Chapter Ten

Richard

Karen set down her drink, amusement flickering in her eyes. "I couldn't stay in that house any longer. It was just too sad, not that it is any of your business."

Looking at her, I said, "it becomes my business when you call me this late in the night."

She chuckled. "Why so serious, Richard? Is there somewhere else you'd rather be?"

"My apartment," I stated bluntly. "Now, if you have something to say, get on with it."

Her smile morphed into a businesslike expression. "Alright, since you asked so nicely. I have a… situation on my hands. My father's company recently bought a bunch of apartment buildings.We want to renovate, but the tenants are being… difficult."

"Difficult as in not wanting to get kicked out of their homes?"

"Precisely," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "I need you to 'persuade' them to leave."

"You mean harass them until they flee?" My voice hardened.

"Just do whatever works, Richard," she said, her smile widening. "As long as they're gone by next week, I don't care how you do it. The end justifies the means, wouldn't you agree?"

My gut clenched; I knew from the moment I arrived that her request would be unpleasant. But I'm all about the money, so it doesn't matter to me. "You want me to evict them? By force? This is going to cost you a lot of money, Karen. I mean double what you paid last time."

"Money isn't a problem," she scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Get the job done, and your pockets will be well-lined."

"Send me the details, I will take care of it. If that's all," I said, my voice flat, "I'll be leaving now."

Disappointment clouded her eyes. "Leaving so soon? No time for a drink? Maybe a rematch of our horizontal tango on this new couch?"

The memory sent a jolt of unwanted heat through me, quickly extinguished by a wave of irritation. "That was a one-time thing, Karen. And it's never happening again."

She sighed, a hint of vulnerability peeking through her facade. "Wow! It seems that the redhead has you firmly wrapped around her finger."

"Goodbye, Karen." I slammed the door shut behind me, ignoring her jab, the heavy thud echoing through the opulent space.

**************

Liam

The clinking of silverware against china echoed in the vast dining room that Monday morning, a stark contrast to the hollowness I felt inside. Breakfast, a quiet affair, did little to lighten the mood. My mother barely touched her food, picking at a piece of toast with a vacant expression. Grief still hung heavy in the air, clinging to her like a shroud. I yearned for the day her smile would return, even a flicker of it. I longed for the day she'd find a sliver of solace, but even the closure of the burial seemed a distant hope.

As I prepared to leave for my meeting with Elliott Mason, Anna slid the release form across the table.Mom's signature already had a stark blue stain on the white page.

My signature was the last hurdle, the key to her freedom.

The weight of Anna's blackmail settled on my shoulders like a leaden cloak. The threat of Karen finding out about Vanessa, the fragile balance of the company buyout, all hung precariously on this moment. With a sigh that seemed to scrape the bottom of my soul, I picked up the pen.

The scratch of ink felt like a betrayal. "Anna," I began, my voice heavy, "I want you to understand, if you so much as sniff at a single pill, a single drop…"

She met my gaze, a flicker of genuine remorse flashing in her eyes. "I understand, Liam," she interjected, her voice surprisingly steady. "The moment I take a single step back, you'll drag me back to that place yourself. No more chances."

A sliver of hope pierced the cynicism that had taken root in me. "I truly hope you stay clean, Anna. This isn't just about me, it's about Mom too. We can't bear to lose you again."

Her jaw tightened, then relaxed. "I promise," she said, her voice firm. "You both won't have to worry. I joined an AA group while I was in rehab. I'm very committed to my sobriety."

My mother, a fragile smile gracing her lips, reached out and took Anna's hand. Witnessing the connection, the love that still flickered between them, I yearned for a similar bond with my own sister. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for Anna. A chance I had to give her. What other choice did I have?

As I walked out of the dining room, a snippet of their conversation drifted to my ears. "Where's my piano?" Anna asked, a hint of bewilderment in her voice.

My mother's reply, laced with a touch of sadness, followed. "You sold it for meth, honey, don't you remember?"

I shook my head, a grim reminder of the past clinging to the present. Stepping out into the cool morning air, I got into my car and headed to the yacht club where my father in-law and I would be meeting that morning.

*************

The salty spray kissed my face as I stepped onto Elliott Mason's yacht, a floating palace that reeked of old money and entitlement. A steward, young and starched, ushered me past sunbathers and clinking champagne flutes before depositing me at the feet of the man himself.

Elliott Mason sat sprawled in a plush deck chair, sipping wine with two barely-legal blondes clinging to his arms. They left at a dismissive gesture, their laughter echoing hollowly across the water.

He gestured to a seat opposite him, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "Like father, like son," he rasped, his voice rough as sandpaper. "You Carsons and your punctuality, I just love it. Now, to what pressing matter do I owe the pleasure?"

I swallowed, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "Mr. Mason," I began, my voice steady despite the knot of tension in my stomach. "Considering the…divergence of opinions regarding the company's future that we expressed at the last board meeting, I believe it's time…"

"To buy me out?" he finished, his smile widening.

He'd seen right through me, as if my intentions were displayed on a billboard. "Yes," I admitted, feeling a bead of sweat form on my brow. "I believe it's the best course of action for the company's future."