Chapter 14 - THE CHOICE
Ryan's backpack suddenly seemed louder than a gunshot.
Miles pointed at him.
"Give it to me."
Mara stepped in front of her son.
"No."
Miles grabbed Claire by the arm and shoved her toward the broken window.
Daniel moved.
One of the gunmen struck him across the face.
Ortiz kept her weapon trained but had no clean shot.
Miles looked at Daniel.
"Choose. Your wife or the boy."
Ryan's face went white.
Daniel laughed.
Miles frowned.
"You think this is funny?"
"No."
Daniel wiped blood from his mouth.
"I think you learned the wrong thing from my father."
"What's that?"
"He always thought family meant choosing which person to sacrifice."
Daniel looked at Claire.
Then Mara.
Then Ryan.
"I'm done choosing."
He kicked the fire extinguisher at the nearest gunman.
Ortiz fired.
Noah tackled the second man.
Mara grabbed Ryan and pulled him behind the desk.
Claire drove her heel into Miles's knee.
He screamed and lost his grip.
Daniel slammed him into the wall.
Within seconds, Ortiz had him cuffed.
The ledger was safe.
Lily was found downstairs in the black car, frightened but unharmed.
By dawn, Mara was being treated, Graham had survived surgery, and Conrad and Miles were under guard.
Then Claire asked the question Daniel had avoided.
"What happens now?"
Mara looked at Ryan.
Noah looked at Ryan.
Daniel did too.
Ryan stared at the floor.
"I don't want to be a company."
Nobody understood.
He looked up.
"I don't want people fighting about who owns me because Grandma wrote some stupid rule."
Mara smiled sadly.
"You don't own the company. The trust owns shares for you."
"I don't want them."
A lawyer at the doorway cleared his throat.
"I'm afraid it isn't that simple."
Everyone turned.
He introduced himself as Samuel Price, executor of Evelyn Bennett's estate.
Then he said, "There is another clause."
Daniel's stomach tightened.
Price opened the will.
"If Ryan is proven to be Noah's son..."
May you like
He looked directly at the boy.
"Daniel loses control of Bennett Holdings immediately."
