Chapter 71
Richard's POV
I slammed the phone down on the table, my temples throbbing with rage and confusion.
I ran my hands through my hair, trying to think clearly. Grace was angry about Laura, yes. But she didn't know the truth about our legal status. If she did, she would have said something different, threatened me differently.
She's bluffing. She had to be.
Grace was broke. She had no family, no support system, no money of her own. She couldn't afford to leave the Harrison family, no matter how angry she was.
This was just her way of getting back at us for the Laura situation. She wanted us to grovel, to offer her more money, more power in the company. It was a negotiation tactic.
Smart, but not smart enough.
I watched Grandmother lean back in her chair, processing what had just happened.
Grace's bold behavior was... almost impressive.
Mother paced frantically. "I can't believe her nerve! After everything we've done for her!"
I watched Grandmother thinking about Grace's tone, looking for something different.
"You know what, Margaret?" Grandmother said slowly. "I think your assessment of Grace might have been more accurate than I realized."
Mother stopped pacing. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that girl has gotten too big for her britches. She really doesn't know her place anymore."
Her face lit up with vindication. "I told you! She's been getting more and more demanding. First the office space, then the company shares, now this tantrum about Laura."
"Let her stew in her own juice," Grandmother decided. "When she realizes she has nowhere else to go, she'll come crawling back."
Still, there were practical matters to consider.
"But what about the company projects?" Grandmother asked me. "Grace has been handling several major investments."
I rubbed my forehead. "Dad's been working on new investors. We'll manage."
"Will we?" I could see Grandmother thinking about the contracts Grace had secured, the clients who specifically requested to work with her. "If she's really gone, we could lose tens of millions of dollars."
Mother waved dismissively. "We managed fine before Grace came along. We'll manage fine without her."
But I could tell Grandmother wasn't so sure. Grace had brought in more business in two years than we had in ten.
I was thinking the same thing: Where did she get that kind of skill? That kind of confidence?
The sound of heavy footsteps in the foyer interrupted my thoughts. Dad Holden strode into the breakfast room, his expensive suit wrinkled from travel, his face flushed with excitement.
"What's all the commotion about?" he asked, loosening his tie.
"Darling, welcome back," Mother first greeted Father warmly, then switched back to her previous expression. "It's Grace. She's having another one of her tantrums."
I watched Dad's expression darken. "That girl has been nothing but trouble since day one. Walking around the office like she owns the place, making demands, acting like Harrison Group revolves around her."
He poured himself coffee and sat down heavily. "Well, she's about to learn a hard lesson about her actual value to this company."
"What do you mean?" Grandmother asked.
I watched Dad's face break into a triumphant grin. "I mean, Mother, that you don't need to worry about the company anymore. I've found us a very powerful investor."
Grandmother immediately perked up. "Really? Who?"
"Let's just say that losing one Grace will be the least of our concerns. With this new partnership, we won't just survive—we'll dominate."
I watched Grandmother lean forward, intrigued. "How powerful are we talking?"
"Powerful enough that Harrison Group's IPO will be guaranteed. Powerful enough that we'll have more capital than we know what to do with." Dad's eyes gleamed.
He turned to me, as I had been listening silently. "Tell me, Richard. In all of Starport, which family truly rules the business world? Which name makes other families tremble?"
I watched Dad's face light up with triumph as he loosened his tie, settling into his chair with the satisfaction of a man who'd just closed the deal of a lifetime.
"Wilson Holdings," I said without hesitation.
Dad's grin widened. "Exactly. And guess who just agreed to invest fifty million dollars in Harrison Group?"
The breakfast room fell silent. Even Mother stopped her pacing.
"Wilson Holdings?" Grandmother's voice cracked with disbelief. "The Wilson Holdings? But how—"
"Let me tell you about real power," Dad interrupted, pouring himself another cup of coffee. "Wilson Holdings controls over four hundred billion dollars in assets. They own half the commercial real estate in Starport's financial district. When they speak, the stock market listens."
Mother practically vibrated with excitement. "Holden, are you serious?"
"Dead serious. And this is just the beginning. Once we establish this partnership, we're looking at unlimited capital backing. Harrison Group won't just go public—we'll dominate every sector we enter."
I felt a surge of vindication. Grace thinks she's irreplaceable? Let her see what happens when real money talks.
"But how did you manage to get their attention?" Grandmother asked, leaning forward with keen interest.
Dad's eyes gleamed. "I went out to meet quite a few investors this time, and I happened to be introduced to Wilson Holdings. They looked at our company's core projects and, without even meeting face-to-face, directly proposed an investment. They even sent over the contracts."
My mind flashed back to that day at the airport a month ago. The black sedan with tinted windows, the Wilson heir who wouldn't show her face but seemed interested enough to take my business card.
Could it be her who invested in Harrison Group?
"I think she was impressed by our projects," Dad continued. "Within forty-eight hours, I received a call from Wilson Holdings' investment division. They wanted to review our business plan immediately."
Mother clasped her hands together. "This is incredible! That ungrateful woman thinks she can hold us hostage with her tantrums? Now we have the Wilson family backing us!"
"Exactly," Grandmother agreed, her tone shifting from earlier concern to satisfaction. "Let her stew in her own arrogance. When she realizes we don't need her anymore, she'll come crawling back."
I couldn't help but smile. Grace had been acting like she held all the cards, demanding fifty percent of the company, playing hard to get. But now? Now we had backing from the most powerful family in Starport.