Chapter 37

Louis's Pov.

The silence in my office felt thick enough to cut with a knife. Cletus, who was my late father's CFO and now mine, sat across from me, his usually cheerful face etched with worry lines. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows that seemed to mock my sense of control.

"So," I began, my voice strained, "how are things looking for Colton Enterprises today?"

Cletus sighed, running a hand through his thinning hair. "Not good, Louis. Our stocks took a nosedive after that press conference yesterday. We're hemorrhaging investor confidence faster than we can plug the leaks."

A dull ache settled in my stomach. "Is there a way out of this mess?"

He paused, his gaze unwavering. "There is a path forward, but it won't be easy and certainly not quick."

"I understand," I said. "Tell me what we need to do."

Cletus leaned forward, his southern drawl thickening with suspicion. "Before we get to that, Louis, I need some straight answers. Did you have any inkling of this scandal before it broke?"

My heart hammered against my ribs. Cletus was fiercely loyal to my father, and the thought of betraying that trust sent a sliver of guilt spiraling through me. But revealing my knowledge would open a whole new can of worms.

"No," I lied, meeting his gaze head-on. "It took me by surprise, just like everyone else."

"Bullshit," he spat.

I blinked, caught off guard by his outburst. "What?"

He slammed his fist on the desk, the sudden movement sending a jolt through me. "Don't play dumb with me, Louis. You hired a PR firm two days before that press conference. You don't just hire damage control specialists on a whim. You knew something big was coming."

Curses. My web of lies was slowly unraveling. "Alright, alright," I conceded, the lie burning sour in my mouth. "Yes, I knew about the scandal generally, but I didn't know about the press conference."

Cletus slumped back in his chair, his face a mask of disappointment. "You could have come to me, Louis. Maybe, just maybe, we could have found a way to contain the situation. Those women, they could have been… persuaded to keep things quiet."

His words hung heavy in the air, a chilling reminder of the lengths to which Cletus had been willing to go in the past to protect the company's image.

"You sound like you've done this before," I said cautiously.

A flicker of something akin to defiance crossed his features. "I have worked for twenty years in the finance world, son. You learn a few tricks."

"Hindsight is 20/20," I said, pushing the ethical implications of his actions aside for the moment. "What matters now is how we move forward."

Cletus steepled his fingers, his eyes boring into mine. "We have two options, Louis. First, we suspend Rupert DuPont from the board. It'll be a PR move, a way to distance ourselves from his actions."

I nodded, the idea having some merit. "And the second option?"

He paused for a dramatic beat, then leaned forward again. "We get him off the board permanently. Scrub his name from the company's history."

An unexpected sense of determination surged through me. "That's what we'll do," I declared, the words leaving my lips with a newfound conviction.

Cletus's brow furrowed. "That won't be easy, Louis. It requires a board vote, and Rupert still has his loyalists. We might not have the votes to pull it off."

A slow smile spread across my face. "Let's do it anyway, let's hold a board meeting tomorrow morning. I have a feeling this move will have more supporters than you think."

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Donna's Pov.

The exhaustion from the double shift hung heavy on my shoulders as Lorena and we were about to escape into the cool night. We got lost in a tired conversation about the particularly demanding customer at table four when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks, as it called out my name.

"Donna! Well, well, well," it drawled, laced with a familiar playfulness. "Isn't this a surprise? Planning to leave without saying hello to your favorite brother?"

I whipped my head around, spotting Jake lounging on a plush lobby chair, his long legs stretched out leisurely. Gone were his usual shoulder-length curls, replaced by a sharp, skin-tight cut that emphasized his jawline.

He was dressed in an unusual casual attire – a checked shirt and faded jeans, a stark contrast to the Jake I knew – the one who practically lived in khaki pants and button-down shirts.

"Jake!" I exclaimed, a mix of surprise and relief washing over me. "I'm so sorry, I'm beat from work. Completely forgot you were here."

Lorena chimed in. "Jake, it's good to see you again. And that haircut definitely suits you. Though," she added with a playful jab, "I was planning on leaving without saying hello to you."

Jake flashed a charming smile that could melt glaciers. "Lorena, always a delight. You know," he continued, leaning forward, "you seem to get more beautiful every time I see you. And here I thought that wasn't possible.”

Lorena blushed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Thank you, Jake, but your sweet words won't work on me this time. I've…outgrown you."

There it was. That familiar push and pull between them. Back in Napa, they'd had a brief, whirlwind fling that ultimately fizzled out. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Just as Jake leaned closer, a new voice cut through the air. Delphine, looking effortlessly cool in an oversized long-sleeved shirt and skinny jeans, materialized beside us, tapping Lorena's shoulder.

"Hey, I've been waiting outside in the car for what felt like forever," Delphine said, a hint of impatience in her voice. "What's the hold-up?"

Lorena was visibly startled. "Oh, Delphine, hey! I just ran into an old friend and got sidetracked." Her eyes flickered to Jake, then back to Delphine. "We can go now."

Delphine's gaze landed on Jake, taking him in with a raised eyebrow. "Wait, is he the old friend?"

Before Lorena could answer, Jake stepped forward, a hand outstretched. "Yes, I am the old friend in question, and also Donna's brother from Napa Valley. Jake Pearson, at your service."

Surprise flickered across Delphine's face before schooling itself into a polite smile. "Donna, I never knew you had a brother. Well, welcome to Los Angeles, Jake. My name is Delphine Colton. Hope you have a pleasant stay. I'd stick around and chat some more, but, uh, Lorena and I have plans."

She shot Lorena a pointed look before placing a hand on her shoulder, a gesture that felt oddly possessive. Before either of us could protest, they were walking away, leaving me blinking in their wake.

My gaze followed them, a knot of unease twisting in my stomach. Then, I turned to Jake, who was mirroring my confused expression. "So," he began, scratching the back of his head, "are those two… dating or what?"