Chapter 18 - The Offer
The Sterling Global board offered Willow more money than she could comprehend.
Cash.
Shares.
Property.
A controlling board position.
A private settlement.
And one condition.
Silence.
Willow read the proposal twice.
Then she pushed it back across the table.
“No.”
The chairman looked stunned.
“Ms. Donovan, this settlement could secure your family for generations.”
“My family was secure before you arrived.”
The lawyers exchanged glances.
“What do you want?”
Willow had spent weeks thinking about that question.
Revenge was easy to imagine.
Destruction was satisfying in fantasy.
But thousands of employees at Sterling Global had never met Richard.
They had mortgages.
Children.
Medical bills.
Retirement accounts.
Destroying them would not punish the right people.
“I want the company separated from the Sterling family.”
The chairman stared at her.
“I want an independent board.”
“I want restitution for employees whose pensions were raided by Richard’s private transactions.”
“I want the Hale patents placed under transparent licensing.”
“I want a worker ownership fund.”
“And I want my grandfather’s name restored to the company history.”
One lawyer leaned back.
“That would effectively end Sterling control.”
Willow looked at him.
“Yes.”
“That is the point.”
Richard heard about the proposal from jail.
He demanded his attorney arrange a meeting.
Willow almost refused.
Then she changed her mind.
She sat across from Richard behind thick glass.
He looked smaller.
Not kinder.
Just smaller.
“You stole my company.”
Willow nearly smiled.
“No.”
“My grandfather built it.”
“You took it.”
“I’m returning it to people who actually keep it alive.”
Richard leaned toward the glass.
“You could have everything.”
“I already told you.”
“I never wanted what you wanted.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You think you won.”
Willow looked at him calmly.
“This stopped being about winning when I learned what happened to my mother.”
For the first time, Richard looked away.
Willow continued.
“You spent twenty-eight years protecting a stolen empire.”
“My father spent twenty-eight years protecting me.”
“One of you has something left.”
“The other doesn’t.”
Richard’s face twisted.
“You are still that mechanic’s daughter.”
Willow smiled.
“Yes.”
“And you still think that insults me.”
She stood.
Richard struck the glass with his palm.
Willow did not flinch.
She walked away.
May you like
He shouted her name behind her.
She never turned around.
