Chapter 28

A/N: Hey guys, I'm back!

It was mid- May and things had returned to normal a short while after Christmas, Charlotte was now prepping for graduation and had employed her brother, James and Ophelia to help her with the senior prank even if they were only juniors. As they all entered the house they threw their bags on the kitchen island.

"Where are mom and dad?" Conrad asked as he made his way to the fridge.

"Hartford… again." Charlie responded, rolling her eyes.

"I'm shocked they haven't had to relocate you guys there with how much they've had to go out there." Ophelia sounded worried as she grabbed Conrad's water from him and took a drink.

"I know, apparently some of the employees were a little to loyal to the old Huntzberger name." Charlotte wasn't supposed to know much, but she had heard the conversations that her parents had in regard to the acquisition that was taking over their lives, and sometimes in a moment of weakness her mom would use her as a sounding board.

"Wow, Mitchum can really dig those claws in, can't he?" Hearing Conrad and Charlotte talk about their other grandparents in such informal terms used to throw James and Ophelia but now it was common practice.

James looked over at Ophelia who barely nodded her head. "I'm sorry about the rumors that have been spreading you guys, we know it's not true, dad and Uncle Finn would kill your dad if it was true. I'm still sorry though."

"We're not supposed to be discussing it. I mean, it's all obviously bull shit but it's still something that doesn't get talked about. Anyway, what are we planning? I left it to you three because you're the creative ones." Charlotte tried to divert the conversation, and thankfully it worked.

RLRLRLRL

"How the hell have we still not found the damn leak?!" Logan screamed, causing Rory to throw her head on the table in the board room they were in. The private investigator jumped a little, knowing that this meeting wasn't going to go well.

"I'm sorry Logan, there must be more than what we were originally looking for, I've given you all the information I have available right now. I know it's not the news you wanted to hear."

"Damn right it's not."

"Logan!" Rory finally spoke up, causing the two men in the room to look over at her. "Calm down."

"You want me to remain calm? Rory, someone is feeding things to Mitchum, who knows who it is and who we can trust in this place. I'm sorry that I'm tired of not feeling like I can have this place be fully operational because of a few bad eggs. The only thing I can think of is—"

"We're not firing the whole damn building Logan."

"Then what do you suggest? Because I don't trust a single person in these walls. And we can't keep driving down here and back trying to put out fires, Charlie graduates in a few weeks, I'm positive the rest of them are up to something, and not only that but I'm tired of not getting home until 10-11 at night. So, we either find the leaks, fire everyone, or cut this at the knees and sell it, meaning the people will probably lose their jobs anyway." When he watched her sigh and drop her head again he threw up his hands in reluctant admittance of victory. "Exactly."

The private investigator cleared his throat. "We will do another full sweep of the building, see if there's bugs anywhere, and we will keep our trail on Mitchum tighter. We can track any of the office computers and accounts, but we can't do anything about their personal ones. We're working around the clock Mr. and Mrs. Huntzberger."

Logan glared, and Rory rolled her eyes at her husband. "Thank you, just let me know if you have any new information." Effectively dismissing the man, she turned back to Logan and ran her hand up and down his arm. "Logan, come on, we've dealt with horrible businessmen before and we can do it again."

"Those business men don't know my past, they don't slander our name in every damn tabloid, they don't try to rip us apart." Logan spat out angrily.

"And Mitchum isn't capable of that either, we knew he wouldn't go down without a fight, and fine, if we have to dismantle this and we have to let people go then that's what it will come down to, but we're still strong, we're still fine, and we are still going to actively look for a solution here, okay? And you're right about being home more, we should. So, we're going to shut down the offices here for a few days, the security team needs to sweep the place anyway, and we're going to go home and recoup for a few days."

Logan looked over at her with an exhausted look on his face before finally conceding and grabbing his things to head out the door. Just as the two of them were about to leave the room to let everyone know about the building wide shut down he grabbed her hand. "It's affecting the kids now, you know? It's one thing to go after us but they hear that shit. I heard about my dad's unsavory behavior for years, but it was only at parties, at school no one knew, and no one cared. But our kids? They get it at school. She's trying to graduate, and she has to deal with rumors that her dad is…"

"Except there's a huge difference, what they were saying about Mitchum was true so it was harder to ignore. What they're saying about you? It's a lie, it's not one of those 'where there's smoke, there's fire.' It's where there's Mitchum, there's chaos. You did nothing wrong, if I thought you had, if I had even a sliver of a doubt that you had done anything that were in those tabloids I wouldn't be here. You know that, and the kids know that. You didn't do anything wrong Logan. But, I do think we need to stop keeping the kids in the dark."

With a silent squeeze of her hand he bent his head down, resting his forehead on hers. "I don't deserve you." She lifted her free hand to cup his cheek and gave him a small kiss before they made their way out into the offices.

RLRLRL

"Hey guys, on our way home. Core family dinner tonight, tell the other two they can invite their parents over for dessert."

"You'll actually be home for dinner?"

"Conrad don't be an ass."

Rory showed Logan the group text between her and their kids. "Their friendship is really something special isn't it. Why are you inviting the boys over for dessert?"

"You know they've both been married for years and have kids of their own, it's not just the boys anymore. And I invited them because I think it would be nice to have an evening at home with friends and family. Plus, the kids might want to hang out with their friends after all of this, especially if they're anything like you. Which judging by our credit card bills, they are."

When they arrived home their chef had prepared pot roast and had set the table and they all sat there until finally Conrad spoke up. "Guys, what the hell is going on?"

"Well, I guess that's one way to start the conversation…"

"Mom."

"Sorry. It's just a lot. Okay, so your dad's dad is an asshole."

"No, that's a way to start a conversation." Logan added with a smirk. "But your mom isn't wrong. He is trying to get back at us for buying out HPG, we believe he has people spying on the company and is trying to get secrets. It's why we've been out there so much trying to find the mole. He also, because he's Mitchum, decided to go after the two of us personally. He decided to act our marriage and my fidelity to your mom, and my commitment to our family."

"Dear god, he should bug this house, he'd hear that your very *ahem* committed to mom."

"Oh lord Conrad don't be gross."

"Anyway, I'm sure some comments have been made to you." Logan watched as both of his kids started playing with the napkins on their laps and avoiding making eye contact. His anger surged, and Rory took over.

"Just know that those comments are wrong, your dad and I are great. Have been for years, pretty much since the day we got engaged, and not only that but your dad and I are constantly in therapy and have been since Conrad was born to make sure we're still working together as a team. I don't know how to combat the rumors with the exception of doing things we normally do and being a family, but your dad and I are so sorry that you're dealing with the fall out of this purchase. If we would have known that this would have been the repercussions, we wouldn't have made this choice. But we did, and we're here and we're dealing with it all together."

Finally, Logan spoke up. "And Charlie, please focus on school and graduation and your move. Do not worry about this at all. How is school going for the both of you? We're only a few weeks away from graduation."

"Well Charlotte got valed— OW! What was that for?" Conrad yelped as he got kicked under the table.

Logan and Rory shot glances over the table at each other before they both shot up. "YOU WHAT?!"

"I got valedictorian…" Charlotte mumbled back.

"That is amazing, and we are so proud of you." Rory gave her daughter a hug as Logan did the same.

"Why didn't you want us to know?"

"I don't know, it's not a big deal" She shrugged her shoulders and Rory saw herself so many years ago.

"I didn't think it was a big deal either, but it was for me. Enjoy the moment, okay? Have fun with it because you worked hard, and you deserve it."

Logan whipped his head around. "You were valedictorian?!"

"Have you been with me just for my looks this whole time?"