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“You watched?” I barely manage to get the words out.
Nodding again, she clears her throat and I can tell she’s trying not to cry. I let out a long sigh, telling myself to keep it together. “Christ, I’m… I can’t… Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” she says, turning back toward the limo and walking briskly. “There will likely be reporters camped out in front of your house, hoping to get your reaction.”
“Is that why you came? To warn me?”
“Yes. Well, and I didn’t want you to find out about it from your news feed.”
“I appreciate that.” Rubbing my jaw, I allow the news to sink in a little more. Richard is dead. My best friend in college, who I could always count on to be kind to Michael, my partner with whom I started with nothing and built a Forbes 100 corporation, is gone, in an instant. Shock vibrates through me.
“Obviously this is going to change everything with your … plan.”
“It’ll change everything with everything,” I tell her as we reach the car. “I guess I won’t be going to Vanuatu tomorrow.” I know it’s stupid the moment the words leave my lips, but somehow, my brain is only allowing me to see from here to the next step.
“No, that won’t be necessary. You’ll need to get out in front of this thing to protect the company. I’ve already got the team started on writing up a statement on your behalf. They should finish it within the hour and I’ll send it over for your approval.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve also been getting calls and emails from the directors of each of the foundation’s projects. They all want to make sure you’re not going to back out on the next decade of funding. I’m assuming you are, but I need to know what you want me to say. So far, I’ve been ignoring them.”
“For now, nothing,” I tell her, my mind swimming in sludge. The plan was never to shut down the foundation, only to extract my money from it. Richard was going to take half a billion from his personal assets to shore up the difference. “I’m assuming he’s left everything to that awful nephew of his.”
She nods. “Based on an Instagram post Skip put out a few minutes ago, it sounds like it.”
“Shit.” I rub the back of my neck, knowing that Skip Napper, Richard’s only living relative and useless douche bag extraordinaire, is about as likely to put a dollar into a non-profit as I would be to invite my father and his common law wife, Chastity, to move in with me.
A glimmer of hope crosses Donna’s face and I know she thinks I may have to abandon my plan.
My phone buzzes in my pocket at the same time that Donna’s makes a loud pinging sound. She digs around in her bag while I pull mine out. It’s a text from Richard.
To everyone I know and love, please turn on your Dick Cam in exactly two hours for an important message from me. Forever Yours, Dick
Donna lets out a shaky breath. “What the actual hell?”
“I take it you got the same message?” I ask. She glances at my phone and nods.
My heart beats wildly as I stare at the text. “What if this whole thing is a hoax? That’s totally something Richard would do.”
“I don’t see how he could’ve survived that.”
“What if none of it was real?” I say, allowing just the tiniest bit of hope to enter my mind. “Has an official announcement been made?”
She nods again. “Paramedics were on standby and they pronounced him dead at the scene.”
Another text comes through on my phone.
Rohan
Mr. Sterling, Dr. Napper instructed me to write you the following message: “Ty, It’s real. And no, I wouldn’t pretend as some sort of grand hoax (although, I wouldn’t put it past me either). Please, for the love of God, stop being so damn cynical. It’s ruining all your fun. Dick”
Rohan
I’m sorry about that last message, Mr. Sterling. He insisted I send it in the event of his death. I hope you’re not upset with me.
It’s fine, Rohan. You’re only doing what you’ve been told to do.
Rohan
