you know who I’m talking about. You see, you turned your back on her over six years ago.”
“Yeah, so what?” Gerald says. “She was stupid enough to get knocked up.”
“Breathe,” Casey says from beside me.
“I’d watch what you say.” I look into his eyes. “You’re talking about my fiancée and my daughter. So if you don’t want to eat from a straw for the rest of your life, I would watch the next words that come out of your mouth.”
“Are you threatening me?” He puffs out his chest.
“Nope, threat means I won’t do it.” I smirk. “This is me telling you that I’ll make you eat from a straw for the rest of your life.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Mr. Laurier says.
“What is going on, old man, is”—I look at him—“this is your last day working for this company.” I look at Casey, who nods at me and gets up. “As much fun as this was.” I take the other paper in the folder and hand it to them. “You will see, Casey bought two shares of the company.” I smile big at them. “While I bought the other sixty shares. Which means…” I hold up a hand. “Which means I move to have you removed from the company,” I declare. “All in favor, say aye.”
“Aye,” Casey says, then looks over at the four of them. “I guess you guys are opposed.”
“Doesn’t fucking matter.” I clap my hands. “My shares are going to my future wife and my daughter. It’s in her hands. But for now, for me, I want you out of your office tonight.” Then I look over at her mother. “You turned your back on your daughter and tossed her out like garbage. She struggled to pay her medical bills while you spent forty-seven thousand dollars in the Bahamas in a weekend.”
“She made her bed,” her father retorts, “she had to lie in it.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” the woman says. “You can’t speak to me like that.”
“Trust me, lady, the last thing I want to do is speak to you.” I shake my head. “I thank fuck she didn’t turn out like you.” Then I look at her sister. “You should go to rehab.” Then I look over at her brother. “You should also tell your fiancée she’s not your type.”
“Fuck this, I quit!” Gerald yells. “I won’t stand here.”
“You haven’t worked a day in your life.” I laugh. “You don’t even know how to do your job. We’ve already hired your secretary to take your place since she has been doing your job since you started.
“You have until the end of the day to pack up your shit.” I look at Casey. “You were right, this was fun, but I’m done.” He nods at me, and I start to make my way out. “You fucked up, old man. Trying to do things like you were still in the fifties, thinking no one would know the difference,” I inform him. “You fucked up even bigger when you turned your back on your daughter. You will never see the woman she has become, and you will never see the goodness that is our daughter.” Then I look at her mother. “You were supposed to fight for her. You were supposed to be her strength and guide her, and instead, you chose to stand behind your husband.”
“Don’t speak to me that way,” her mother seethes. “You don’t know us.”
“Thank fuck,” I reply, “wouldn’t even want to walk on the same street as you.”
With that, I take one look at them and then walk out with Casey at my back. “How you feeling?” he asks me and I just look down. “I’m going to say that I’m happy as a pig in shit right now.” I look over at him. “Do you know how pissed Matthew is going to be that we did this without him?”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Who do you think gave me the money to do this?” I look over at him. “He knew exactly what I was doing.”
We walk out of the door and there standing by the truck is Uncle Matthew, Uncle Max, and my father side by side, all of them arms crossed over their chests. “Fucking hell,” Casey greets, “you’re a sight for sore eyes.”
“Missed you, too, Casey. Or should I say, partner?” Matthew says.
“Why are you everywhere?” Casey asks him, chuckling.
“He’s like those fruit flies,” Max goads, “you think you killed him and then you look around and he’s still there.”
“It’s my charm.” He shrugs, then looks at me. “We good?”
I look back over at the company. “We’re good.”
“It was touch and go in there,” Casey shares. “Thought for sure he would do something that I would have to end up cleaning but”—Casey slaps my shoulder—“he did good.”
“Time to go home,” I decide, taking a deep inhale, “and tell Addison.”
Casey leaves us at the plane and we get in, and in twenty-five minutes I’m in the car on my way home while everyone else goes back to New York.
I pull into the driveway, looking up at the house I bought hoping I would be able to convince her to move in with me. The house I wanted to make a home in. A house that is now our home. She moved in the weekend after I asked her to. Our clothes now hang in the same closet. Picture frames are all over the house of our amazing life together. I can’t help but smile while I look over and see Addison is already home. I grab the envelope on the passenger seat, putting it in my inside pocket. When I open the driver’s door to step out, at the same time a yellow school bus pulls up in front of the house.
I walk toward the bus just in time to see Avery jump off the last step, her princess backpack bigger than her, but she insists on wearing it. She also insists on taking the bus. I’m not going to lie, I hate every single second of it, but Addison said we had to let her try it. I’m hoping that eventually she’ll get tired of it so I can drive her to school and pick her up.
“Daddy!” she shouts, running to me and jumping in my arms, knowing I’m going to catch her.
“How was your day?” I ask her, kissing her neck, and she giggles. Turning, I see Addison coming out of the front door.
“Good, I had art and I drew a picture for Grand-mère,” she replies as I walk up the steps with her in my arms.
“Hey, you two,” Addison greets us at the top of the stairs, looking down at us. I stop at the step under her, and she smiles at Avery before she leans in and kisses my lips.
“You’re home early,” she says to me, her smile makes my knees week.
“It went faster than I thought.” I put Avery down.
“Go wash your hands and put your lunchbox on the counter,” Addison tells her as she walks inside, then turns back to me. “You look like you have something you need to tell me.”
I nod my head, turning and sitting on the stoop. “I do,” I tell her, and she sits down right next to me. She puts her hand in mine. “I love you,” I remind her and she just laughs.
“I think I knew that already.” She leans in to kiss my lips. I just stare at her. “What happened?” Her hand comes up to hold my cheek.
“I did something today,” I admit, taking the envelope out of my inside pocket and hand it to her. “That’s for you.”
“What is this?” she asks, turning the white envelope over and pulling out the white paper. She unfolds it and then looks at it, gasping when she sees the top.
“A year ago, when I found you again, and found out what your family did, I started a plan.” She looks down at the paper, her hand shaking. “I didn’t know if I could actually do it, but I wanted to bury them. I wanted them to hurt just like you hurt. If not more.” She looks at me, the tears rolling down her face. “It took some time, but today I was able to bring you that.”
“I don’t understand,” she says to me, and my hand comes up to wipe her tears away.
“Well, as of this afternoon, you are the majority shareholder for Laurier Lumber,” I tell her the gist of it, “and your father is out. So is your sister and your brother.”
“But how?” she questions in a whisper. “Why?”
“Because you deserve what is yours,” I inform her. “Also, I wanted to make them pay.”
“But…” She shakes her head. “…don’t you see?” I just stare at her. “I won. Look at me. I have a beautiful daughter, who is healthy and filled with so much love. I have a man, who I like on some days and adore on most days. I have his family, who have accepted me with open arms, treating me like I’m one of their own. Never not once did your family ever make me feel that I’m not part of the family. I have the best job a girl can ask for.” She puts the paper down in her lap. “Stefano, I won.” She puts her hands on my face. “We won.”
“We did win,” I agree, reaching into my pocket, taking out the ring box. “Today they asked me who I was.” I move out of her touch, her hands falling to her lap, getting on one knee. “I told them you were my fiancée.” I open the ring box. “Addison, you have given me a life I didn’t know I wished for. You have shown me what unconditional love is. You have made me a better man. You have my heart before, today, and always. I want to have more children with you. I want to have my ring on your finger, knowing that you will be forever stuck to me.” She laughs at that. “I mean, technically, you are forever stuck to me, but this is so everyone knows.”
“I’m yours,” she confirms, “with or without the ring.”
“Is that a yes?” I ask her, taking the ring out of the box and putting it on her finger.
She looks down and gasps. “This is—”
“It’s on your finger, and I’m not taking it back,” I tell her, and the door opens. Avery comes out, watching us.
“Why is Momma crying?” she asks, looking at me and then her mom.
“I asked Momma to marry me,” I explain to her as she walks over to Addison, putting her arm around her shoulders. “I gave her a ring.”
She gasps, too. “Do I get a princess dress?” she asks, making Addison roll her eyes. She has so many fucking princess gowns in our house. In my parents’ house. Every single place she goes there is one waiting for her.
“You both get a princess dress,” I tell them both. “Now, can I kiss your mom?”
“Ugh, again?” she groans. “I’m hungry.” She turns and walks back inside the house.
“Glad she took the news well,” I joke, leaning in and kissing Addison’s lips. “I promise I’ll never make you regret this.”
