Remember Me? (Book 1) COMPLETED

The Agreement

KATHERINE

Nick blanched, and Victoria turned her gaze to me. "Hello, Katherine," she said, green eyes flashing. "It's a pleasure to see you finally decided to show."

I felt my cheeks warm. It wasn't my fault I haven't been here. Nick lifted a hand to stop my speech. Despite the beginning of their encounter, Victoria swiftly cooled down, leaving an icy trail in her wake as she went to sit at the head of the table.

"When you called for this meeting, Mr. Masiello, you said that we would be discussing Katherine's stake in the company." Gregory looked from his notes to Nick. With Victoria's entrance, it seemed all the warmth had fled his face.

Nick cleared his throat. "Yes. That would be the case. Four years ago, when I founded this Committee for advisement, it came to your attention that Katherine—despite not having invested any money in the company—owned half the stock. Victoria opted to buy out her shares. However, I got word from Katherine that she wanted to invest her share of the earnings back into her stock. This secured her position here. Now, she's ready to come in and help lead the company."

Before I could counter his lies, Victoria raised a delicate hand. "Nick, I happen to recall that the terms of the agreement were a little different."

Gregory nodded. "Yes, the agreement that gave Katherine her shares in Wayward Publishing stipulated that if someone else could buy her out after four years, she would lose her holdings."

A muscle in Nick's jaw clenched. "In order to buy her out, someone would need to pay over two million dollars. If someone could do that, why would they want only half the company?"

Victoria smiled, teeth flashing. "Well, Nicholas, it seems as though there's a buyer in place. Richard Chase, the CEO of Chase Industries, wants to buy out Katherine's shares to add to his portfolio. He's put me in charge of the negotiations from this end."

My stomach churned at the mention of Rick. He wants to buy me out? Strip me of my dream?

"Negotiations?" Nick seethed, betrayal arching across his features like lightning. "There won't be any negotiations, Victoria. Katherine wants to claim her shares and that's that. Chase can't buy her out if she doesn't want to sell."

"That would be the case," Victoria said, "except for the fact that we're three months shy of four years. He can buy her out at that time."

"He can't do that." I blurted out.

All eyes turned to me.

Red blossomed on my cheeks. My nails dug into my palms. "I plan on stepping up around here. If Rick—Mr. Chase—wishes to buy me out, he'll need to talk to me. Until then, I'll be taking charge. I've been busy these past few years, but I'm here now, and I'm dedicating every waking moment to the success of Wayward Publishing."

Victoria let out a chuckle. "If only it were that easy, Katherine. Nicholas said that you agreed to sell your shares to the highest bidder if you proved to be unable to be up to the task of running a company." She held out a packet of paper. "It's in the contract."

Nick's shoulders tensed as the packet made its way forward to me. I glanced it over, and as I read it, the blood drained from my face.

"So this says that if I cannot run the company according to its principles, then I will lose my shares to whoever wishes to buy me out?" I blanched.

Why didn't I know about this? Hell, I didn't know about my shares in Wayward until Nick came clean last night. Why keep it secret for so long? I gritted my teeth. Despite the questions pounding around in my head, now was not the time to question Nick's decisions. I focused on Victoria.

"I don't understand your confusion, Katherine." Victoria's eyes glittered with amusement. "You signed this contract knowing full-well what it entailed."

I looked down at the last page and—sure enough—there was my signature.

"Regardless." Nicholas stepped forward. "Katherine will be able to take over her responsibilities starting tomorrow."

Victoria raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Mr. Chase won't be happy, but he'll understand. What's the difference of three months? Either he gets the company now, or he gets it a little later."

"Half the company," Nick corrected, expression darkening.

"Of course." Victoria smiled. "My bad."

After an intense silence, Gregory cleared his throat. "If that will be all, I believe that adjourns our meeting." He stood. "Katherine," he said, turning an eye to me, "we can't wait to see what you will do." 

* * *

Nick and I stayed in the office as the Committee members left about their day. Even Victoria strutted past us to the elevator, though not before pausing to whisper something in Nick's ear.

"What was that?" I asked, watching her pass by.

Nick cleared his throat. "She wants to talk to me later. For now, I'll show you to your office."

I held the contract at my side as he led me up the exit stairs to the top floor. A secretary tittered at her desk by the elevator, answering phone calls and taking notes. She nodded to Nick as he passed.

Nick held the door open to one of his offices and I dragged my feet inside.

"What the hell was that about?" I hissed, slamming the contract down on his desk.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Remember that time I called you a few years ago? You wouldn't answer the phone, so I left a message with your mother. When she heard what I was planning to do—write your name into half the shares of Wayward—she sent a lawyer over to hammer out the details."

"And why didn't you tell me?" My voice was low and dangerous.

Nick swallowed. "Your mother asked me not to. She said you needed time. She told me she would tell you before the four years were up, but when you got the job working under Leya, she might have thought you'll figure it out anyway."

My blood pounded in my ears.

My mind reeled back to the day I first went to Alabama—or to the airport where I ran into Nick—and how excited Mom was that I was going. Maybe she planned to tell me later that day. But she never got the chance.

"She should have told me," I said quietly.

Nick picked up the contract, lifting it up to me. "We tried to work everything out in your favor as best we could, but Victoria was the one that forced me to set a restriction on the time. She . . . she heard what I was planning to do and I had to add in that clause." His brow furrowed. "But I don't understand, Katherine. You did sign it. That's your signature."

I shook my head. "Then I don't remember."

But how in the world could I not remember that? Then again, after Nick ran out on me, I don't remember anything but the taste of whiskey on my tongue.

I flushed at the memory and suppressed it. "That's fine, then." I could probably find it in my emails. "But I do need to show this to my lawyer." I took the contract from Nick.

"Your office is the one across from mine." Nick stood. "Katherine, I'm really sorry about the way I've handled things the past few days—and the past few years. I've treated you horribly, and I hope I can make up for it."

"If this contract proves to be valid and I get to keep my shares of Wayward Publishing, you can think of that as jus the beginning of what you have to do to make it up to me, Nicholas."

With that, I turned on my heel and left his office. Once in the hall, the secretary typing away at her desk, I fished my cell-phone out of my purse.

Matthew answered on the second ring.

"Katherine?" He sounded surprised. "What's up? I haven't told you when I'm coming by yet—"

"Yeah, I know." I cut him off. "I'm not too concerned about that right now. Is there any chance you could give me some legal advice?"