I sighed and swung my chair around so I could see out the window. My grandmother’s passion had been the work Verity, Inc. had done. She’d loved it and always been so full of life whenever she talked about it. I didn’t want anyone who read about her not to know that. She’d been passionate and dedicated—a trailblazer. Meanwhile, the people behind her were working hard to cover up the path she’d plowed.
I’d have to talk to Aryia. Tell her what the real story was. I needed to be the person who made sure my grandmother’s legacy was one of honor and honesty. Of uncovering the truth and pushing for answers. In short, her mission in life had been the exact opposite of everything her magazine had become.
My heart hung in my ribcage like a hunk of concrete.
I stood and stalked across my office and swung open the door. “Get Douglas. I need both of you in here.”
Sofia glanced at the clock, probably wondering why I’d finished my “yoga practice” before midday. At least she had the good sense not to say anything.
Less than two minutes later, a grumble of voices was followed by my office door opening and Douglas and Sofia appearing.
They took seats opposite my desk.
“Douglas, you need to get this checked out by the lawyers, but we’re going to set up an offshore company owned by some other companies in a country where you don’t have to disclose owners or directors. We’re going to add layer after layer after layer of companies and directors until no one can trace the original company back to me. Then, when we have that in place, the original company is going to make an offer to buy Verity. When Goode requests a meeting—as we know he will—Sofia is going to pose as the buyer.”
I glanced at Sofia and then at Douglas and then back at Sofia. Her expression was blank.
“It will be expensive,” Douglas said.
I didn’t reply.
“And complicated,” he added.
“I want it done within the week.”
“Then we better get to work,” Sofia said. “Douglas, if you work on the structures, I’ll work on the offer letter so it looks completely different from last time. I’ll also rent office space, organize phone lines, and set up what looks like a viable office. I’ll get business cards, an internet address, and I’ll update my LinkedIn page. Luckily, I didn’t update it when I started working here, so they won't be able to trace me. If it’s okay with you, Andrew, I’ll use my real name. The fewer the lies, the better. Right?”
Was it me or did she emphasize the word “real”?
“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” I said. “I want to submit an offer by the end of the week.” Douglas and Sofia stood and headed to the door. “And if Aryia Chowdhury calls to request a meeting, set something up but push it out a couple of weeks.”
If I had my way, I’d have signed contracts with Goode to buy back Verity before I ever sat down for the interview.
Twenty-Two
Sofia
I thought I’d thought of everything, but now that the cell phone I’d put in the name of Andrew’s shell company was ringing, I panicked. I didn’t have a receptionist to answer the call on my behalf.
“Breathe,” I heard Andrew’s voice say in my head. I answered the phone. It was a cell number. No one expected a receptionist to answer a cell number.
“Sofia Rossi.” Unlike Andrew’s gruff, bordering on rude telephone manner, I tried to sound bright and confident.
“This is Mr. Goode’s office.” I knew that already. They were the only one with the number. “I’m calling to set up a meeting between you and Mr. Goode.”
“Wonderful. Let me bring up my diary. When is Mr. Goode free?”
“At the moment he’s in the U.S. on business and he’s not expected back until the twenty-second.”
The twenty-second? Could she mean three weeks away? Andrew was impatient for this deal to be done. He’d been stalking the office like a caged lion since we’d put in the offer yesterday. There was no way he’d survive three weeks. As far as he was concerned, he’d wanted to submit on Friday—but I’d convinced him we should wait for the office space we were leasing to be furnished, just in case Goode investigated more closely.
Waiting three weeks just wasn’t an option.
“I’m in New York on business this month,” I said. “Perhaps we could coordinate something while I’m over there?”
“Please hold.”
Would Andrew kill me for organizing a meeting three thousand miles away? No, this was the right thing to do. He’d gone to so much time, money, and effort to set up this shell company.
I held for what seemed like hours before Mr. Goode’s assistant came back.
“Mr. Goode is in New York on Friday. Are you available?”
I held the phone away from me so she couldn’t hear my panicked breathing or the thump of my heartbeat telling me I was an idiot for doing this without Andrew’s permission.