Page 59 of Seduced By Contract

"What are you going to do about the employees?" Odin asks me.

"Redistribute them among my companies and my brothers' companies. I won't leave over a hundred and fifty thousand people unemployed."

"It's a high number," Christos says. "But we can also relocate them to some of our businesses. And for those who are of retirement age, offer some sort of incentive."

"Why did you do this?" I ask him.

"I wouldn't let you ruin your life over a promise."

"The penalty for breaking the contract with old Gordon will be high," Ares says.

"No. For him to enforce our agreement, he would have to hold the majority of the shares," I explain. "If Christos and Odin can secure that last one percent, he's finished. Even if he negotiates with all the other shareholders, which is highly unlikely, he'll never get more than forty-nine percent."

"It's going to be a blow to the old man," Dionysus says, but I'm not paying attention to that—I'm focused on Odin's expression.

"What are you not telling me?" I ask my cousin.

"I don't work with hypotheses, Zeus, only certainties. I'm investigating the old man, and there might be a different version of the facts you believed were true."

He doesn't explain any further, but I know that when he finds what he's looking for, he'll tell me.

An hour and a half later, I'm on my way to the hospital again. When I called Madison and told her I'd pick her up, she didn't protest, and I'm trying to guess whether it's because she's already gotten used to my presence or because she wants to see me.

The whole time I’m driving, my mind is racing; I’m thinking about how that family meeting has changed everything.

I will fulfill the promise I made to my grandfather to erase the Gordon name from the world of bankers, without needing to negotiate with the father of the man who ruined my mother’s life.

""Hypocrite,"my conscience tells me."The promise you made to your grandfather has been the least of your concerns recently. All you’ve cared about is how the consequences of it will affect your present."

Before my mind starts to wander down the road of guilt, I park at the hospital and head to the woman who's turning my certainties upside down.

Madison

CHAPTER THIRTY

Zeus just sentme a message saying he's parked, and I'm feeling really anxious because there's been an unexpected turn of events.

When he called me earlier to say he'd come to meet me, I thought I'd be free, but then Eleanor needed to visit a sick aunt and has left the twins with me. She called while I was still in the room with Brooklyn, and I got so flustered knowing the kids would be my responsibility that I forgot to let Zeus know. I'm sitting outside the hospital with the two strollers, their little feet swinging carefreely, and I'm feeling anxious as hell.

In the distance, I see him approaching surrounded by bodyguards, and even before he reaches me, his forehead furrows.

"There's been an unexpected turn of events," I say, very nervous.

He doesn't respond, but right there in front of everyone, he grabs the back of my neck and gives me a kiss on the lips.

"Hi, Madison. Good afternoon." He’s mimicking what I did to him the other day when, without greeting me, he complained about my lateness.

"Hi," I reply, breathless. "I won't be able to be with you today. My mother left the babies with me because her aunt got sick. I even have to call your brother and let him know I won't be at work."

He's looking at me, and I have no idea what's going on in his head, but I don't have time to guess, because Silas and Soraya start screaming at the same time, vying for attention. And if there's one thing to be said about my niece and nephew, they have been blessed with strong lungs.

"Hey, this behavior is unacceptable, little ones," I say, crouching down, but I can't hide my smile. "First impressions count a lot, and you're putting on a terrible show in front of Mr. Kostanidis."

As if they understand what I'm saying, they look up and stare at the intimidating Greek.

I hold my breath, tense about Zeus's reaction. What's happening right now has nothing to do with our relationship.

To my surprise, he extends his hand in greeting to my nephew. "You must be Silas."

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