Chapter 10: On Her Knees

Desmond was the first to move.

He wiped his face with one hand and put his smile back on.

"Caleb," he said warmly.

"What a surprise. We should talk like adults, in private."

"We can talk here," Caleb said.

"The offer. Four billion for thirty percent of the logistics division."

"Let's not rush."

"I'm not rushing." Caleb walked past him into the boardroom.

The staff drifted to the glass wall to watch.

He stopped beside the empty chair at the head of the table.

He did not sit in it yet.

He laid one hand on the brass plate that read The Owner.

"Ms. Tiernan," he said.

"Mr. Merrick."

"I vote no on the Brannigan offer. The division is worth forty billion, and I will not sell thirty percent of it for four."

"Noted," Nina said.

Her pencil slid out of her hair, and she let it fall.

"Bernard, record it."

"Recorded, Mr. Merrick."

"Caleb," Desmond said.

"Think about this. There are people in this room who wouldn't want the press to learn what you did to get here."

Caleb looked at him.

"What did I do?"

Desmond held his eyes for a long second.

"Nothing," he said.

"Yet."

"Then it's a no," Caleb said.

"Bernard, will you see our guests out?"

Bernard opened the door.

Desmond turned to Chantal.

She was standing beside her empty chair with both arms wrapped around her body.

"Come," Desmond said.

"We're leaving."

"Caleb."

She did not move.

"Please. Fourteen thousand people work for me. Give me ten minutes."

Keep reading free with an account. Start My Ex-Convict Beggar Husband Is Now a Trillionaire from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.