Chapter 18 - The Company Without Him
Mercer Strategic survived.
Barely at first.
Rebecca helped negotiate a restructuring with Hawthorne Capital.
The company sold two unprofitable divisions.
Executive compensation was reduced.
Several senior partners resigned.
No junior layoffs were required.
Within eight months, cash flow stabilized.
Evan became permanent chief executive.
Rebecca remained board chair but refused the CEO position.
“That company needs an operator.”
She told Thomas.
“Not someone proving a point.”
Thomas smiled.
“You sound like Dad.”
Rebecca smiled back.
“That would have annoyed me twenty years ago.”
“And now?”
“Now I understand him better.”
The investigation into Daniel ended differently than many expected.
He was not sent to prison.
His lawyers negotiated a resolution involving restitution, substantial financial penalties, a multiyear prohibition from serving as an officer of a public-facing investment enterprise, and full cooperation.
His reputation collapsed.
His freedom did not.
Rebecca had complicated feelings about that.
Michael did not.
“He should fix what he can.”
Michael said.
“Prison wouldn't give me my childhood back.”
Rebecca looked at her son with surprise.
“You sound older.”
Michael laughed.
“This year aged everyone.”
He had also met Lily.
Their first meeting lasted four awkward hours.
Their second lasted six easy ones.
By the third, they had developed the familiar rhythm of siblings who somehow skipped childhood together.
Michael teased her about her science obsession.
Lily mocked his terrible cooking.
Rebecca watched from a distance.
Vanessa occasionally joined them.
The relationship between the two women remained complicated.
They would never become friends.
But they became something perhaps more useful.
Adults unwilling to make children inherit their resentment.
One evening, Michael arrived at Rebecca's apartment carrying a bottle of sparkling cider.
“What are we celebrating?”
He handed her an envelope.
She opened it.
Inside was an offer letter.
Hawthorne Capital.
Rebecca looked up.
“You applied?”
Michael grinned.
“Uncle Thomas made me interview like everyone else.”
“Good.”
“He rejected me for one team.”
Rebecca laughed.
“Even better.”
Michael sat beside her.
“I didn't want to work at Mercer Strategic.”
“You don't have to explain.”
“I know.”
He looked toward the window.
“I want to build something that doesn't require pretending.”
Rebecca understood exactly what he meant.
Her phone buzzed.
Daniel.
She looked at the screen.
Michael noticed.
“Are you going to answer?”
Rebecca considered it.
Then she did.
“Hello?”
Daniel sounded nervous.
“Rebecca.”
“Yes?”
“Lily has a school presentation next month.”
Rebecca waited.
“She wants Michael there.”
“He'll go.”
“She asked if you would come too.”
Rebecca was silent.
Daniel continued.
“You don't have to.”
Rebecca looked at Michael.
He was already smiling.
“I'll be there.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Thank you.”
Rebecca ended the call.
Michael raised an eyebrow.
“Well?”
Rebecca smiled.
“Apparently we're going to Miami.”
Life after Daniel had not become simpler.
May you like
It had become honest.
Rebecca discovered she preferred the complications of truth to the comfort of lies.
