Hostile Takeover

Chapter Twenty-Five

Gray barely noticed that Simon had entered his office carrying a tray with his morning tea. He could barely even remember just how much work he had done this morning, he was sure it was next to nothing, unusual for a Monday morning.

"Is everything alright this morning, Mr. Holloway?"

"Yes, Simon. Fine, why wouldn't it be?"

"It's just that you've been staring at your window all morning like you have a new appreciation for it."

Gray swivelled in his chair, turning away from the window and trying to focus on... something, anything on his desk. His gaze landed on an envelope that Simon had placed it on his desk earlier this morning. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even opened it yet, but he knew what was inside it. The divorce papers that Morgan had returned to him. Looked like he'd be sending them off again.

"Would you like me to have that sent off?" Simon asked.

Gray looked up and noticed Simon was also staring at the envelope.

"No! I mean, not yet. I haven't had a chance to look at it."

"Are you sure everything is alright?"

Gray quickly looked away from Simon, his gaze returning to his window once more. "She thanked me."

"Pardon?"

"Quinn. She thanked me for our time together, for our marriage."

"And that's a bad thing because..."

"It's quite possibly the worst thing she's ever said to me. She's accepted we're over."

Simon said nothing for a moment. Expecting him to come up with some agony aunt response, he said something that totally surprised him instead.

"Mr. Holloway, why don't you take the rest of the day off? No offence, but you're kind of just sitting here like a lump."

Gray looked at his personal assistant. "Only you could get away with saying that. You and Quinn. But you're right, I might just do something out of the ordinary since nothing else seems to be working for me right now." He stood from his chair and began to pack up his briefcase.

"Good. I have a great idea. Maybe you can spend the afternoon thinking of a plan to get your wife back."

Gray sighed. "I've tried that. I've got nothing."

Simon glanced back across at the envelope then picked it up and handed it to him. "Maybe tearing these up in front of Quinn might show her that you mean it?"

Gray glared at the envelope as he held it in his hands. "You might as well send them back."

He handed the envelope back to Simon, but he just shoved them back at him. "Take these and show her you're serious about making your marriage work."

"Tearing them up in front of Quinn is superficial, she'll see right through that. She wants internal change and well, I suck at that."

"What have you tried?"

"I went to couples counselling with her, I tried to lessen my workload so that I could spend some more time with her..."

"You didn't do the second point but the counselling sessions were a start."

"I was late for one of our sessions. That didn't go down well," Gray said.

"Probably because you didn't do point two."

"See my predicament? I can't win."

"Then can I suggest the grand sweeping gesture," Simon said, waving the envelope at him.