Chapter 6 - The Company Daniel Built
Mercer Strategic occupied three floors of a glass tower in Midtown.
Daniel arrived before sunrise on Thursday.
He had not changed his clothes.
His employees noticed.
No one said anything.
Evan Brooks was waiting in the conference room.
Beside him sat the company's general counsel and two senior partners.
Daniel entered.
“Tell me we found the money.”
Evan looked exhausted.
“We found four million.”
“We need eight.”
“I know.”
Daniel dropped into a chair.
“What about the London reserve?”
“Restricted.”
“Singapore?”
“Committed.”
Daniel stared at the table.
General counsel cleared his throat.
“There is another issue.”
Daniel looked up.
“What now?”
“Hawthorne Capital exercised its inspection rights.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“They are reviewing our books before the maturity date.”
“They've never done that before.”
“They've never been this exposed before.”
Daniel stood.
“They are trying to take the company.”
No one answered.
Daniel paced.
“Thomas has wanted Mercer Strategic for years.”
Evan shook his head.
“I don't think that's what this is.”
Daniel turned sharply.
“What do you think it is?”
Evan hesitated.
“I think Hawthorne wants to know whether you can repay them.”
Daniel glared at him.
“I asked for solutions, not commentary.”
The door opened.
Daniel's assistant stepped inside.
“Mr. Mercer.”
“What?”
“There are representatives from Hawthorne here.”
Daniel froze.
“How many?”
“Four.”
Daniel looked at Evan.
“Send them in.”
The assistant hesitated.
“There is someone else with them.”
Daniel's irritation deepened.
“Who?”
She swallowed.
“Mrs. Mercer.”
Silence swallowed the room.
Daniel stared at the doorway.
Rebecca entered moments later wearing a charcoal suit.
No dramatic dress.
No revenge smile.
No visible anger.
That made her presence worse.
Thomas Hawthorne walked beside her.
Daniel had always hated Rebecca's older brother.
Thomas was everything Daniel disliked about old money.
Quiet.
Disciplined.
Impossible to impress.
Thomas took a seat.
Rebecca remained standing.
Daniel looked at her.
“What are you doing here?”
Thomas answered.
“Rebecca is attending as a shareholder representative.”
Daniel laughed.
“She doesn't own shares.”
Rebecca calmly opened a folder.
“I do now.”
Daniel's expression changed.
Thomas placed another document on the table.
“Hawthorne assigned a portion of the debt position to Rebecca's investment company this morning.”
Daniel stared at his wife.
“How much?”
Rebecca answered.
“Enough.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“This is personal.”
Rebecca met his eyes.
“You made it personal when you used our family's future as collateral without telling me.”
“My company isn't your family's future.”
Michael's tuition had been funded by Rebecca.
Their home had been Rebecca's trust property.
Their emergency reserves had come from Rebecca's inheritance.
Daniel suddenly understood how absurd his statement sounded.
Rebecca continued.
“Tomorrow, the loan matures.”
Daniel leaned toward her.
“You really want to destroy twenty-five years of my work because our marriage failed?”
Rebecca's gaze did not move.
“No.”
She closed the folder.
“You destroyed it when you borrowed money you couldn't repay.”
Then she turned toward the door.
Daniel called after her.
“What happens tomorrow?”
Rebecca stopped.
May you like
She looked back.
“That depends on whether you finally tell the truth.”
