Saorsa

by Kerry Heavens

  Saorsa

  KERRY HEAVENS

  HEATHER SHERE

  Heavens & Shere

  SAORSA

  Copyright © 2019 by Kerry Heavens & Heather Shere

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Image: Rplusmphoto

  Cover Models: Connor Smith & Jess Epps

  Cover Design: Rebel Graphics

  Editing: Virginia Tesi Carey

  Proofing: Mandi Gibala

  Formatting: Rebel Graphics

  For Betty

  SAORSA

  [seer-sha]

  Noun - Scottish Gaelic

  Freedom, salvation, redemption, liberty.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Authors

  HEA Squad

  Also by KERRY HEAVENS

  Also by HEATHER SHERE

  One

  I have waited six long years for this moment. To be free.

  My lawyer and I are already seated at the table when he enters the boardroom; we were here first on purpose. I have my laptop, pen and pad of paper all squarely lined up, to send the message that I am prepared. I don’t plan on using any of them.

  They enter the room chuckling, probably at some off-humor joke. He pauses when he sees me already sitting here, the smile rapidly leaving his face. He glances at his lawyer, who has wiped the smile off his face too and then looks back to me, his momentary off-guard expression rapidly replaced by his standard overconfidence.

  “Charlotte, it's good to see you,” he says smoothly, crossing the room. Reluctantly, I stand. He leans in, kissing the air by my cheeks. “You look beautiful as always,” he tells me softly, always employing charm to get what he wants even when the negotiations are over. I deserve a best actress award for not cringing.

  “Henry,” I greet him, my voice monotone as I incline my head and sit back down. Of course he thinks I’m beautiful, I have the so-called timeless look he favors. Long blonde hair I always wear in a classic French twist, sage green eyes, and I was blessed with a soft but slender hourglass figure. All the superficial things matter so much to him but so little to me. I am more than my looks and he never appreciated that.

  “Mrs. Cole,” his lawyer greets me, shaking my hand.

  "Ms. Rose,” I correct with a dash of venom.

  His face flushes slightly and he nods apologetically, then greets my lawyer hurriedly to move on from his mistake. Once the false pleasantries are over, I turn to retake my seat.

  My Chief Operating Officer and dear friend, Edward’s, words to me before I entered the room still repeat in my ears. “Are you sure you want to do this, Charlotte?”

  It is the third time he's asked me today and the hundredth this week. He wants me out of this toxic situation as much as I do, but he also knows that letting go is going to be hard for me. He's well aware that the deal on the table is insulting and yet the best I’m likely to ever get.

  I gave him a reassuring smile to ease his torn conscience, before promising him I was more than ready for this all to be over. I told him to go back to work, but I’ll bet he’s out in the foyer right now, wearing a groove in the plush carpet.

  I put Edward out of my mind before I lose my nerve and straighten my suit jacket, folding my hands and resting them on the table. I’m ready.

  Henry has a slimy smirk on his face as he takes his seat, the one that says he knows he's screwing me. I've put up with him for far too long, my stubbornness was willing to wait him out for a better deal, but I’m done. Every month spent negotiating is a month of my life wasted and I will be happier when I’m free. For once in my life, I have reached a place where the idea of freedom, of happiness, outweighs the need to hold on to this life and what I’m owed from it.

  I wait for my lawyer to take the lead, showing no emotion at all. It’s a skill I have perfected over the years, unlike Henry who can barely contain his giddiness.

  “Shall we get started then?” he blurts. The fool has no clue of the fall that’s coming to him. Watching him practically bouncing in his seat, I can't believe I was married to him for ten years. I was so in love with him at eighteen and completely blind to who he was…is. Married fresh out of high school, it had been happy to begin with, or so I thought. I was so dumb when I think back on it now, taking any jobs I could to support us while we put ourselves through college.

  I did everything I could to keep us afloat while he did so little. The focus was always on his education, when in fact it was me who worked hard in and out of class. My skill that got us off the ground, my patience that made us a success, and my passion and commitment that put together the best team. Without me he would be…well, I guess he’s about to find out.

  We built this financial firm together, started it with just us and now we employ over five hundred people. Our plan was to ultimately go international but I stopped pushing for it when our relationship began to fall apart. Now, I’m walking away from it all. Let him see how much of this company is my doing once he has to fend for himself.

  My lawyer interrupts my thoughts by passing out the contracts. “Mr. Cole has already agreed to the terms. We are here today to make this thing official and go on our merry way.”

  Henry offers him his best ‘We’ll see about that’ smile and thumbs through the contract. “You’re sure, Charlotte?” he says in his patronizing way, not even bothering to look at me. “You sure you can agree not to start a firm in any of the states we already have offices and the sanctions on our client list preventing you from working with any present client or their subsidiaries for the next ten years?”

  I watch him skim pages he has had in his possession for weeks. He really thinks he has me. He’s so convinced I will want to set up in direct competition with him that his whole negotiation strategy has been centered on crippling my chances of doing so and therefore keeping me where I am, building our company up, for him.

  “Of course,” I reply, sounding as innocent as I can manage. “With this kind of money, I could retire at thirty-four.”

  His eyes snap up to mine, surprise at my words registering on his face. He knows I live to work, so the very idea of me retiring so young, I’m sure, shocks the shit out of him. The consummate businessman he is, quickly catches himself expressing surprise and his features change instantly. Heaven forbid anyone catches the great Henry Cole off-guard!

  He tries to turn the tables and his eyes become soft, I know his cajoling tone is coming. It's a gift he has always had, being able to turn on that boyish charm from when we were young, the one I fell for a lifetime ago. It doesn't work anymore, but it's cute when he tries. "You could have stayed at home while we were married." His voice is full of regret. He always wanted that. Him in the boardroom making the millions, me at home making…I don’t know what…gourmet food and babies probably. I barely contain my shiver of revulsion. He may have wanted that, but he would have none of this if I had been at home with two point five kids. I am this company.

  “You have your current wife for t
hat, Henry,” I point out flatly, emphasizing the word ‘current’, because we both know that now that he’s popped his divorce cherry, there’s no stopping him.

  His face flushes in annoyance and he audibly growls. His lawyer elbows him and points to where he needs to sign on the document, hoping to move things along before Henry blows the deal for himself. He presses his lips together in a firm line as his scribbles his name like a five-year-old across the contract. His lawyer signs as a witness and then pushes it across the table back to mine. I inwardly smile as he makes a big show of checking every page is signed, even though I know he was counting signatures as they were signing them. Always looking out for me.

  “Ms. Rose, I need you to sign and initial where I marked the red x’s.” He passes me the contract.

  I nod. I don't need to read the contract again. We’ve gone through this with a fine-tooth comb. Henry is outright buying my half of the business. In the six or so years since we have been divorced, he has consistently run the business into the ground on purpose. His motive was precisely this moment, where he took everything over for less than it was worth. But the joke is on him, I’m walking away because I’m ready, not because the value has dropped.

  I could have done this years ago in the divorce settlement, but I didn’t want to give up my baby then. Not when I had worked so hard to build it and took so much joy from it. Besides, I could tolerate him for the sake of my one true love. Now, it is time. I have plans of my own, plans for myself.

  I sign my name with a flourish, my penmanship flawlessly feminine yet strong and controlled. I push the contract back and he signs his sections and lets Henry's lawyer review it. He nods his head after he is done, smiling with smug satisfaction. "Cole Financial is now one hundred percent yours,” he tells Henry. “Congratulations." He shakes Henry's hand, while I grit my teeth.

  My lawyer clears his throat. “Before you celebrate, have the funds been deposited in Ms. Rose’s account?”

  Henry’s eyes widen slightly, offended by the question. “Is my word nothing anymore, Charlotte? We agreed I would transfer it first thing this morning.”

  “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Henry. He’s just looking out for my best interests,” I scold, opening up my laptop and logging into my bank, the silence in the room not intimidating me one bit. I see the balance and smile.

  “The funds are there. We are done here." I snap my laptop closed with a loud click.

  “Perfect.” Henry claps. His lawyer stands, filing away their copies of the paperwork. Henry quickly follows. Now that he has secured his victory he can’t wait to get out of the conference room, but I still have one or two things to discuss with him.

  “Henry, before you go, could I just have a word?”

  Our lawyers exchange a glance and Henry looks imploringly at his, but I dismiss them. “It’s okay, this is a private matter. You two can go.” I take my seat again and watch as Henry considers bolting, but reluctantly returns to his chair as the lawyers shuffle out, not even closing the door behind them.

  I stare at him for a moment, not knowing if I’m delighting in or hating the idea of delivering the final blow. But I’m committed now, there is no going back. I square my shoulders and meet his eyes. “You’ll find my office is cleared out already,” I inform him. “And here is my laptop and phone.” I set my cell on top of the laptop and slide it forward. “I’m leaving, effective immediately.”

  “B-but…” he chokes. “You were going to stay on for a while, to wrap up the things you were working on." He clenches his fist on the table.

  "I no longer have a vested interest in the company, Henry.” I lift my bag from the floor and slide my notebook and pen neatly inside, leaving everything else where I left it. I stand and smooth down my shift dress.

  “But, Charlotte—” Henry leaps to his feet, coming around the table to stop me leaving, when a knock on the half open door pulls our attention from each other.

  Edward stands in the doorway, his eyes searching me for some sign of my wellbeing.

  “This is not a good time, Edward,” Henry snaps, barely looking in his direction.

  I nod faintly to Edward so he knows I’m alright, that everything went as we expected and can leave me rather than face Henry’s wrath, but he stands firm.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’m afraid this won’t wait.”

  Henry exhales sharply and folds his arms. “What is it then?” he demands.

  Edward slips into the room and takes an envelope out of the inside pocket of his jacket handing it purposefully to Henry. “My resignation, Mr. Cole. I’m sorry for the short notice but today will be my last day.”

  I look between Henry and Edward calmly, keeping the shock from showing on my face as this wasn't part of my plan. Edward has a small smirk playing about his lips, he knows damn well he just gave me a jolt.

  Henry’s face is a shade of reddish-purple that I haven’t seen since I agreed with him that we should divorce. As he’d tried to use it as a threat in an argument, the last thing he expected was for me to agree with him.

  “But you’re in the middle of the Wake deal,” he shouts incredulously.

  Edward shrugs semi-apologetically. “I can’t work for someone I don’t respect.”

  It takes all of my poise not to snort with laughter. Henry just doesn't comprehend that I’m the glue that has held this company together since the beginning. He’s going to lose more than Edward in the long run, he just doesn’t know it yet.

  Henry stares at the unopened envelope for what seems like forever, then he seems to gather himself and fixes us both with a frigidly resentful glare. “In that case, I’d like you both to leave the building immediately. I’ll call someone to escort you out. We’ll have someone in maintenance pack up your things and ship them to you, Edward. I’m sure you understand,” he sneers.

  Edward barks out a laugh, a rare show of his ‘off duty’ side. “Henry, you have turned into a little prick, I wouldn’t stay a minute longer if you offered me ten times my salary. You’ll find my office in the same fashion as Charlotte’s, cleared out with my laptop and phone on my desk. There won’t be a need to ship anything and we can see ourselves out. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” He offers his elbow to me to me. "Shall we?”

  Knowing it will piss Henry off, I slide my hand around his arm and give him a smile. “Yes, we shall. Let’s go to lunch.”

  Henry's panicked voice booms across the room as we leave. "Charlotte, how can I contact you if I need you? You've left your phone.”

  I pause, looking back over my shoulder. "Precisely. We no longer have any connection. Have a wonderful life, Henry. I know I will." Without a second thought, I walk out of the boardroom, with my head held high.

  We step out of the elevator to the main lobby and I stop dead when I find everyone I’ve personally hired over the years has gathered and are clapping their hands for me. It was common knowledge what was going down here today, that I was signing off. But word must have gotten out that I was also leaving for good today. I side-eye Edward who simply shrugs. I had briefed everyone personally about the change of ownership, I wanted to make sure all of my people, my coworkers, knew that they weren't the reason I sold out. My jaw tightens as I think about the term ‘sell out’. I really didn’t have a choice. I made certain the coworkers were all taken care of. I wrote letters of recommendations for a few people who had expressed a desire to move on after I left and gave my personal information to others. But I was not expecting this. I was expecting to just slip quietly out of the door.

  I feel that tickle you get in your throat when you’re going to cry and remember an old trick I was taught by my mentor. She told me if you ever feel like you’re going to cry at a moment you need to stay professional, to do math problems in your head. I start with little problems, one plus one and work my way up in numbers as I make my way through the crowd, shaking hands.

  The senior managers are waiting by the front door, and they place a bouquet of flowers in my
arms. I turn back to all the people I have worked with for so long and swallow hard. A hush falls.

  “Thank you, everyone. Words can't express how much you all mean to me." I clutch the flowers to my chest. These people were my family, my children per se. “I really will miss you all.” My voice threatens to crack, so I press my lips together.

  “Are you ready, Charlotte?” Edward asks with his hand on my arm to direct my attention to him.

  “Yes.” I look to Jennings, our operations manager, and nod to the gathered crowd. “You’d better get them back to work, he’s going to be a dick all day.”

  He waves the crowd off, and they start to disperse, heading back up to their cubicles.

  “Sweetheart, he won’t do anything to them. The competition has been headhunting here ever since it came out that you were leaving. If he doesn’t watch out, he’ll lose more than a handful.” He laughs and walks with us outside of the building.

  I ordered a car to bring me in and wait for the meeting to be over, and I find it waiting right where I left it. “Edward are you coming with me or did you drive in?” I stop where the chauffeur is standing with the door open.

  “We're both coming with you.” Edward motions to the car with a grin.

  “You both quit?” My mouth falls open in surprise.

  “Yes, he will find my letter on my desk.” Jennings snickers.

  “But, what are you going to do?” My brows furrow with concern.

  "Oh darling, who do you think the headhunters got to first?” Jennings throws his head back in a wicked laugh.