Chapter 3

The door to Jack's office slammed behind me, but his words echoed in my mind: "She'll be here tomorrow." This woman, who was she? How could she be related to my father? With a rising blood pressure, I stormed out of the building, my frustration not abating despite the evening breeze. Even though it was 7 p.m., the normal frantic energy of New York City was visible. Ignorant of the chaos brewing inside of me, everyone went about their daily business.

Jack had taken me by surprise. He had written a letter to a person I had never heard of, who was mentioned in my father's will, behind my back. I had no idea who this woman was, and now she was coming tomorrow. I could feel my power slipping away. My father had a hidden existence, and Jack always seemed to be ahead of me, knowing more and playing the strings while I was left to pick up the pieces.

The idea made my hands ball into fists. I needed time to myself, space to contemplate. I immediately grabbed a ride and made my way to The Sterling Room, one of my exclusive lounges that is only open to members. My father had often visited this location as a means of escaping the stresses of the outside world. It was my turn to use it for mental clarity now.

I shoved my way inside the classy, understated structure as soon as the car pulled up. The Sterling Room included marble tables and comfortable leather chairs in a softly lighted, silent space. The subtle aroma of pricey whiskey and cigars lingered in the air, but it didn't soothe me the way it normally did tonight. I made straight for my favorite position near the rear, a secluded corner overlooking the city where I could see the lights of New York glittering in the distance.

Without asking, the hostess gave me a glass of single malt Scotch. Even though it was one of my best bottles-old and silky-it tasted acrid tonight. While I sat there, I tried to clear my head by swirling the drink. But despite my best efforts, I was unable to get Jack off my mind. Why hadn't he told me about this? And why?

There was a buzz on my phone. Ben's name appeared on the screen in a flash. I sat back in the chair and stared at the skyline, ignoring it. Ben would eventually locate me. He did all the time.

The gentle click of footsteps announced his presence fifteen minutes later. Ben murmured, "There you are," as he slid into the chair across from me and looked over my face. "Thought you would be here."

I arched an eyebrow. "What other place would I be?"

Ben gave the hostess a sly smile and motioned for a drink. "Man, I'm not sure. Given your recent attitude, I kind of thought you might vanish onto a private island.

I chuckled bitterly. "Not a terrible idea."

His drink was here, a neat vintage bourbon. Glancing at me over the rim of his glass, he took a sip. "So, what's causing you to feel like this?"

"Jack."

Ben quietly said, "Of course," and leaned back in his chair. "Now what has he done?"

"He went behind me. wrote a letter to a woman whose name appeared in my father's will. He didn't tell me about her until today, and I had no idea that she even existed."

Ben arched an eyebrow, obviously curious. "A woman who is mysterious? This is simply getting better and better."

I gave him a quick glance. "This is not fucking funny man."

Ben held up his palms in a sarcastic defense. "All right, all right. But really, what's going on? How come he didn't inform you?"

With a hand running through my hair, I could feel the frustration simmering beneath the surface. "The problem is that he consistently withholds information from me. He claims that it's because my father left detailed instructions, yet this is the legacy of my family. I ought to be fully informed.

Ben looked at me for a minute. "Do you believe Jack is hiding something more?"

"I'm not sure." Gazing at the lights in the exquisite lounge, I let out a sigh. "However, it seems like he's hiding more than what's going on. This is the second incident after the offshore accounts."

Ben took a second sip of his drink. "You don't trust him."

I delayed responding for a while. With Jack, trust was an intricate matter. He had been the loyal family lawyer for years, faithful to my father. But I was uncomfortable with the way he handled things; he was always one step ahead of me and kept me slightly in the dark.

I uttered softly, "It's not that I don't trust him." The reason is that I dislike being in the dark. I have to know what's going on, and Jack usually leaves me out of the crucial information."

Ben crossed his legs and relaxed further in the cozy chair. "Look, Jack is most likely simply carrying out your father's wishes. I thought Henry was all about control? even from death."

"It's true," I whispered. "However, I'm sick of waiting for Jack to decide when I get the answers because I need them."

With a sigh, Ben tapped the rim of his drink. "So, in your opinion, what should I do?"

I didn't answer straight away since I was still a little angry. "I'd like to know this woman's identity. Why my father bequeathed her something. And why in the world did Jack wait until now to inform me?

Ben shook his head and laughed. "Your father was more secretive than the CIA, man. This could simply be just the beginning. I wouldn't be shocked if more things unfold."

"Yes, well, I'm over finding new ones."

The hours passed quickly with our drinks and chat, but the annoyance remained. The questions kept getting to me, no matter how hard I tried to relax. This woman, who was she? What was it that my father had left her? And why had Jack kept it so close to the vest?

My phone buzzed right as I was ready to place another drink order. The name of Jack flickered on the screen.

I was unsure about answering at first. But when I finally answered he could hear the rudeness in my voice "What's it?"

"We need to talk," Although Jack's voice sounded calm, it had a hint of sharpness. "The Sterling Room right, I'll be there in a minute."

Without saying anything, I leaned back in my chair and hung up. Ben arched an eyebrow, but before I could clarify, Jack, appearing as composed and calm as ever, arrived at the lounge's entrance. I was irritated even more by his immaculately made suit not a wrinkle in sight. How on earth could he be so composed when I felt like everything was falling apart?

Jack walked up and gave Ben a brief nod before taking a seat across from me. He didn't waste time or place a drink order.

He stared straight ahead while lightly tapping his fingers. "I Know you are upset."

"Upset?" I laughed bitterly and echoed. "That is putting it mildly. Jack, you went behind my back. You withheld information from me on the letter, the woman, and other matters."

Jack tensed his jaw, yet he took a moment to answer. As though to validate what he was going to say next, he took out his phone instead. "I needed to make sure everything was in place, so I didn't tell you. Your father left behind a complex will with precise instructions."

I shot back, "I don't care about instructions. I want to know what's happening. Jack, you work for me. Not the other way around."

Jack turned to face me, his expression frigid but measured. "Ethan, I work for your family. And for now, whether you agree with it or not, that means carrying out your father's final instructions.

I wanted to disagree, but Jack interrupted me with a hand gesture.

"Look," he added, his tone becoming softer. "This is difficult, I know. However, your father did everything for a reason. And I have been abiding according to his recommendations. It wasn't time yet, so I didn't tell you."

"Well, now is the right time," I clinched my teeth and uttered. "Who is she?"

Jack looked at his phone once more before turning to face me. "Just get ready to meet her. She will be at the office tomorrow."

I gazed at him, feeling as though his words had struck me squarely in the abdomen. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes," Jack replied in a serious tone. "She has already agreed to see me. All you have to do is get ready."