Secret Heir

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Tess Taylor," Peter Morgan called from behind the partially opened office door.

Her name reverberated in the air. She stood and glanced at her mother's empty desk as she fixed her skirt. This was her second chance at a job she desperately needed in order to prove herself. She gripped her file folder to her chest, praying her nerves didn’t show, and walked through the glass door. Despite what her ex-fiancé, Kevin, had said, there was always a second chance.

On the wall was a portrait of Peter Morgan and his new wife. Seriously. Who has their portrait painted these days? She turned toward the mahogany desk, seeing pictures of Peter Morgan's nieces and nephews. The family portraits somehow made him more human, and she relaxed her shoulders.

"Yes, Mr. Morgan?"

"Peter, please. I'm not my father."

He pointed to the chair across from him. She perched on the edge of the white leather cushion, concerned that even a smudge of ink might ruin it. Her mother’s cautionary tones warred through her head. She’d not screw up…again.

Peter stared at her with intense brown eyes.

Shoot. She needed to respond. She swallowed and tried to remove her hand from the folder without it shaking. "Yes, sir. Peter."

Peter leaned back in his chair and twirled a pen in his fingers. "Tess, you seem nervous, so I want to make something very clear. I hired you less than a month ago, because your mother is the best secretary I ever had—and your father was a great financial manager. I’m very sorry for your loss."

“Thank you.” Her father had died from a heart attack two days after her wedding plans were canceled a year ago. Her fiancé had dumped her after she’d lost a huge account, saying that her failure could hurt his career. She straightened her posture.

Tess had worked in New York City’s Financial District and her first client was a multi-million dollar tech company that had created a platform for the Internet to run faster. She’d thought the owner’s sister was trustworthy and divulged her brother’s intention on stocks at a bar. She’d assumed that other families were like hers, but had been very wrong. Fired and disgraced, Tess had lost everything.

There was no way she'd ruin this chance. Miami was her home, and she now had her foot in the door of Morgan Enterprises.

She pushed her eyeglasses up her nose. "I understand."

"I chose you over thousands of Ivy League applicants because I know your family. They are dedicated, top-notch employees."

Her mind translated that to “Don’t screw this up”. She nodded, her lips in a thin line.

Peter sat forward and put his pen on the desk, his gaze never leaving hers. She swallowed. “I need you to perform on their level. You are to ensure our acquisition of United Trust Bank. Consider the acquisition your probationary period. Okay?"

Was this a way to get rid of her? Had he only hired her because her mom begged him to? This didn’t help her nerves. Failure hovered like a black cloud. Kevin hadn’t even come to their apartment to collect his clothes because he’d been too mortified over her mistake at work. Nothing she’d accomplished before that mattered. She’d been stuck with the label of corporate financial failure.

Until now. She sat absolutely still, refusing to tremble. There was no way she'd mess this up, which meant showing Peter the information she’d discovered online. She peeled the folder away from her chest as he turned to stare at his computer, silently implying it was time for her to leave. She took a deep breath and held the folder out.

"Sir, about United Trust... There is something you should know."

"Yes?" He turned from his computer to look at her, tilting his head.

"Their CEO..."

He stared at her. Coldness inched up her spine. Giving him information, even if it was unpleasant, was her job. She couldn’t be intimidated. Her best friend, Caro, had said Peter Morgan was great to work with. Even her adopted sister, Jess, who had just finished her college internship here, said nothing but amazing things about Morgan Enterprises.

Sensing her hesitation, he raised his eyebrows. "The man is clearly very intelligent and knows his business. How else could he bring that small local bank to such great heights? If it can be done, I'll want him on my team.” Peter turned to the computer again.

Dismissed. She was being an i***t, letting her nerves rattle her common sense. Her hands shook as she offered the file. "Yes, but sir..."

He swiveled his seat around. "What?"

She avoided eye contact by opening the folder to show him what her research had uncovered. “His name is Mitch Morgan."

He took the file from her, eyes narrowed. "Is somebody using my father’s name?"

"No. Mitch Morgan is your age, sir. Here are the pictures." Thick and wavy dark blond hair, blue eyes, and in perfect physical shape—he was a dream come true.

Peter tapped his temple as he stared at the photo. "Wait. I recognize him. Wow, he looks a lot like my father."

He knew about them? Gaining confidence, she said, "According to my research, he and his three brothers are your half-brothers.” Fiona Dupree was a longtime associate and probably Peter’s father’s secret girlfriend. Mitch the Elder had made sure his sons were taken care of and went to the best schools, as well as traveled the world—a few years in New York, followed by Paris, Tokyo, Venice, and now New Orleans. Like the late Mitch Morgan, and her father, Fiona had suffered a heart attack though she lingered for months afterward before finally succumbing.

"Mitch, Damien, Axel, and Galen." Peter covered his mouth with his right hand as he dropped the folder.

She lifted it and quickly straightened the papers inside. "You know them?"

Peter pressed his lips together. "I met them when I was a young boy. Their mother was one of my father's girlfriends.” He shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about Fiona or her children when Dad died. They could have come to the funeral. What a circus. That day my sister returned from her self-exile.” He shook his head. “Where are they?"

"Fiona just died, sir." He’d scanned the report, not reading all the details. She stood, awaiting orders. Would this affect his decision in acquiring the other bank?

Peter's face went white. "What?"

She flinched as she debated whether or not she should hand him the file again. She’d highlighted the information in yellow. Instead, Tess answered, "I imagine that all four brothers will be at their mother’s service at St. Louis Cathedral tomorrow."

She glimpsed compassion beneath Peter’s tough exterior.

“Where is your sister, Jess?”

Strange that he asked about Jess of all people right now. Tension snaked through her body. “I’m not sure. On a boat somewhere, near the Keys.”

"Meet me and my wife at our private airfield in an hour, Tess." Peter waved his hand toward the door as he picked up his cell phone. “We are going to New Orleans.”

Airport? The brothers all lived in New Orleans, where the services were being held. Her intention had been to fly there later this week, once she’d formulated a plan for the acquisition. "May I ask why, sir?"

"We’re going to the funeral. You are going to work on the acquisition while I show support for their loss. From what I remember, Fiona was a beautiful woman."

So she needed to pack an all-black outfit. She groaned inwardly. Black in Miami attracted heat like still water to a mosquito and she’d cleansed the color from her wardrobe after moving here. Kevin had liked her in black. She imagined humid New Orleans would be the same as Miami with the color. "Yes, sir."

She walked to the door, remembering her father’s funeral not long ago.

"And, Tess?"

A cringe raced through her. Would he want her to be cut-throat, or would he allow time for the Morgans to grieve? She turned around and hoped she sounded normal. "Yes?"

He held his phone to his ear and gave her a cursory nod. "Good work. I'm glad to have you on my team."

All at once, the tension in her shoulders eased. She’d show Kevin and everyone who’d snubbed her that she was a success. "One more question, sir."

He covered the speaker of his phone with his hand. "What?"

As this was his family and he was her boss, there might be special rules. Perhaps he’d be willing to forego hostilities in the name of family. She held her folder at her side. "What if your brother doesn't want to merge?"

His mouth tightened. "Then we'll begin a hostile takeover bid, as usual. I will not allow another Mitch Morgan to rule over me or anyone else ever again."

Morgan Enterprises was the number one bank in the world and she'd ensure it stayed that way, even if she stepped on toes. But then she remembered the candid shot of the four brothers Morgan, New Orleans branch, laughing together as they helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity. She lowered her voice, cursing her sense of fair play. "He might not be like your father."

"I hope he's not. See you on the plane."

She walked out of the office, her heels clicking on the marble tile. Once the elevator came, she hit the button for the bottom floor. Time to get home and pack.

Once at her apartment, Tess stared at her phone, wishing she could talk to her sister Jess, who was currently snorkeling in the Keys with her friends. She dug in her closet for her small rolling suitcase. Her mother was in Paris, so off-limits. Who else could she bounce her fears off of?

Once she had her bag next to her bed, Tess called her best friend, Caro, who was engaged to another Morgan. While her boss said a hostile takeover was on the table, Caro might have some insight into the dynamics of the family.

Tess couldn’t lose her job because her boss changed his mind about how to deal with his half-brother. Kevin, the toad, would pin any blame for the acquisition going wrong on her. As she folded her clothes into her bag, she waited for Caro to pick up. The second she did, Tess heard voices and clanging—and a saxophone?

She stopped packing. "Caro, where are you?"

"New Orleans. Luke flew me here to attend an Indigo 5 concert tomorrow and I wanted some time to see the city."

"Amazing...” She’d uncovered the little-known fact that Mitch Morgan’s brother was Axel, the keyboardist of the band who played under an assumed name. Caro’s fiancé was Doctor Luke Morgan, the boy she’d loved and thought she’d lost in college before he moved to Miami and found her again. Tess never had anyone like that, but if Caro and Luke met the band, Caro’s fiancé would meet his half-brother. “And perfect. I might need your help, and we need to talk in person before you bring your Luke to the concert. Do you have time in the morning?"

"Sure. Let's meet for coffee in the French Quarter. It will be nice to see you here."

“And there is something you should probably know if you’re going to meet Indigo 5.”

“Okay,” Caro said.

Tess sat on the edge of her bed. Her mother had filled her in on as much of the Morgan family as she could, but none of that included what was in her file for Peter regarding the other Morgan children.

"Caro, you're engaged to Luke Morgan."

“So what’s the favor?” Her best friend let out a chuckle. "You’re stating the obvious."

Tess needed information, but part of receiving was sharing what she knew. Caro always did the right thing, so having her close would be to her benefit. "Your fiancé might want to go to a funeral at St. Louis Cathedral tomorrow.”

"What? Who died?"

"Fiona Dupree."

"Who was she?"

Until this morning, Tess had no idea. Part of her strategy when it came to putting together her plan meant understanding the people involved, no judgment. If she was smart, this might mean the difference between a hostile takeover or an acquisition.

Her mom was in Paris, but Caro’s mom, the head of housekeeping for Peter Morgan, could be a fountain of information regarding the Morgans—even the unacknowledged branches. "I think she was Mitch Morgan’s secret girlfriend. Would your mom know anything about her?"

"I'll ask her and see.”

Perfect. Tess stood and zipped her suitcase halfway. It was time to get a car and head to the private airfield. Being late was not an option. She rolled her bag into the bathroom to get her toiletries.

"If you hear anything about her that might help me, please let me know." Tess glimpsed her image and winced, quickly redoing her ponytail.

"Why? What do you need?"

She threw everything inside and zipped the top closed. "Information to help me figure out if Mitch Morgan III has any weaknesses when it comes to either business or personal."

"There’s another Mitch?!" Caro screeched.

Tess held the phone away for a second. "Yeah. Who knows what Fiona was thinking." Her mother had never said anything nice about the elder Mitch Morgan, and her mom liked just about everybody.

"That man was a nightmare to all his children. Poor guy. I'll make sure Luke goes to the funeral tomorrow. Thanks, Tess."

“There is more, but I want to tell you in person.” It was time that Tess proved herself capable. "If I survive this minefield called my job.”

"You'll do great. You wanted that position in Morgan Enterprises...badly."

"I know.” All jokes aside, her student loan debt had come due, with interest. “I was the most overqualified ice cream scooper in Miami."

"I understand,” Caro laughed. “I worked as a maid for a while. Look, I'll catch up with you in the morning.”

"See you, Caro."

Tess hung up and pulled her suitcase out the door. As she locked the door to her apartment behind her, she stood taller. Once she accomplished this acquisition, the stigma of failure would be gone. She’d never serve another cone again.