Page 16 of You're To Blame 2

CHAPTER SIX

TATE

Strolling around the huge, cherry wood table in the massive conference room, I shook several hands before taking a seat at the head of the table. I flipped through balance sheets and documents to solidify acquisitions of smaller corporations. I scanned our stock portfolio. My eyes bulged at the two companies I was familiar with, Stutton Oil Industry and Brauner Trading. The legal documents mentioned Mason’s heirs with Marisa and Chelsea. Why would their names be mentioned with my dead brother’s? What the fuck was going on? It appeared to be some sort of deal he worked out with Chelsea’s grandfather and Marisa’s father once the children were born. I needed to ask grandfather myself. Were they to have Mason’s children if he would have lived? If so, how the fuck could they use their great grandchildren and grandchildren for their own personal gain.

I remember Rocco mentioned Marisa was in London often. Her presence here didn’t add up.

THAT EVENING, I PONDEREDon all the information I evaluated. Grandfather wasn’t home. He traveled to Covington for an overnight business trip. This better not had been some sort of stall tactic.

Chelsea and I spoke again. I promised I’d be home in time for the game Friday night.

Tuesday morning, I scanned more financial documents. I asked each board member to weigh in about the longevity of the company.

“We are spending tons of money to acquire small companies. I’ll talk to my father and see if we can hold off on any of the future acquisitions. We are bleeding money.”

I didn’t need a business degree to run our corporation. Dad had taken me into the office several times over the last two years. I was also enrolled in advanced accounting and other pre college courses. Haven Saints High prepared us to run our families billion-dollar companies. Grandfather was on the school board. As long as I performed well in my studies, he never complained about football—until now.

I flipped through more documents.

“Sorry I’m late.”

The door slammed shut.

The tiny hairs stood on the back of my neck. Palming my hands on the table, my chest heaved. What was this some sort of sick joke? I peered across the room. A flush of heat shot through my body.

“It can’t be.” I staggered to my feet. My eyes narrowed.

“Give us the room, please,” he ordered.

Hands in his pockets, he sauntered toward me.

I blinked a couple of times, then the room was empty. He and I stood, staring at each other in silence. Or should I say, I was silent?

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” He smoothed his hand over his black tie.

“Yeah. First the obvious question. How are you alive?”

He flashed his pearly whites. “We haven’t seen each other in years. I miss you.” He wrapped his arms around me. I barely hugged him back. A million questions ran through my brain.

I pushed him back. “How, Mason?”

“Grandfather spent a lot of money nursing me back to health.” He paced the floor.

My hand flew over my brow. “The team of doctors. Grandfather spoke to me in the hallway outside of your hospital room. He told me everything would be ok. Ithought he just said that to put my mind at ease.” I braced my palms on the table again, desperately trying to wrap my mind around the magnitude of this moment.

“Yes, the doctors were able to keep me alive. Another child died on that same floor. Grandfather paid that family to bury their child in my grave. They were pleased to be free of the funeral expenses. Grandfather persuaded mom and dad to have a closed casket. He said a child shouldn’t be displayed after death. They agreed. Once I regained consciousness, I had to learn how to talk all over again. The moment I felt rejuvenated, I set my plan in motion.”

“Marisa. That explains why she traveled to London often.”

“Yeah, she loved me. I loved Chelsea.” He flashed a sneaky grin.

“Love will make you do the strangest things.”

I walked in circles. “Mason, please tell me after all these years you still aren't holding a torch for Chelsea?”

His eyes darkened, and he banged his fist on the table. “I am not holding a torch. I told you that day we fought Chelsea will never be yours.”

“This is bullshit. You stay away from my woman. I can’t believe you’ve held this sick obsession over a girl who doesn’t want to be with you. Mason, Chelsea is in lovewith me. She is my girlfriend and next summer she’ll become my wife,” I snarled, pointing my finger at him.

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