Sidney Berry had her life planned out: after high school go to culinary school, become a world-renowned chef and marry her childhood sweetheart, Aiden. But after a tragic incident that shakes her world at the end of her senior year, her plans derail...
"My father wanted to open a restaurant. He would have been amazing at it too. But Kru wanted to have his hands all in it. Make it into something dirty and if he couldn't have that...he'd rather see my father dead than have a dream that was free of his poison. When I see your dad out there I can't help but think of my father and how his life would have been if he'd just let things be. Let Kru have his way." Sid sucked in a breathe and continued. "But I know my dad would have been miserable. Is your dad? Is he miserable Ahsan?" One of Ahsan's thin hands rested in the other. His right thumb rubbing circles into his left palm over and over.
"He just wants what's best for us. It eats at him though. This is not the way he wanted it." Ahsan caught Sid's eye for a moment and she held his glossy gaze. She nodded because she deeply understood having a life not play out the way you wanted. Being the very last option you would have chosen if given any choice at all.
"I want to give him this," Sid gestured to the walls around her, "the way that he wants it. The way he deserves it. The way my father deserved it."
"Kru will never walk away from this." Ahsan deflated as the words left his mouth.
"I'm not giving him a choice to walk away." Sid was trepid about saying the next part but the train had left the station already. She was already in this. The plan was already in motion. "He needs to leave the only way he sees fit for others to leave." Her lips barely moved as she tried to control the emotions that were flowing through her. She steadied her hand and reached behind her to gather her bookbag. She unzipped the bag.
"I'm sure you and your family haven't had a vacation for a while. What would you say if I tell you to leave the business to me temporarily? Take your family and see the world for a month and when you come back this business will be fully your father's. Free of Kru." Ahsan's eyes were locked in on the stack of cash and paperwork she held in her hand.
"We don't have money for a vacation. We don't have—"
"This is not a loan. You're helping me do something I've been wanting to do for a long time." She held the cash out to him but he didn't take it. He shook his head and chewed on his lip.
"What if this doesn't work? Kru has people. Even if you," Ahsan looked around like he was paranoid that this whole thing was a setup, "kill him. His people will come after us."
"No one's going to do anything. His people are scared and they're helping me." If there's one this Sid learned is that you don't lead a team by fear. They need to respect and admire you. Kru's team followed him because they were blackmailed, strong-armed, or hopeless. Once he was gone they'll move on to another meal ticket. If they were smart they'd try to go legit.
"Just let me handle things. One month. Please?" Sid held out the cash. Ahsan looked at her long and hard. She could see in his eyes that the risk may too great. But she kept a confident face. He reached forward and took the money from her. He flicked through it, quickly getting an estimate of how much he was holding.
"You're insane. But okay. I'll get Pop on board."
"Not just your father. All of you. I don't want Kru to be able to get to any of you."
"I'm taking a summer course to graduate early. I can't just leave halfway through."
"Yes, you can. Just skip it. Tell them you had a family emergency. Please?"
He paused for a beat before nodding his head in agreement.
"Thank you." Sid wanted to hug him but she refrained. She had a couple more of these conversations to have and with Kru out of town, she had to work quickly. "Close up shop by close of business tomorrow. What's your number?" Ahsan told her and she punched the number into her phone and then called him from the burner phone she picked up yesterday.
"That's my number. Call me if you need but I'll reach out when everything's handled." She was just about to leave when she felt Ahsan's hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you and...please just don't...you'll answer when we call, right?" Sid placed her hand on top of his. No matter the uncertainty she knew one thing for sure. She may not come out of this but neither was Kru. If she was going out she was going to make sure to take him with her too.
"I promise."
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So...do we think Kru's going to take kindly to Sid taking over 'his' businesses? She setting herself up for an explosion and we don't know which one of them is going to make it out. 😢
