Johnson Family 2: Perfect by Delaney Diamond Page A

the company that had made the investment.
    “Oh no.” Her stomach plummeted as nausea buffeted her insides, and she almost dropped the sheet. Even if she hadn’t recognized the company name, the bold signature at the bottom would have given her all the information she needed. She couldn’t stop staring at the words.
    Roland stated the obvious. “Your husband’s venture capitalist firm bought a majority stake in our company and had me dismissed.”
    Her gaze met Roland’s. “I’m so sorry.”
    “I can’t see you anymore, Daniella. I’m done.” She’d never seen Roland angry, yet from his tone he clearly blamed her for the current turn of events. But he had contacted her , not the other way around.
    “Roland, I swear to you, if I’d known—”
    He held up his hand. “Save it. If I’d known this would be the result of being seen with you, I would have never gotten involved. I’ve lost everything. Everything I’ve worked for over the past seven years.”
    She couldn’t imagine the anguish he must be experiencing after expecting to see all his hard work pay off, only to be blindsided by this unexpected disaster. “I’m sorry.” She sounded like a broken record, but she didn’t know what else to say.
    “So am I,” he said, his face contorted into a bitter scowl. “I’m going to give Cyrus what he wanted in the first place. I won’t be contacting you again, and please don’t contact me.”
    She grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, detaining him. “Wait, there must be something I can do, some way I can help you.”
    “You really want to help me?” he asked. “Get me my goddamn business back.”
    Daniella watched as he left. Numb, she clutched the letter in her hand. She had to see Cyrus, and she had to make him stop.
    ****
    Cyrus lived northwest of downtown in one of the most popular neighborhoods in the Seattle area and had bought his house before he married Daniella. The location suited him, being close to the city for a quick commute, and its location on a hill was conducive to his weekend exercise regimen. On any given Saturday he could be found jogging the tree-lined streets past the historic homes that dotted the landscape. He ran in peace here. In this affluent area, his neighbors barely registered his presence, for which he was grateful.
    He hadn’t exercised today because he’d recently arrived home after a short business trip to Las Vegas. He was tired as hell, but nothing could have kept him from his niece’s ninth birthday party. He came straight from the airport, still dressed in the suit he’d donned earlier for the weekend meeting with a hotelier who owned several casinos. They were interested in making Full Moon beer the exclusive brand they carried, with the possibility to expand around the country. Cyrus was pretty sure he’d sealed the deal and expected a follow up within a few weeks, at which time he’d bring in his brother, Trenton, to cover the marketing side of the arrangement.
    Cyrus parked his car in the garage and dropped his bags at the foot of the stairs. Without prompting, one of the servants appeared and took the bags up to his bedroom.
    Gift in hand, he headed to the pool house. His niece, Katie, had wanted a pool party, and initially Ivy—his only sister—had planned to have it at the Four Seasons Hotel where they lived. Then she’d changed her mind and asked him if she could have it at his place instead, to which he’d readily agreed.
    He was crazy about his niece and hoped one day to fill his house with children as energetic and intelligent as she was. Her birth had brought so much happiness to the family, particularly since she’d arrived only months after his father died. In some ways, she had saved their family, shaking them out of the deep-rooted sadness at having lost their father so unexpectedly.
    At the pool house he encountered a bunch of 8 and 9-year-old girls running and splashing in the water. Besides Ivy, two other mothers kept an eye on the