But after much time and promising Leonard that I won't go back there again, he finally agreed to let me go. His stern voice still rings in my ears: "Decide what kind of business you want to run, Evelyn, that's if you are really interested."
It felt like a blow to the chest—his words, his tone, the lack of belief in me. But he's right, isn't he? My father has done nothing but drag me and my mother's legacy down. And yet, I can't stop myself from trying to fix his mess, even when it costs me everything.
When I arrive at the company, Marcus is already waiting in the conference room for me. His tense posture is evident through the glass walls that the reason I'm being summoned is not good, and the moment he sees me, he rises from his seat, offering a weak smile.
"Welcome," he says, extending a hand to me. I shake it briefly, my mind already racing around weary of what he has to say.
"Where's my father?" I ask as I walk in, glancing around the room.
Marcus shifts uncomfortably. "He's not here," he says slowly, avoiding my gaze. "That's actually why I called you. He refuses to listen to anything I say anymore." He pauses, then slides a heavy ledger book across the table toward me. "You need to see this."
I sit down, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on my chest. Opening the ledger, I begin flipping through the pages, each entry sinking me further into despair. My eyes widen as I take in the numbers, the withdrawals, the inexplicable expenses.
My throat tightens. "What is this?" I demand, my voice sharper than I intend. "Why did he take all this money? What could he possibly need it for?"
Marcus fidgets, scratching his bald head as he looks away. "You know how your father gets sometimes…" His voice trails off before he quickly changes the subject. "But that's not even the worst part."
I slam the ledger shut and glare at him. "What do you mean?"
He hesitates, his face grim. "If serious measures aren't taken within a month, the company might face bankruptcy. We could be forced to shut down completely. Even with aggressive intervention, the recovery rate is…below thirty percent."
The words hit me like a freight train. I grip the edge of the table, trying to steady myself. "But I left you in charge, Marcus," I say as my voice tremble. "How could you let this happen?"
Marcus looks stricken, as though he's barely holding it together. "I tried," he says, almost pleading. "I really did. And even when you told me not to bother you unless it was urgent, I thought I could handle it. But it's been spiraling for a year now, and I didn't want to believe it would come to this."
"A year?" I echo, my voice rising. "You should have told me sooner!" Right now, guilt has started forming its foundation in my lungs. What will my mother say? That the one thing she expected me to look after I couldn't? Or that I am incapable of handling my family which of course is my father.
Marcus bows his head, guilt etched across his face. "I'm sorry, Evelyn. Truly. But the damage is done, and now we—you have to decide how to move forward."
I inhale deeply, grinding my lips together as I try to process everything. Maybe Leonard was right. My father will always be my father—a reckless man who can't face his own mistakes. It's just sad that it took all that my mom left behind to actually accept that fact.
"What do we do now?" I ask finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
Marcus sighs heavily. "My recommendation is to take what's left and close down, at least for now. Restructure when you're able to. I've already spoken to the bank—there's still some money left, but it won't last long."
His words feel heavy to my ears but I can't blame him. I blame myself totally for letting my father win. I know Leonard won't help again; he's lost all faith in my father and the company. Right now, I have no choice but to cut my losses.
"Fine," I breathe out after a long pause. "Do what needs to be done. Draft the documents, and I'll sign them."
Marcus nods, visibly relieved. "One second" he says and leaves the room briefly. He returns with a green file, placing it in front of me.
"Here," he says, opening the file to the signature lines. "Just review these and sign. I had Daniel draft them with the auditor just in case you accepted the idea."
I do as he asks, the sound of my pen scratching against paper as it feels like nails in a coffin.
Afterward, I drive to my family home. My mind is racing with how to confront my father, how to make him see the destruction he's caused. Amidst the turmoil, there's this pack of guilt that stays glued to the back of my head.
When I arrive, I find him outside on the patio, grilling barbecue as if he doesn't have a care in the world.
His face lights up when he sees me. "Evelyn!" he exclaims, dropping the metal fork and hurrying over to pull me into a tight hug.
I push him off gently, already feeling the anger bubbling inside me. "I didn't come for a barbecue, Dad," I say coldly. "We need to talk about the company."
"Ah, yes, the company," he says casually, turning back to the grill. "I was just about to reach out to you about that. To tell you not to panic"
I follow him, incredulous at his nonchalance. "Do you even understand how serious this is?" I snap. "We're on the brink of bankruptcy!"
He clicks his tongue and waves me off. "I'll sort it out. Don't worry about it."
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Sort it out? Like you always do, right?"
"Exactly," he answers with a chuckle as if that wasn't sarcasm. He flips the meat casually as he hums a tune.
Before I can respond, the sound of a voice calling his name stops me cold.
"Clara?" I freeze, watching in disbelief as she steps out of the house carrying a tray of drinks.
She smiles sweetly, her gaze flicking briefly to me before settling on my father. "I brought the lemonade, just like you asked," she says.
I feel my stomach churn. "What the hell is she doing here?"
My father's carefree expression falters slightly as he looks from me to Clara, but Clara doesn't miss a beat.
"Oh, Evelyn, you are here…" she says, her tone laced with false innocence and surprise.
My blood boils. Is she after my father too?