«We’ve been thinking a lot about Emma’s well-being,» Victoria added, dabbing her lips with a napkin. «She gave up so much when she married you. Her lifestyle, her opportunities, her position in society.»
I felt Emma stiffen beside me.
«Mom, we’ve talked about this.»
«Let us finish, sweetheart,» Richard said, raising a hand. «We’re not here to criticize anyone. We’re here to solve a problem.»
He opened the leather folder, revealing a stack of papers, and on top, a check. Even from across the table, I could see it was substantial.
«Nathan, I’m going to be direct because I respect directness in business,» Richard said. «You seem like a decent enough young man. But let’s be honest about what happened here. You married above your station. That’s not an insult, it’s just a fact.»
He continued, barely pausing for breath.
«Emma could have had anyone. She chose you, and we’ve tried to accept that decision. But,» Victoria continued, «we can’t stand by and watch our daughter struggle financially because of pride. So we’ve come up with a solution that benefits everyone.»
Richard slid the folder across the table. Inside was an annulment agreement, and clipped to the front was a check for $500,000.
«This is more money than you’d see in 10 years at your current job,» Richard said. His voice carried the confidence of a man who’d never been told no by anyone he considered beneath him. «Sign the annulment papers, take the money, and move on with your life. You’ll be set up better than you were before you met Emma, and Emma can move on to a life more appropriate to her background.»
The silence that followed was absolute. Emma looked like she’d been slapped. Victoria was studying her manicure, probably thinking this was already settled. Richard was smiling slightly, the smile of a man who’d just solved a problem with the elegant application of money.
I looked at the check. $500,000. To Richard Hastings, this was probably a rounding error. To the person he thought I was, it represented a lifetime of opportunity.
And that was the beautiful irony of this moment. The man offering me half a million dollars to leave his daughter was only able to make that offer because of the billions I’d pumped into his failing company over the past eight years.
«That’s a very generous offer,» I said finally, keeping my voice neutral.
Richard’s smile widened. «I thought you’d see reason.»
«Just so I understand correctly,» I continued, pulling the check from the folder and holding it up to the light. «You want me to sign away my marriage to Emma for $500,000?»
«It’s an annulment,» Victoria corrected. «Much cleaner than a divorce. No fault, no ugliness. Just a mutual recognition that the marriage was a mistake from the start.»
Emma stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the hardwood floor.
«This is insane. You can’t just buy people!»
«Sweetheart, sit down,» Richard said. «The adults are talking.»
«I’m 28 years old, Dad. I’m an adult. And my husband is sitting right here being offered money to leave me. How dare you?»
But Richard wasn’t even looking at her. He was looking at me, confident that he’d already won.
«Nathan understands how the world works, don’t you, Nathan? Sometimes money is just the most honest way to solve a problem.»
I set the check down carefully, smoothing it flat against the tablecloth. Then I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone.
«Before I respond,» I said, «I need to make a quick call. Would you excuse me for just one moment?»
«Nathan, what are you doing?» Emma asked, confused.
«Making sure everyone at this table understands the full picture,» I replied.
I dialed my attorney, Marcus Pennington, who I knew would be available despite the hour. Marcus had been managing my interests for eight years, and he knew exactly what to do when I called during family functions.
«Marcus, it’s Nathan. I’m at dinner with the Hastings family and something interesting has come up. Could you pull the current ownership structure for Hastings Development Corporation?»
«Yes, right now. I’ll wait.»
Richard frowned. «What does your attorney have to do with anything?»
«Everything,» I said simply.
Then Marcus was back on the line, and I switched the phone to speaker.
«Marcus, could you please explain to everyone present the current ownership structure of Hastings Development Corporation?»
Marcus’s voice filled the dining room, professional and precise.
«Certainly. Hastings Development Corporation has 100 million shares outstanding. The largest shareholder is N.C. Holdings, which owns 47 million shares, representing 47% of the company. The next largest shareholder is Richard Hastings personally, with 18 million shares, or 18%. The remaining 35% is distributed among various institutional and individual investors.»
Richard was staring at the phone like it was speaking a foreign language.
«What is this? What does any of this have to do with—»
«Marcus,» I interrupted. «Could you please explain who owns N.C. Holdings?»
«N.C. Holdings is wholly owned by Nathan Cross. It was established eight years ago, using an inheritance, and has been the primary investment vehicle for Mr. Cross’s portfolio. The current value of the Hastings Development Corporation position is approximately $10.8 billion at today’s closing price.»
The silence that followed was different from before. This wasn’t the silence of shock or awkwardness. This was the silence of a world being rebuilt from scratch.
Emma’s mouth had fallen open. Victoria had gone completely white. Richard looked like he’d been hit by a truck.
«I don’t understand,» Richard said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
I picked up the check and held it out to him.
«This is $500,000. You’re offering me half a million dollars to walk away from Emma.»
I let that hang in the air for a moment.
«Richard, I own 47% of your company. At current valuations, my position is worth $10.8 billion. Do you understand what that means?»
«It means,» Marcus’s voice came through the speaker, «that Mr. Cross is the single largest shareholder in Hastings Development Corporation. He has majority voting control when combined with other minority shareholders who defer to his judgment. In practical terms, Nathan Cross could remove Richard Hastings from his position as CEO with a simple majority vote at any board meeting.»
Richard’s face had gone from white to red.
«This is impossible. N.C. Holdings is… I thought it was…»
He was stuttering, his carefully constructed authority crumbling in real time.
«You thought it was an institutional investor,» I finished for him. «Some faceless hedge fund or private equity firm. You never asked questions because the money kept coming when you needed it. Eight years ago, your company was drowning in debt.»
I continued, my voice steady.
«You couldn’t secure financing from traditional sources because everyone knew you’d overextended yourself. So when a mysterious investor started buying up your distressed shares and providing capital for your projects, you didn’t look too closely at where it was coming from.»
I stood up, walking around the table until I was standing directly in front of Richard.
«Every major project you’ve completed in the past eight years was financed with capital I provided. The River North Tower? My money. The Lakeshore Development? My money. The suburban office parks that saved your company during the 2015 downturn? All. My. Money.»
Victoria found her voice finally.
«But you’re a data analyst. You live in that tiny apartment. You drive that terrible car.»
«I am a data analyst,» I confirmed. «I analyze financial data for clients who need specialized investment advice. That’s not a lie. It’s just not the whole truth. The apartment is modest because Emma and I chose modest. The car runs perfectly well. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone through displays of wealth.»