Chapter 13 - The Brother at the Boardroom Table
Adrian Mercer arrived the next morning.
He walked into Mercer House wearing a navy suit and the expression of a concerned older brother.
“I came as soon as I heard.”
Logan watched him carefully.
Adrian hugged him.
Then noticed Marina.
His arms dropped.
For half a second, Adrian looked as terrified as Vanessa had.
Marina saw it.
“So you recognize me too.”
Adrian forced a smile.
“You look remarkably like Elena.”
“No.”
Marina stepped closer.
“You recognize me.”
Adrian glanced toward Logan.
“She’s obviously confused.”
Logan almost laughed.
Everyone called her confused when she remembered something inconvenient.
“Come with me.”
Logan led Adrian into the boardroom.
Nathan and Rachel were already waiting.
Adrian stopped.
“What is this?”
Rachel placed Harrison’s statement on the table.
Adrian read the first page.
Then the second.
His expression barely changed.
“This is absurd.”
“Harrison says a Mercer ordered him to transfer Elena.”
“He’s trying to save himself.”
Logan leaned forward.
“Was it you?”
“No.”
“Did you know Vanessa was manipulating Elena?”
“No.”
“Did you know Harrison altered the accident report?”
“No.”
“Did you know Elena was alive?”
Adrian paused.
Too long.
Logan saw it.
“Say no.”
Adrian stared at him.
“Logan.”
“Say you didn’t know.”
Adrian looked toward the windows.
That was the answer.
Logan shoved back from the table.
“You knew.”
“I knew she might have survived.”
Marina inhaled sharply.
Logan’s face twisted.
“For how long?”
Adrian said nothing.
“For how long?”
“Almost a year.”
Logan lunged toward him.
Nathan stepped between them.
Adrian backed away.
“I didn’t hurt her.”
“You let me mourn her.”
“I was protecting the company.”
Logan stared at him.
“From what?”
Adrian’s voice rose.
“From you.”
The room fell silent.
“You were falling apart.”
“You missed meetings.”
“You canceled acquisitions.”
“You spent millions searching lakes, hospitals, shelters, private clinics.”
“She was my wife.”
“And Mercer Holdings employs twelve thousand people.”
Adrian slammed his palm on the table.
“I had a responsibility.”
Marina stared at him with disgust.
“So you erased me to improve quarterly performance?”
Adrian looked away.
“I was told you had permanent brain damage.”
“By who?”
“Vanessa.”
Marina laughed bitterly.
“And you believed her?”
Adrian’s face tightened.
“I believed what was convenient.”
That answer was worse.
Logan removed his phone.
“What are you doing?”
Adrian asked.
“Calling an emergency board meeting.”
“You can’t remove me.”
“I own the controlling shares.”
“Not anymore.”
Logan froze.
Adrian slowly smiled.
“While you were grieving, you signed temporary voting authority to me.”
“Temporary.”
“Read the amendment.”
Nathan grabbed the corporate file.
His face changed.
“Logan.”
“What?”
“The authority automatically became permanent if Elena was legally declared deceased.”
Logan stared at Adrian.
The entire tragedy suddenly had another motive.
May you like
Elena’s death had not only benefited Vanessa.
It had given Adrian control of Mercer Holdings.
