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“You needed it. Now, eat up. If you can get your energy back, I’ll take you out this afternoon.”
I snapped upright. “Out? Like, outside? Isn’t that dangerous?”
Neil shook his head. “While Daniel’s in custody, and his criminal contacts in the UK are under close police scrutiny, no one will dare make a move against you or me. We’re free to stop hiding.”
In a rush of emotion, I threw my arms around Neil. He held me for a long stretch, stroking my hair.
“Does that mean it’s finally over?” I asked.
Neil’s smile faded to something more sombre. “Yes. It’s over. I don’t think Daniel’s going to worm his way out of this.”
“That’s a relief.”
Neil nudged a fork towards me. “Now, eat.”
I dug into the pile of fluffy scrambled eggs and ate a mouthful to appease him. “So, where did you want to take me?” I asked, loading the fork again.
Neil grinned. “I heard your Christmas plans got rudely interrupted. Let me make it up to you.”
I dropped the fork and flung my arms around him again.
The crisp air nipped at my cheeks as Neil and I strolled hand in hand along a path lined with wooden stalls decked in strings of fairy lights. Cinnamon, mulled wine, roasting nuts, and gingerbread perfumed the air. All around me, the Winter Wonderland hummed with an infectious energy. Christmas music played, and crowds flocked at food vendors, amusement park rides, and an ice rink. It was like something plucked straight from the pages of a storybook. It was everything I had imagined and more.
Neil led me away from the main thoroughfare towards a quiet alcove housing a quaint little cafe strung with twinkling icicle lights. We ordered piping-hot mulled wine—his the classic blend, mine a tart Bramley-apple flavour laced with cinnamon. I inhaled the heady scent as we settled across from each other at the rustic wooden table.
As idyllic as this moment was, the cold knot deep in my stomach refused to unwind. I traced patterns through the condensation on the tabletop, reluctant to shatter the magical ambiance with questions and insecurities. Neil’s eyes met mine over the rims of our steaming mugs, a knowing look in his eyes. “What’s on your mind?” he asked.
Curling my fingers around the warm mug, I mustered my words. “So, now that Daniel is out of the picture for the time being, what comes next?”
Neil took a slow sip of his mulled wine. “We wait. Even uncontested, the will could take a year to process.”
“That long?”
“Maybe even longer.”
“And then?”
“Daniel will own eight percent of Zelthia, I will own four percent, and Veronica one percent.”
“But that means Daniel would still be the majority shareholder…”
Neil smirked, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I still have one card left up my sleeve.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Avenex owns a three point five percent stake.”
“Dixon—”
Neil shook his head. “Dixon is just the manager. Avenex is my company. I own its shareholdings—unbeknownst to Daniel. When the time is right, I will reveal my hand. Veronica and I will pool our shares into Avenex, which will give us the majority.”
I shook my head, dumbfounded. “You had this all planned out from the very beginning.”
“Not quite. A lot of pieces fell into place through sheer dumb luck along the way. But yes, things are lining up as I envisioned.”
A pensive silence fell between us as I digested everything. It was happening. Soon, Daniel would be relegated to the sidelines while Neil and Veronica took control and began their reforms to turn Zelthia into an ethical, sustainable business. After years of plotting, Neil was on the cusp of achieving his goal. My heart swelled with awe, pride, and exhilaration on his behalf. But through the euphoria, a twinge of melancholy pricked at me. Now that his end game was in sight, what did that mean for us? The thought of him slipping from my grasp made my chest ache. I forced the worries down and lifted my chin. “Once you’ve taken control, what will happen?”
“My job is done. I’ll be handing the reins to Veronica. She’s the one who will lead the new era of Zelthia.”
