Chapter 7 - The Man Who Had Everything to Lose
Dinner at Maya’s apartment began badly.
Nolan arrived twelve minutes early.
Maya opened the door and looked at her phone.
“You’re early.”
“I know.”
“You’re never early socially.”
“I’m trying new things.”
“Try waiting downstairs.”
The door closed.
Nolan stared at it.
Then laughed quietly.
Exactly twelve minutes later, Maya reopened it.
“Now.”
Holly ran toward him immediately.
“Nolan!”
He crouched.
“Hi.”
She stopped inches away and pointed at his hands.
“Watch.”
Nolan had deliberately worn an inexpensive watch.
He removed it.
Holly looked disappointed.
“No shiny.”
“Your mother complained.”
Maya called from the kitchen, “Correct decision.”
Hope stood near the couch clutching the stuffed rabbit.
She did not approach.
Nolan didn’t force it.
Dinner was pasta.
Not prime rib.
Not catered.
Not served on porcelain.
Nolan could not remember enjoying a meal more.
Holly threw noodles.
Hope refused sauce.
Maya cut grapes into microscopic pieces.
Nolan learned that toddlers did not care whether a man controlled a multinational company.
At one point Holly ordered him to wipe the table.
“Nolan. Clean.”
Maya nearly choked laughing.
Nolan obediently used a napkin.
“Apparently I work here now.”
“You’re on probation.”
The warmth disappeared after bedtime.
Once the girls were sleeping, Maya poured tea.
Nolan remained at the small kitchen table.
“I found proof Wade knew.”
Maya stopped.
“What proof?”
He showed her the scanned hospital photograph.
She stared.
Her face went pale.
“That was in the envelope.”
“I know.”
“He opened it.”
“Yes.”
Maya sat.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then she asked, “Why?”
Nolan explained the succession trust.
Wade’s potential access.
The shell companies.
The financial questions Maya had asked.
When he finished, she stared into her tea.
“So I wasn’t imagining it.”
“What?”
“That he hated me.”
Nolan’s jaw tightened.
“You never told me that.”
“I did.”
He froze.
Maya looked at him.
“I told you Wade made me uncomfortable.”
Nolan remembered.
Vaguely.
He had told her Wade was blunt but loyal.
She had said loyalty to you doesn’t make him a good person.
He had defended Wade.
Again.
“I’m sorry.”
Maya sighed.
“You have to stop saying that every five minutes.”
“What should I say?”
“Nothing sometimes.”
He nodded.
They sat in silence.
Then Hope cried.
Maya stood.
Nolan did too automatically.
She looked at him.
“You can sit.”
He did.
Maya disappeared into the bedroom.
Minutes later she returned carrying Hope.
“She had a nightmare.”
Hope rubbed her eyes.
Then noticed Nolan.
This time she did something new.
She reached toward him.
Both adults froze.
Hope reached again.
Nolan looked at Maya.
“Can I?”
Maya’s face changed.
Fear.
Grief.
Hope made an impatient sound.
Maya swallowed.
Then crossed the room.
“Support her back.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
“You’re right.”
Maya slowly transferred Hope into Nolan’s arms.
Nothing in his forty-two years had prepared him.
Hope weighed almost nothing.
Yet holding her felt heavier than every responsibility he had ever carried.
She rested against his chest.
Touched his tie.
Then yawned.
Nolan looked down.
His daughter.
For the first time.
He fought to breathe normally.
Maya watched.
Her eyes filled.
Nolan whispered, “Hi.”
Hope touched his chin.
“Scratchy.”
Maya laughed through tears.
“Your first review.”
Nolan smiled.
“Accurate.”
Hope relaxed against him.
Five minutes later she fell asleep.
Nolan did not move.
He would have stayed in that chair until morning.
Eventually Maya whispered, “I should put her down.”
He nodded.
But when she reached for Hope, Nolan’s arms resisted instinctively.
He immediately corrected himself.
Maya noticed.
Neither commented.
After Hope was asleep, Maya returned.
“You love them already.”
It wasn’t a question.
Nolan looked toward the hallway.
“Yes.”
Maya folded her arms tightly.
“That scares me.”
“Why?”
“Because love makes people promise things.”
“I won’t disappear.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“No.”
Her voice sharpened.
“You know how you feel tonight.”
Nolan listened.
“You don’t know how you’ll feel when this becomes inconvenient.”
“It won’t.”
“It will.”
She leaned forward.
“They get sick. They scream. They ruin plans. They don’t care about quarterly earnings. They’ll need you on days when Reed Meridian needs you.”
Nolan nodded.
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
He accepted that.
Maya continued.
“And then there’s Claire.”
His face changed.
Maya saw it.
“What’s happening with her?”
“She gave me the ring back.”
Maya went still.
“Because of me?”
“No.”
“Because of the girls?”
“Because my life changed.”
“That’s because of the girls.”
Nolan rubbed his forehead.
“Claire made her own decision.”
Maya looked upset.
“I don’t want to destroy your engagement.”
“You didn’t.”
“From where I’m sitting—”
“Wade did more damage than you.”
Maya’s eyes hardened.
“And you.”
“Yes.”
Nolan held her gaze.
“And me.”
That quieted her.
Then Maya asked, “Did you love her?”
“Yes.”
The answer seemed to surprise Maya.
“Then fight for her.”
Nolan stared.
“You’re telling me to fix my engagement?”
“I’m telling you not to blow up another relationship because your emotions changed quickly.”
“That’s not what’s happening.”
“Are you sure?”
Nolan didn’t answer.
Maya looked away.
The truth neither wanted to say sat between them.
Their history still existed.
Even under anger.
Even under betrayal.
Even after two years.
Nolan stood to leave.
At the door, Maya said, “Thank you for coming.”
He smiled.
“Thank you for letting me.”
He reached for the handle.
Then Maya added, “Holly asked something earlier.”
He turned.
“What?”
“She asked if you’re coming back.”
Nolan’s throat tightened.
“What did you tell her?”
“That I didn’t know.”
“What should I tell her?”
Maya looked at him for a long time.
Then said:
“Come back Saturday.”
He smiled.
“I will.”
The next morning, Wade Dalton walked into Nolan’s office without an appointment.
He closed the door.
“We need to talk.”
Nolan remained behind his desk.
“Do we?”
Wade placed a folder down.
“You’re investigating me.”
Nolan’s expression did not move.
“Should I be?”
Wade laughed.
“You were always terrible at pretending not to know something.”
“And you were always too confident.”
Wade’s eyes hardened.
“You’re risking the company over a woman who disappeared for two years.”
Nolan stood.
“She did not disappear.”
“Nolan—”
“You intercepted her mail.”
Wade said nothing.
“You hired an investigator to photograph her brother.”
Silence.
“You diverted company money.”
Wade’s face changed.
There.
Finally.
Fear.
“I don’t know what Marcus has told you—”
“Enough.”
Wade leaned forward.
“Be careful.”
Nolan almost smiled.
“Is that advice or a threat?”
“Advice.”
“Good.”
Nolan walked around the desk.
“Here’s mine.”
He stopped inches from Wade.
“Do not contact Maya again.”
Wade stared back.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Explain it.”
“I protected you.”
“From my daughters?”
“From weakness.”
Nolan’s face went cold.
Wade continued.
“You built an empire because you never let emotion dictate decisions.”
“I built this company despite listening to you.”
Wade laughed.
“You think those children make you stronger?”
“They make me human.”
“That’s exactly the problem.”
Nolan stared at him.
Then Wade said the sentence that revealed more than he intended.
“If you acknowledge them publicly, everything changes.”
Nolan went still.
“Everything?”
Wade realized the mistake.
But it was too late.
Nolan smiled without warmth.
“You’re afraid of the trust.”
Wade’s face emptied.
Nolan knew.
Wade knew Nolan knew.
The game changed.
Nolan pressed a button beneath his desk.
Two security officers entered.
Wade looked toward them.
“What is this?”
“Administrative leave.”
“You can’t—”
“I can.”
“On what grounds?”
“Pending audit.”
Wade’s jaw tightened.
As security escorted him out, he turned.
“You’re making a mistake.”
Nolan looked at the man who had manipulated the worst decision of his life.
“No.”
He said quietly.
“I made my mistake two years ago.”
The elevator doors closed.
May you like
And for the first time, Wade Dalton understood that Nolan Reed was no longer protecting him.
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