The Baby Pact (Babies and Billions #5) - Holly Rayner Page 0,56
accept that.”
“You’ll have to,” Rhea said. “I’m an adult. I can make this choice for myself.”
“And you’re willing to turn your back on your family?” Tom asked. “You’re ready to choose him over us?”
That was too much for Zach.
“Why does she have to choose?” he demanded. “Are you saying that you’ll cut her out of your life if she’s involved with me?”
“Young man,” Tom Wilson said, “are you aware of what your father did to our family?”
“I’m aware,” Zach said. “And I also know that my father would never have cut ties with me, no matter what I did. No matter who I loved. He always made it clear that I was the most important thing in the world to him. There was nothing I could have done that would have ruined our relationship.”
Tom flinched, and Zach knew that he had struck a nerve.
“I know what my father did,” he said. “It was wrong. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between my family and yours, for the sake of my child. But I’m in love with your daughter. And if that means you can’t accept her, then I feel sorry for you, because she’s absolutely wonderful.”
“Please don’t try to educate me about my daughter,” Tom said. “I’ve known her all her life. How long have you known her?”
“Not long enough,” Zach said. “It’s one of the greatest regrets of my life that Rhea and I have missed out on so much of what we should have been able to share. We should have remained friends through college and during the years that followed. Instead, we drifted apart and lost track of each other because of a conflict between our parents that neither one of us even knew about.”
“I know you’re not about to tell me that I was in the wrong for firing your father,” Tom said.
“Of course not,” Zach said. “He shouldn’t have stolen that formula from you, Mr. Wilson. He can’t make his own apologies, but I know him well enough to know that if he were alive now, he would regret what he did. The most I can offer you is an apology on his behalf.”
Rhea’s father crossed his arms and said nothing.
“Dad,” Rhea said. “Come on. Zach is being more than accommodating. And you know that none of this was his fault.”
“He’s been living for the past fifteen years on money that was stolen from our family,” Mr. Wilson said.
“The only thing I want now is to put my money to use to help raise my child,” Zach said. “Your grandchild. Surely you must agree that that’s a worthy conclusion to this story.”
“Dad,” Rhea said. “I know you’re angry. I know you’ve been angry about the theft for years.”
“It isn’t just about the money,” Tom said. “That was my creation. I worked hard on it. Now I have to see my rival selling it. How would you feel if someone stole the plans for a building you designed and built it in their name?”
“I’d feel terrible,” Rhea said.
“And how would you feel if I brought home the person who had stolen your plans and told you they were going to be a part of the family now?”
“But that’s not what’s happening,” Rhea said. “Zach didn’t steal your formula, his father did. And Zach isn’t the one selling it now. That’s just some other whiskey company. Zach didn’t know any more about any of this than I did.”
“Mr. Wilson,” Zach said, “I’m sorry about what’s happened between our families in the past. But what I’d really like, what I hope for, is that we can find a way to leave the past behind us. I’m going to be a father. You’re going to be a grandfather. What matters now is this baby, not what’s happened before.”
He watched Rhea’s father, hopeful that his plea would be heard and understood.
But Tom Wilson shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know you’re not responsible for what your father did, and I don’t want to hold you accountable. But this is something I’ve been angry about for a long time, and I can’t just let it go. I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do at this point.”
“Dad, please,” Rhea begged.
“I’m sorry, Rhea,” he said. “I can’t.”
She squared her shoulders. “If that’s your choice, then it’s on you,” she said. “But I’m going to be with Zach. We’re in love, and we’re going to raise our child together. I came here to ask you for