Chapter 8 - My Father Offered Him Everything He WantedOne year after Alexander returned from his four-month affair, my father invited him to dinner.
I assumed someone had developed a brain tumor.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“You invited Alexander?”
“Yes.”
“To your house?”
“Yes.”
“Voluntarily?”
Dad looked offended.
“I am capable of maturity.”
“Since when?”
“Claire.”
I laughed.
“Why?”
“Business.”
Of course.
Bennett Global and Moretti International were considering a joint infrastructure investment.
The deal was enormous.
And for the first time since Alexander’s removal, the Moretti board wanted him involved in negotiations.
Not as CEO.
As a major shareholder and strategic adviser.
His testimony before regulators had damaged him publicly but earned him credibility internally.
The investigation eventually concluded that Alexander’s delayed reporting had been poor judgment but did not make him part of the underlying scheme.
Moretti International paid penalties.
The executive responsible was removed.
New governance controls were installed.
Alexander accepted every restriction.
Slowly, the board let him back into the room.
Dad wanted to know whether he deserved to be there.
Dinner was torture.
Dad sat at one end of the table.
Alexander sat across from me.
Ellie sat in a high chair between us throwing carrots on the floor.
Dad discussed projected returns.
Alexander discussed financing structures.
I considered drinking directly from the wine bottle.
Then Dad said, “I have another proposal.”
Alexander glanced up.
“What kind?”
“I’ll support your return as executive chairman.”
I nearly dropped my fork.
Alexander’s face changed.
Dad continued.
“My funds hold enough influence with several institutional shareholders to matter.”
“Dad.”
He ignored me.
Alexander set down his glass.
“In exchange for what?”
Dad smiled.
There it was.
The shark.
“You transfer your interest in the River North development to Bennett Global.”
Alexander leaned back.
“And?”
“And nothing.”
I stared at my father.
The project was Alexander’s favorite.
He had spent six years assembling the land.
It represented billions in future value.
But Dad’s support could accelerate Alexander’s return to power.
Alexander looked at me.
Then at Ellie.
Then back at Dad.
“No.”
Dad raised an eyebrow.
“No?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want your help returning to power.”
Dad studied him.
Alexander continued.
“If the Moretti board eventually believes I should have that position, they can decide based on my work.”
“You are turning down a very profitable arrangement.”
“I’m turning down a shortcut.”
Dad’s mouth almost curved.
Then he asked, “What if I removed River North from the deal?”
Alexander frowned.
“What?”
“No asset transfer. I simply support your return.”
“Why would you?”
Dad’s eyes moved toward me.
“Because my daughter is apparently incapable of falling out of love with you.”
“Dad!”
Alexander nearly choked.
Ellie threw a carrot.
Nobody acknowledged it.
I stared at my father.
“What are you doing?”
“Saving time.”
Alexander looked at me.
I wanted the floor to open.
Dad continued.
“I spent years believing Alexander’s ambition was the problem.”
Alexander said quietly, “It was.”
“No.”
Dad shook his head.
“Ambition is useful. Entitlement was your problem.”
Alexander absorbed that.
“You believed consequences were for other people.”
“Yes.”
“I no longer believe that.”
Dad’s expression softened by approximately two percent.
“So my offer is simple. If you want my professional support, you can have it.”
Alexander looked stunned.
“But?”
“No but.”
“There’s always a but.”
Dad sighed.
“The only thing I want regarding Claire is for you to understand that if you hurt her again, I will spend an unreasonable amount of money making your life unpleasant.”
I closed my eyes.
“Dad.”
Alexander nodded solemnly.
“That seems fair.”
“It is not fair!”
Neither man listened.
Then Alexander said something that silenced all of us.
“I’m not asking Claire to marry me again.”
Dad looked at him.
Alexander turned toward me.
“I haven’t earned the right to ask.”
My chest tightened.
“Alexander…”
“I’m happy with what we have.”
“What do we have?”
He smiled.
“That is an excellent question.”
Dad groaned.
“I am leaving.”
“It’s your house.”
“I’m aware.”
He stood anyway and walked out.
I laughed.
Alexander did too.
Ellie clapped because she assumed something exciting had happened.
Later, we stood outside beneath the covered terrace.
Snow covered the lawn.
Alexander put his hands in his coat pockets.
“Your father terrifies me.”
“That makes one of you.”
“He offered me several billion dollars in indirect support over dinner.”
“He likes you.”
“That is not what liking feels like.”
I smiled.
Then Alexander became serious.
“What do we have?”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“You asked.”
I had.
I looked through the glass doors.
Dad was attempting to persuade Ellie to eat carrots rather than throw them.
Alexander waited.
Finally, I answered.
“We’re a family.”
His breath caught.
“Not married.”
“No.”
“Not exactly dating.”
“Sometimes.”
“Not living together.”
“No.”
“But a family.”
“Yes.”
Alexander’s eyes filled.
I smiled.
“Don’t make it weird.”
“I’m trying not to.”
“You’re failing.”
“I know.”
I reached for his hand.
He looked down.
Then back at me.
“I love you,” I said.
Alexander froze.
I had not said those words since he left for Europe.
His fingers tightened around mine.
“Claire…”
“I’m still angry sometimes.”
“I know.”
“I still think about the hospital.”
“I know.”
“I may always think about it.”
“I know.”
“But when Ellie calls for you, you come.”
His face broke.
“When I’m scared, you don’t run anymore.”
I stepped closer.
“When you mess up, you tell me.”
“I’m learning.”
“And I love you.”
Tears filled his eyes.
“I love you too.”
He kissed me.
Slowly.
Softly.
No desperate promise that everything was fixed.
Because everything wasn’t.
Healing wasn’t erasing the scar.
It was learning that the scar no longer controlled the future.
Then the terrace door opened.
Dad stood there holding Ellie.
“She said Dada.”
Alexander spun around.
“What?”
Dad looked offended.
“I have spent twelve months trying to get her to say Grandpa, and she has chosen betrayal.”
Alexander rushed inside.
“Did she really?”
Ellie saw him.
Her face lit up.
“Dada!”
Alexander stopped dead.
I covered my mouth.
Dad rolled his eyes.
“Oh, wonderful. Now he’s crying.”
Alexander took Ellie.
She grabbed his face with both hands.
“Dada.”
He kissed her forehead.
“Yes.”
His voice broke.
“I’m right here.”
May you like
And this time—
he was.
