“Face it, Sal,” Killer replied, “if evenhalfof this story got out? You’d be losing your hockey team regardless—and you’d lose a hell of a lot more on top of it. If you want to make it right, youneedto step down immediately.”
“Unbelievable.”
Mr. Capuano’s face twisted through a range of emotions—denial, anger, and finally, a hint of realization that it wasover,that he’d lost.
“If I step down,” he began, sounding defeated, “who would replace me?”
I’ll admit, I hadn’t seenanyof this coming. All I wanted at the start of the day was for Sal to stay out of me and Ottavia’s life, and not trash us in the media. But Rust leading a team-wide revolt opened the door for real change. As the room fell into a contemplative silence, it was as if we all suddenly had the same idea at once, and all eyes slowly turned to the one person we all trusted to be the new team owner.
“Me?” Surprised, Ottavia’s hand went to her chest.
“It makes a lot of sense, actually,” Rust said, his bottom lip jutting out. “The transition would be a lot smoother.”
“And it’d go a long way towards repairing your relationship with your daughter, Sal,” Killer said.
Mr. Capuano surprised everybody by saying, “Iwouldprefer to keep it in the family, Ottavia.”
A murmur of surprise went over the room.“Whoa, what?”
“The franchise is a billion-dollar asset and its value will only increase in time,” he said.
“But I don’t know anything about owning a hockey team,” Ottavia protested.
“That’sgreat,” Tank said with a wink. “The less involved you are, the better.”
“Yeah, that was The Godfather’s big mistake,” Brett added. “He gotwaytoo involved, and now look.”
“They’re right,” Mr. Capuano admitted with a sigh. “As owner, your primary duty is to open the wallet when asked.”
“Okay … but that’s a big problem because I don’t have the kind of money to pay athletes,” she murmured.
Mr. Capuano paused. “Yes, you do,” he said quietly.
“Uh.No,Dad, I don’t.”
“With your trust fund, you do.”
“But … I thought you said—”
“It’s yours, Ottavia.” Mr. Capuano shook his head somberly.
“Really?” Her eyes narrowed skeptically. “How do I know this isn’t a trick to keep controlling me? What’s to stop you from threatening to take it away if I don’t do exactly what you want?”
“I hate that you even have that reaction, princess. But I know I deserve it.” Her father grimaced. “We can set up an irrevocable trust. Once I place the assets in the fund, I relinquish control.”
“But why would you do that?” she asked.
“Because I want you to have it. It’s the least I can do, after what I did.”
“Are you actuallyacknowledgingwhat you put me through?” she asked, her jaw dropping.
He nodded. “I thought you’d eventually fall in line and do what I wanted—but I was wrong. And I was wrong to try to control you in the first place. You’re such a beautiful, talented, and passionate young woman—and all you were begging me for was a chance to let you live your own life. I thought it was just a phase, that you’d eventually seemyway was the right way—but I should’ve listened to you.” He drew a deep breath, regret etched into his face. “I’m sorry, Ottavia.”
Surprise and relief washed over Ottavia’s face. “Wow. Um. Ineverthought I’d hear those words from you.”
He sighed. “I hope that someday you’ll be able to forgive me. I was only trying to do what I thought was bestfor you … even if I went way, way too far …”
Father and daughter shared a hug. It wasn’t the warmest or happiest hug I’d ever seen in my life, and it was obvious in how awkward the embrace was that alotof damage had been done to their relationship—but it was at least a sign that Mr. Capuanowas willing to make a conscious effort to make things up to his daughter.
