Spencer poured himself a glass of wine. “He’s got a ton of shares, Kit. He’s a partner. Technically, controlling shares belong to you and me exclusively, but he is our biggest shareholder and that does have clout with the board. If there was ever a disagreement, he holds so many shares that he could be considered a controlling interest. So, to answer your question, yes.”
Kit frowned. “He’s still got a lot of shares, huh? Didn’t sell any off?”
Spencer eyed her, suspicious about her line of questioning. “Kit, I get it that you’re recovering from something really traumatic and the anesthesia still may be messing with your brain, but Sully helped us rebuild KMK. Of course he hasn’t sold any shares off. He helped us make KMK what it is today, remember? He’s just as invested in the company’s success as we are.”
She sighed and nodded, retorting flatly. “Yeah, I remember. How much to buy him out?”
He burst out laughing. “What is this? Why are you asking? Kit, if we bought him out it would put us in a very vulnerable position as a company. That would amount to several million dollars. It would kill our cash flow. I don’t advise it. What’s going on? Has he been hinting at cashing out?” Spencer suddenly looked horrified.
She shook her head. “No, he hasn’t. This info doesn’t matter right now, but it may later. I have another question for you.”
He looked at her. “Shoot.”
She motioned to the large estate that surrounded them. “This has been in our family for decades. It was willed to me when Pap-pap passed and Nana expedited the deed in my name. That was in ’87.”
He nodded. “Yep, I remember. I was at Penn.”
She looked at him. “Do you remember what year they bought this?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “No idea. We can have one of the attorneys check the public record. All I know is that we were coming here from my earliest memories. And I vaguely remember Nana talking about being here in the 20’s or 30’s. Dad was born out here.”
Kit’s eyes widened. “What? Dad was born in Los Angeles? Are you serious?”
Spencer chuckled. “Yes. I thought you knew that? They lived in L.A. until he was two and then they moved back to Chicago. And I think he mentioned that he lived here later on, like after law school or something. You’ll have to ask him.”
He leaned forward and met her eyes. “By the way, Kitty, I never did get a chance to tell you that I’m really glad you and Dad have mended your fences. Him being really sick and now having a clean bill of health really turned him around, plus the shooting really shook him up. Big wakeup calls.”
She nodded. “Yeah. He’s a different man than he was. He’s still a ruthless corporate attorney, but he can’t help that.” She giggled. “He’s gifted when it comes to law. Have you met his new girlfriend?”
Spencer shook his head. “No. I was supposed to when I was in New York, but I had to cancel on them. You know how it is.”
She nodded knowingly and smirked. “I certainly do. So, let me ask you this… would not being able to have this estate in the family for your kids or grandkids one day bum you out?”
He sat back and thought about it for a moment. He glanced around the backyard and up at the large mansion. His blue-green eyes met hers. “Honestly? Yeah. Why do you ask?”
She sighed. “Time for some changes.”
He laughed. “What? Why? Uh… you live here. Planning on moving?” His smile faded when he noticed her serious expression. “You’re moving? Kit, what’s going on?”
She cast her eyes down for a moment and then found the courage to face him. “Yes, I’m moving, Spence. I can’t stay in this house, not after what happened and what’s coming. And I would prefer not to put it on the market or sell it to a stranger. I have a feeling I may take an asset hit over the next year or two, so I’m going to lease it out, hopefully to some great people that will take good care of it until I decide what the long term strategy is. I’d imagine the house is worth about twenty mil nowadays.”
He surveyed her. “Kit, what the hell is going on? This estate and your inheritance are part of your greatest assets. KMK is too. Right now KMK is flushed with cash and highly profitable. You’re the founder and leading controlling shareholder. Are you being sued by Diamond or an artist or something?”
She shook her head. “No. I gotta find myself one amazing divorce attorney. It’ll be a legal separation first and most likely a divorce eventually. I think we’ve gone past the point where we can reconcile this. I’m still sorting things out. Sully doesn’t know I’m taking legal action yet. I wanted to tell him in person. I’ll fly out next week once my doctor clears me to travel. I can’t do it anymore. I can’t take care of him anymore. I just can’t do it.”
Spencer looked disturbed as he shook his head in protest. “Wait, wait, wait, whoa. What the hell happened?”
She couldn’t face him. She stared out at the sprawling green grass of the backyard that led down to a pristine swimming pool. “There’s been continued drug abuse and some infidelity. When we decided to get married, we agreed no more drug use. And well, the infidelity is obvious. He has a favorite groupie, Kendalle, who he’s been shacking up with on this tour. It’s an affair.”
She sighed. “Now that I’ve had a miscarriage because of the shooting, I don’t see any reason for me to continue in this marriage and before I go through with the finality of a divorce,
