Page 18 of The Sound of Secrets

Winnie scowled and turned around with a flounce to continue walking. “Well, he’s not that person. Next time, don’t be so rude. I always tell everyone how great you are, and how much I look up to you. Don’t make me look foolish for thinking that way.”

Her words made me emotional. I wanted to be a good example for her but never knew how. It was nice to hear I managed just by being myself all these years. I put the sunglasses back down on my face and dashed forward so I could put her in a light headlock. She struggled against the hold as I messed her hair up. “I’m sorry. I’m not at my best today. And even yesterday at the party I was thrown for a loop when my father showed up. Next time we bump into your friend, I’ll apologize for acting strange. I make a lot of mistakes, but I’m honored you look up to me, because I always looked up to your mom the most.” I sighed and rubbed my cheek against the top of Winnie’s head. “I always wonder what life would be like if she was still here to keep us all in check.”

Winnie struggled free from my strangling hold and reached up to smooth her hair flat. She gave me anotherone of those looks that belied her age and softly reminded me, “My mom was sick like Grandma. It was hard for her to look out for herself, let alone anyone else. It’s best if everyone keeps themselves in check because relying on another person is risky.”

I caught my niece’s hand and squeezed as the bookstore came into sight. “We all have to find someone we can rely on, Winnie. Regardless of how strong and independent we are, we need to have someone who helps us carry the weight of the world. I’ve got Salome and Roan. You’ve got me and Uncle Win, and your dad.”

Winnie stopped in front of the door. She tilted her head to the side and gave me a deeply questioning look. I could practically see the gears turning inside her pretty head. “Who does Uncle Win have? He carries more weight than anyone. Who helps him hold the world up? He’s not actually a god, even though people treat him like one. He’s just a human like the rest of us.”

I reached around her to pull the door open and whispered in her ear, “You’re trying to trick me into saying he has me, aren’t you?” I nudged her inside and nodded at the security guard, who asked if he should wait outside. I figured there wasn’t any perilous danger waiting inside a bookstore. “You’re getting cleverer as you get older, Winnie. That will serve you well in the future.”

She shrugged in acknowledgment. “Uncle Win can’t be the only one okay on his own. He needs someone to rely on, too.”

Guilt seared my frayed nerves. I wasn’t positive she was mature enough to make a dig at the way I abandoned Win in the hospital, but her words felt pointed. Ipulled the hood of my sweatshirt lower on my face and relented. “I’m trying to learn how to be someone he can rely on. It’s a bigger task than I’ve ever taken on because your uncle is larger than life. But hedoeshave me.” In more ways than one.

“For now.” Winnie taunted me mercilessly. “He has you for now.”

I groaned and ordered myself to stop arguing with a teenager while I was miserable and hungover. “Yes. He has me for now, but he has youforever. And you’re already far more reliable than I have ever been. So, stop making him worry about every little thing. He needs you.”

She gave me a final look before disappearing into an aisle filled with brightly colored fantasy novels. “He needs us, Aunt Channing. You and I are all he has.”

He also had billions and billions of dollars. And since he was willing to give up the money and not me, it showed which he valued more.

Win

“I can’t work with her, Win. I’m telling you; I won’t last the month I promised if I have to keep taking orders from that woman.” Alistair slammed his palm down on the desk separating us. He was so agitated that his cheeks were red and his breathing was uneven. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone, and his tie was missing. He looked like he’d gone a few rounds with a heavyweight boxer — and lost. “She’s relentless. She acts like I’m not doing my best to juggle the demands oftwobusinesses.” He thumped my desk a second time and glowered at me. “She suggested I let someone else take over the design firm. I know my company isn’t a conglomerate like Halliday Inc., but it still employs over a thousand people, and it’s something I want my younger sisters to be involved in when they’re older. I can’t just let it fall by the wayside and play the role of the saintly Halliday bastard. I don’t owe you or the family that much.”

I stepped in when one of Alistair’s younger sisters was incredibly ill. His family didn’t have much money,and the girl would’ve died without my contacts and intervention. My half-brother owed me, but I considered us even for the way he stepped up and took care of Winnie and Channing when I was unable to.

“If it’s too much to manage both, you need to let me know. I’ll help you figure out a way to fulfill your obligations to both operations.” I stared at my half-brother steadily.

He’d proven to be remarkable. It was a shame my father didn’t acknowledge him before he died. Alistair was a better heir to the Halliday name than I’d ever been. He thrived in the competitive real estate markets and was measurably more charming and likable than me. While I parroted my father’s actions and blindly went through the motions of being the CEO, Alistair actually embraced the role and took the responsibility seriously. He was already impressive. By the time I walked away from the title, he was going to be a force to be reckoned with — but only if he survived his mentorship.

Alistair grumbled and flopped back in the leather chair dramatically. “No. I don’t need your help. What I need is for you to rein in the woman who acts like she’s the warden and I’m a prisoner on death row. I can’t even take a piss without putting it on our shared schedule. I feel like she’s waiting for me to make a break for it so she can have me executed.”

I chuckled at his analogy. “Bellamy is serious about work. She reluctantly uprooted her life to come back here and teach you. I told you, if you aren’t the right fit for the position at the top of the food chain, someone is going to gobble you up on their way to that peak. I’m going to bedisappointed if you’re throwing in the towel so soon.” I leaned back in my seat and laced my aching fingers together to suppress the constant pain that tingled within them. “There’s nothing wrong with asking for help when you’re spread too thin.”

He gave an incredulous look and questioned, “Since when is it okay for any Halliday to admit they might be overwhelmed? I thought anyone with that name had to be perfect, no exceptions. Aren’t we supposed to do it all?”

My eyebrows arched, and my mouth shifted into a sardonic grin. “That’s how it has always been, but there’s no reason to keep things that way. You and I can break the cycle. I don’t want Winnie to think she ever has to face the world alone. I don’t want her to assume she has to have all the answers just because of her last name. And you…” I trailed off and softened my tone. “I want you to succeed. This company is as much yours as it is mine. I think you will do amazing things here once you find your footing. I didn’t bring Bellamy here to go easy on you. I brought her here to show you how hard it’s going to be to manage a company like Halliday Inc.” I relaxed my clenched hands and flexed my fingers. “When Winnie is old enough, you’re going to have to teach her everything you’ve learned. You’re going to have to be tough on her. She needs to learn to fight for her position at the top, the same way you are now.”

Alistair swore again and rubbed a hand through his short, dark hair. He resembled Archie when he was agitated and disheveled. I didn’t let the familiarity soften my stance. He had to get through a month of intensivetraining at the hands of his competition, or else he wasn’t cut out to take my place.

Whatever he was going to say next was interrupted by a crisp knock on my office door. A tall, elegant woman stepped into the room without waiting for me to give the go-ahead. Bellamy Rose was a stunning and sophisticated corporate executive. She was a blonde, blue-eyed knockout. I had no problem seeing why my mother banished her to parts unknown once she caught sight of her. The blonde woman was around Channing’s age, which put her a decade older than Alistair. I knew she thought he was a spoiled kid and didn’t have the stuff to make a successful CEO. He wasn’t battle tested and hard enough to be cutthroat and cruel when the job required it. Her personality was stern and austere, similar to mine. I knew the two of them would clash, which was the reason she was my top choice for my half-brother’s mentor. If he convinced Bellamy he was the right pick for my replacement, none of the holdouts on the board of directors would have a leg to stand on.

“We have a conference call with Singapore in ten minutes. You haven’t gone over the notes I left for you. Your assistant from the design firm is trying to reach you. Apparently, a hotel chain you’ve been wining and dining wants to move forward with the contract you presented. But you need to have the details ironed out by the end of business today.” She looked at the dainty watch on her wrist and her pale eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t know how long the conference call will run, but it could go past the deadline the hotel gave.” A muscle jumped in Alistair’s cheek. His gaze shifted between me and thepretty blonde. I could tell he was agitated and holding onto his calm by the skin of his clenched teeth. I wanted to jump in and smooth things over, but he had to learn how to delegate and ask for help when he needed it.

My half-brother reached up to re-button his shirt, and he fished a tie out of his suit pocket. After straightening himself up and smoothing his finger-ruffled hair, he calmly told Bellamy, “Send me the notes for the meeting. Highlight any pertinent information.” He shot me an annoyed look and asked, “Can you sit in on the meeting for the first ten minutes while I complete the situation with the hotel?”

I chuckled at how belligerent he sounded but agreed to fill in for him until he was free. I watched him slip out of the office without once looking at the blonde woman. Bellamy glanced at me from the corner of her eye as we walked to the conference room where the video interface was located.

“He’s too young. This place is going to crush everything that makes him special. It’s going to break him down and turn him into every other Halliday who came before him.” Bellamy’s tone was icy, and her aura was as frosty as her outward appearance. “You should cut him loose, not tie him down.”

“No, it won’t. Not with you here. Why do you think I caved to all your ridiculous demands? You’re here to teach him, and you’re here to protect him.”

She scoffed as I opened the door. “Why would I do that? I can already replace you. What makes you think I’m the sort of person who keeps the competition safe for the greater good?”

“If you wanted my job, you would’ve come for it long ago. What you like is a challenge. You enjoy building something great and watching it grow. Alistair is the perfect project for you. Once he figures out what to do, he’s going to be unstoppable, and even Halliday Inc. will pale compared to what he’s capable of.” I couldn’t keep a hint of pride out of my voice.

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