Hostile Takeover

Chapter Seventeen

By Friday morning, Gray had had just about enough of the sound of his ringing phone all because of Quinn's story and the sensation it had caused. Even now it was starting to ring. He ignored it since it was a number he didn't recognise. He wondered briefly if she was dealing with the same amount of phone calls as him. Probably not, but he could ask her in about half an hour when they met for their first therapy session together. Quinn had called him yesterday afternoon, her voice all soft and shy to tell him that her therapist had a cancellation and could fit them in for today.

He'd pretended to be happy, but deep down Gray wasn't looking forward to it. A therapist! What had his life come to? He was strong, powerful, one of the richest men in Australia and in the prime of his life physically. And now he was going to see a therapist with Quinn to try and get their marriage back on track. He hoped she realised what this meant- that he was prepared to do anything for her. If she could see that, then just maybe they had a shot at making this work again.

Because he loved her and all of his denials otherwise were just a lie. He was a cold soulless man without her. It was Quinn that made him human, made him feel things and he hated being apart from her. He hated it even more that she had resorted to seeing a therapist because of him, hated that she was catching a bus around because of him, hated that she was living back in her tiny apartment because of him. But today that was all going to change. He was going to get his wife back no matter what it took. He didn't care if that meant Dylan wouldn't sign the shares over to him, looked like he had another way of saving his newspaper now anyway. He looked at his watch. It was almost time to go.

Gray's phone blared on his desk. He answered it.

"Simon, what is it?"

"Your parents are here."

Crap. He'd spoken to his dad on the phone on Tuesday morning after the story broke, but he should've known that their conversation wouldn't be the last of it. Of course he should've expected them to pay him a visit, but this was the worst possible time. He would have to keep it brief.

"Send them in."

He let out a breath. Interrogation number one was about to commence. He hadn't seen his parents since the night they all had dinner. That was three weeks ago now and even though his dad wanted to put the past behind them, he still didn't know what would happen right now, whether he'd take his side or Dylan's. The door to his office opened- he was about to find out. He stood and greeted his parents, his mother air kissing him on the cheek, his father shaking his hand.

"I thought you might come to pay me a little visit," he said to them.

"Your father and I are very disappointed in Dylan," his mother began.

Gray raised an eyebrow, the only indicator that he was surprised by her words.

"We had no idea he was running my empire into the ground like this," Martin said, shaking his head.

"We still have so many investments tied up in Holloway Enterprises," Camilla said. "Our retirement and lifestyle are under threat."

And suddenly Gray understood why they were here. They were hoping for him to find a way out of this for them.

"What will you do?" Gray asked.

"We're going to buy into the Daily Times," said Martin.

"How, Dylan owns a number of shares? He won't relinquish those."

"He will," Martin said with confidence. "Under the circumstances."

"And I've no doubt you'll twist the screws in, Dad," Gray said.