Chapter 11 - My Father Offered Me a Billion-Dollar Inheritance in Exchange for Becoming Exactly Like HimHe called from prison.
“You want the ledger.”
“Yes.”
“You'll have it.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
I laughed.
“What does that mean?”
“You take control of the foundation.”
“No.”
“You control the assets.”
“No.”
“You become what I built.”
“No.”
“Then the ledger disappears.”
I stared at the phone.
“What is your real price?”
“Forgive me.”
Silence.
That was the one thing he couldn't buy.
“I won't lie to you.”
He waited.
“I don't know if I can.”
“That is all I ask.”
I visited him.
He looked smaller than I remembered.
The man who had controlled judges and billionaires now sat behind glass.
He handed me the ledger.
“Why?”
“Because I know I lost.”
I took it.
“You destroyed everything.”
“I know.”
“You killed people.”
“I know.”
“You hurt Mom.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to use me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked down.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of what?”
“Losing control.”
I stared.
“That cost you everything.”
“Yes.”
He smiled sadly.
“Your mother was right.”
“About?”
“You were never mine to control.”
I left.
The ledger was turned over.
The last network collapsed.
My father's sentence was long.
But before the trial ended, he asked one final question.
“Do you hate me?”
I thought.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life carrying you.”
He nodded.
Maybe that was forgiveness.
May you like
Not forgetting.
Just refusing to carry the poison.
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