Chapter 14 - THE THING SHE COULDN'T CONTROL
Evelyn counted.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Enough.
She had lost.
Hayes looked almost apologetic.
“Ms. Cross.”
“The motion passes.”
Claire whispered, “I'm sorry.”
Evelyn sat completely still.
Twelve years building the company.
Six years as director.
Eighty-hour weeks.
No vacations.
No children.
No real relationships.
No mistakes allowed.
And now?
Gone.
Strangely, the ceiling did not collapse.
The building did not shake.
The world kept moving.
Evelyn looked toward Noah.
He pushed open the boardroom door.
Rachel tried to stop him.
“Noah.”
He ignored her.
He walked straight toward Evelyn.
Every board member watched.
Noah stood beside her.
“So they fired you?”
Hayes shifted.
“Technically—”
Noah looked at him.
“I wasn't asking you.”
Claire coughed to hide a laugh.
Evelyn looked at Noah.
“Yes.”
His brow furrowed.
“Are you sad?”
The question was so simple it almost broke her.
“Yes.”
“Are you mad?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to yell?”
Evelyn thought about it.
“Possibly later.”
Noah nodded.
Then he held out Daniel's photograph.
“I think Dad would still like you.”
Evelyn's eyes filled.
Rachel stepped into the boardroom.
Noah continued.
“On the tape.”
“He said you were trying to be perfect so your dad would love you.”
A few directors looked away.
Noah shrugged.
“That sounds exhausting.”
Evelyn laughed.
A real laugh.
Messy.
Unexpected.
She covered her face.
Noah hugged her.
Right there.
In front of the board.
In front of the lawyers.
In front of everyone who had spent years treating Evelyn Cross like polished steel.
She hugged him back.
Rachel wiped her eyes.
Evelyn whispered, “I'm sorry.”
Noah pulled back.
“For what?”
“For not knowing you.”
“That wasn't your fault.”
Evelyn looked toward Rachel.
“No.”
She swallowed.
“But some things were.”
Rachel understood.
Evelyn stood.
She removed the gold pin from her jacket.
The Cross Holdings emblem.
She placed it on the table.
Hayes looked surprised.
“You don't have to leave immediately.”
Evelyn smiled.
“I know.”
She turned toward Claire.
“What are you doing?”
Claire blinked.
“What?”
“You technically work for the company now.”
Claire stared.
Then took off her own badge.
“I hated the cafeteria anyway.”
Rachel laughed.
For the first time.
They walked toward the elevators.
Evelyn stopped beside the cafeteria.
The stain from Noah's soup had been cleaned.
No trace remained.
A janitor polished the marble.
Perfect again.
Evelyn looked at it for a long moment.
Noah followed her gaze.
“Sorry about that.”
She glanced at him.
“You still owe me a plate.”
He grinned.
“Put it on my sixty-eight-million-dollar tab.”
Rachel stared at him.
“Noah.”
“What?”
Evelyn laughed again.
Then her phone rang.
Detective Price.
She answered.
“Price.”
His voice was serious.
“Victor confessed.”
Rachel stopped smiling.
Evelyn gripped the phone.
“To Daniel?”
“To ordering the final brake cut.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Price continued.
“And Martin gave a full statement.”
“We have enough.”
“So it's finished?”
A pause.
“The criminal part.”
Evelyn looked at Rachel.
“What does that mean?”
Price exhaled.
“Victor said Daniel left one more message.”
Evelyn's eyes opened.
“For whom?”
May you like
Price answered.
“For Noah.”
