Page 40 of Chosen By a Billionaire (Rags to Romance #24)

“Something got damaged when I clipped his Maserati. But it was working up until now.”

But Phyllis apparently didn’t want to hear it because she pulled out her phone.

“What are you doing?” the driver asked her.

“What do you think?” Phyllis found a number and pressed it. “I’m going to Plan B. And your stupid ass better hope that works!”

“It won’t start!” the driver yelled. “How is that my fault?”

Then the video ended.

“Plan B,” Harrison said, “was the car that chased after Jayda in a second alley and threw her from her bike. That driver was supposed to finish her off the way that van was going to do, but some young black men scared him away.”

Carter was looking at his wife. “What’s this about, Phyllis?”

Phyllis just sat there as if she was not involved at all.

Harrison answered for her. “She had to make certain it happened. Their first decision to take me out backfired on them when I chased that Rav-4 SUV that had originally clipped my car. Then the van stopped me from chasing that SUV, but it couldn’t take me out either.

So when killing me didn’t work, Phyllis, being Phyllis , decided she would supervise the next attempt. They had to take out Jayda.”

“But why me?” Jayda asked him.

“They thought that if they could keep me from bringing you to the dance, I wouldn’t stand a chance with my father. That Felix would be handed the company lock, stock, and everything else. Phyllis saw you at my dinner party. She knew you were formidable. She knew you were my missing link.”

“But what does my wife have to do with any of this?” a still-stunned Carter asked. “Why would she want Felix to succeed? I would lose major money if Felix had been given control of Bainbridge Oil.”

“Yes, you would. But she and her boyfriend wouldn’t.”

Even Jayda was surprised to hear that part. She saw part of the video when Harrison’s security chief came over to the condo and showed it to Harrison, but she didn’t see all of the video.

But Carter was floored. “Her boyfriend ? What boyfriend?”

“And what does any of this have to do with last night?” HB asked. “I thought this was going to be about last night.”

“It is about last night, Father,” Harrison said. “My security team found out that the now-deceased pilot of that helicopter that attempted to take out my limousine was Jeremy Endicott.”

When he said that last name, everybody looked at Harrison’s CEO.

“That pilot,” Harrison continued, “was the younger half-brother of Archie Endicott.”

When Archie’s name was revealed, many in the room rose to their feet. Including Dalton Spurington, Harrison’s COO. “ Archie ?” He was astounded.

“Archie and Phyllis are lovers,” Harrison said.

“This has nothing to do with me,” Felix quickly interjected.

“But it does, brother,” Harrison said with what Jayda saw as regret in his eyes.

“My team spoke with Jeremy’s widow. She admitted that you promised Archie and his brother a full ten percent share of Bainbridge Oil if they did your dirty work for you.

If they got rid of me, there would be no competition.

When that failed, Archie and Phyllis panicked because time was running out, and they decided to go after my trump card.

To go after Jayda. When that failed, too, they knew the only way out was to take no further chances.

They wanted to take me out and you out, too, Father.

That way, Felix would inherit, not only your company, but mine as well.

That would mean over a billion dollars more than Archie or even Carter would have made had I taken over.

Archie would have received double what he would have gotten had I been the victor.

I’m sure Phyllis expected to get a lion’s share of that money too. ”

Many in that room were now on their feet as they looked from Felix to Archie and back to Felix again. Felix tried to deny it all. Archie did too. But even they weren’t trying very hard. And then HB stood up and walked over to his younger son.

When he stood in front of him, toe to toe, he took his open hand and slapped him violently across the face. “You bastard!” he said angrily.

But Felix, who spent his life mimicking his father, slapped the old man right back. “You bastard!” he cried at his father with hate in his eyes.

But when Jayda saw Felix hit that old man, roiling him, she jumped up and pushed Felix to the floor. “Respect your elders, boy!” she yelled at him. Which shocked everybody.

Except for Harrison and HB. They’d already seen what she was made of.

Felix stood back up as if he was going to attack Jayda back, but Harrison stood in front of her. Remembering that beating Harrison had already given him, he backed off.

Harrison nodded toward the library doors and the two detectives pulled out their badges, told Felix, Archie, and Phyllis that they were under arrest, and put them in handcuffs.

Harrison went to Jayda and placed his arm around her as the threesome were escorted out of the building. William hurried to assist.

HB, though gravely disappointed in his younger son, looked at his heir. “Yep,” he said, nodding his head. “Smart decision choosing her. That says a lot about you, son.”

Harrison was pleased. It was a rare occasion indeed when his father applauded him. And he couldn’t help it. He placed his other arm around his father.

And for both of them it felt bittersweet. Both were hurting because of Felix. But they were hopeful because of Jayda.

And they decided, right then and there, to get off of the hurt plane and hitch their wagons to the hope train.