Chapter 16 - THE LAST OFFER FROM VICTOR RAINES|
Victor's request came through his attorney.
He wanted to discuss the disputed freight settlement and the proposed acquisition involving Meridian. He offered to provide documents that would supposedly resolve the remaining questions.
The investigators advised that any meeting should be arranged through counsel, with appropriate safeguards and a clear record of what was discussed.
Callum agreed.
Rowan was not invited to attend, and she did not ask to be.
She had learned that courage did not require placing herself in every dangerous room.
Instead, she spent the day at her catering kitchen, preparing for the hospital's next fundraising event.
The ordinary work steadied her.
She checked the delivery schedule, reviewed the menu, and helped Luis test a new lemon tart recipe. For an hour, she was simply Rowan Pierce, the woman who cared whether the sauce was too salty and whether the delivery van had enough fuel.
Then Callum called.
"The meeting is over," he said.
"What happened?"
"Victor offered to withdraw his claims against my companies if I agreed not to pursue the missing accounting records."
"Did you?"
"No."
Rowan felt relief.
"What else did he offer?"
"Information about Grant."
She set down her knife.
"What information?"
"He claims Grant approached him first about acquiring your company."
Rowan closed her eyes.
"Do you believe him?"
"I believe we need to verify the records."
Callum explained that Victor had produced several emails and draft agreements. Some suggested that Grant had sought an acquisition proposal months earlier. Others indicated that Victor had promised to arrange financing through Meridian.
The documents supported the possibility that Grant had been more involved than he initially admitted.
However, Victor had also made statements that contradicted his own earlier correspondence.
His attorney had agreed to provide the originals for independent examination.
"Did he mention me?" Rowan asked.
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
Callum paused.
"He said your company was valuable because you had built a reputation for reliability. He believed the contracts could be used to support the larger acquisition."
Rowan felt anger flare.
"My employees are not bargaining chips."
"I know."
"Did you tell him that?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"That business is about leverage."
Rowan almost laughed.
"Of course he did."
Callum's voice softened.
"I wanted you to hear this from me before you heard it from someone else. The investigation may reveal things about Grant that are painful. It may also reveal things about my past that I haven't fully understood."
"Thank you for telling me."
"I don't want you to feel obligated to stay with me because I have been honest now."
She sat down.
"Callum, I'm not staying because I feel obligated. I'm staying because I love you. But I'm learning that love and trust are different things."
"I know."
"They have to grow together."
"Then we'll give them time."
For several days, the investigation moved forward quietly.
The financial records were examined. Witnesses were interviewed. The proposed acquisition remained suspended while the ownership structure was reviewed.
Then Victor made a mistake.
He sent a message to Grant complaining that the meeting with Callum had failed.
Voss won't cooperate. We need another way to force the transfer.
Grant replied:
The original plan is dead. Do not contact Rowan again.
Victor's response was chilling.
You should have thought about that before you used her name.
The messages were preserved and provided to the investigators.
They suggested a deeper dispute between the two men, but the full context remained uncertain.
Grant's attorney contacted the investigators the following morning. Grant had agreed to provide additional testimony and surrender copies of his communications with Victor and Meridian.
He also asked to speak with Rowan once more.
She agreed to a brief meeting.
They sat in a quiet office with their attorneys nearby.
Grant looked at her for a long time.
"I thought I could fix everything before anyone found out."
"That's what people say when they want to keep control of the consequences."
He nodded.
"I know."
"Why did you really leave me?"
He stared at the table.
"Because I was afraid that if you knew the truth, you would see me as weak. And because Victor offered me a way to become successful without admitting how badly I had failed."
Rowan swallowed.
"You could have trusted me."
"I should have."
"You could have let me choose whether to stay."
"I know."
She stood.
"I don't hate you, Grant. But I will never build a life around your promises again."
He looked up, eyes wet.
"Could you ever forgive me?"
Rowan considered the question.
"Maybe, someday. But forgiveness would not mean returning to you."
She left before he could answer.
Outside, the sky was clearing after a week of rain.
For the first time, the past felt like something she could carry without letting it determine where she went next.
Then her attorney called.
The investigators had discovered that Meridian's registered agent had submitted a document containing a false certification.
And the person who had signed that certification had just agreed to cooperate.
It was not Grant.
May you like
It was not Victor.
It was someone Rowan had never expected to hear from again.
