Chapter 16 - MARGARET GAVE AWAY THE COMPANY RICHARD DESTROYED PEOPLE TO OWNThe bankruptcy petition collapsed.
Lily's guarantees were ruled likely fraudulent.
Northstar's claims were suspended.
Claire's Hawthorne agreement was authenticated.
Vale lost the emergency vote.
Whitmore Holdings survived.
Everyone expected Margaret to celebrate.
Instead, she called a board meeting.
Claire sat beside her.
Daniel and Lily were present.
So was Nathan.
Margaret placed one resolution on the table.
Whitmore Holdings would cease to exist under that name.
The room erupted.
She continued.
The company would become Hawthorne Mercer Group.
Claire would receive the ownership stolen from her family.
A substantial employee trust would be created from shares surrendered by Margaret, Daniel and Lily.
An independent compensation fund would repay former employees and other people harmed by Richard's schemes.
No Whitmore would hold unilateral control again.
One director stared at Daniel.
"You're giving away billions."
Daniel looked at Lily.
She smiled.
Then he answered.
"We're giving away the part that was never ours."
The resolution passed.
Seven to four.
Thomas Vale's seat remained empty.
He had been arrested that morning on conspiracy, obstruction and financial fraud charges.
Judge Keene had begun negotiating with prosecutors.
Northstar's board publicly suspended everyone involved.
Nathan resigned.
Daniel found him outside after the meeting.
"What will you do?"
Nathan shrugged.
"For the first time? I don't know."
"You could stay."
Nathan looked surprised.
Daniel continued.
"Not as Richard's secret son. Not as Vale's man."
"Then what?"
"My brother."
Nathan looked away.
It was the first time Daniel had seen him lose composure.
"I spent years hating you."
Daniel nodded.
"I spent years not knowing you existed."
"Somehow that's worse."
"Probably."
Nathan laughed.
Then Daniel held out his hand.
Nathan stared at it.
Finally, he ignored the hand and hugged him instead.
It was awkward.
Brief.
Real.
From across the hallway, Margaret watched.
She did not interrupt.
That evening Daniel found Emma standing outside the building.
Workers were removing the giant WHITMORE HOLDINGS letters.
The W came down first.
Emma looked upward.
"How does it feel?"
Daniel considered the question.
"Quieter than I expected."
"You okay with losing the name?"
Daniel watched another letter descend.
"I didn't lose it."
He looked at her.
"I stopped needing it."
Emma smiled.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Daniel asked:
"Would you have dinner with me?"
"We've had dinner."
"No."
He shook his head.
"I mean dinner where I spend the whole time wondering whether I should hold your hand."
Emma's smile widened.
"That sounds terribly inefficient."
"I've changed."
"Apparently."
She reached for his hand first.
May you like
Above them, another gold letter came loose.
Neither of them looked up.
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