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Sarah finally had the chance to call Jon a little before noon. “Great story. Well done,” she told him.

Jon’s exclusive online interview was now being parroted by every television network and news agency around the country. The media was scrambling to present any angle they could. One network revealed a photo of Sandstrom’s disgruntled wife, waving off the cameras to get in her Jag. Sarah had seen the pattern before. The woman would file for divorce, hoping to get her share of their nest egg but not realizing their funds had already been frozen.

“I especially loved the part where you hinted that the investigation about the Polar Bear Bomber was still under way since questions have been raised.” She laughed. “That frosted Darcy’s boss, but it also kick-started him to reopen the investigation an hour ago. That ought to bring Carson, Sandstrom, and the president some sleepless nights.”

“We’ll put the pieces together somehow,” Jon said.

“I have no doubt.”

American Frontier was being bombarded from all sides. Their stock price had plummeted within minutes of the breaking news. Ecology-minded picketers already clustered outside the headquarters. Frank Stapleton was surrounded with microphones and news cameras, disavowing knowledge of Sandstrom’s criminal activities and stating that American Frontier would assist the authorities in getting to the bottom of what had happened.

“There’s one sad thing about all of this, though,” Jon added. “The oil washing up on the shores can never fully be cleaned up.”

“I know. And it didn’t need to happen.”

Mistakes were sometimes unavoidable. Oil leaks happened. Equipment failed. Nothing was 100 percent foolproof. But criminal negligence? That was something different.

EN ROUTE TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Mid-flight, Sean realized how much had changed in his life in less than a month. Learning about his past had freed him to step into the present with confidence. His relationship with his father had changed. Sean no longer had to please him, avoid him, or fear being a failure in his eyes. That meant the sky was the limit on the NGOs and start-ups, Sean’s true passion. But his focus had changed—people first and money second. When the two went hand in hand, even better.

He thought back to the day when Drew had said, “Maybe it’s time to stop trying to be your brother and just be yourself. The man I know you are. The man I know you can be.”

Sean owed the sage Drew an apology. Their beloved mentor had been right, as always.

But even better, now Sean knew who he was, and he would passionately pursue that destiny.

He also knew he had to end the speculation in the media about him running for governor of New York. A political run was not for him, at least not right now. With the recent revelation about his birth father, this was not a good time for the Worthington family to face the digging and mudslinging that dogged every political campaign. They had already been hurt enough.

His father’s dream of a Worthington running for the top office of the United States might come true someday, but not right now. Not through Sean. Maybe someday Will would choose to run again. If so, and if Will asked, Sean would be by his side again as campaign manager. After all, they were brothers and would watch each other’s backs.

As soon as Sean’s plane was on the tarmac, waiting to taxi to the arrival gate, he took advantage of the few minutes to make another call.

Jon picked up immediately. “You in Seattle?”

“Just landed,” Sean answered. “But how did you know? Oh, of course. Elizabeth.”

“Yup. She’s pretty happy you’re coming to see her. You are coming to see her, right?” Jon teased. “To say what you should have said a long time ago?”

“Hoping to,” he admitted. “Guess I’ll know soon. But that isn’t why I called. I thought you might like another exclusive.”

NEW YORK CITY

“What do you think, son?” Bill Worthington asked Will.

The two men were sitting on the couch in Bill and Ava’s New York penthouse.

“About the opportunity?” Will asked. “I don’t know. Drew told me I should think about it awhile back, in case the possibility came up. I have been. But I can’t seem to get past a big bump in the road. I keep asking myself, ‘What could I have done differently to keep American Frontier from getting to this point?’” He shrugged. “If I can’t figure that out, will I make a good leader for the company?”

His father nodded, understanding the quandary. “I have often asked myself the same question in different business ventures. In this case, though, you followed the path of integrity. You pushed for research, for more time before drilling in the Arctic. Sandstrom and the board didn’t listen.”

“What could I have done to make them listen?” Will asked.

His father shook his head. “You can’t always change people’s minds. They can be pigheaded sometimes. Look at me. Took me over three decades to come to terms with who Sean might be. I never asked Ava the question I should have—is he really my son? And you know why I didn’t?” Bill didn’t wait for an answer. “Because I was afraid. I was afraid of knowing the truth, of losing her.” He looked fiercely at Will. “Fear can keep you from asking questions you should, from doing things you should. You, son, were far more of a father to Sean than I ever was. I sacrificed my family to build an empire.”

“But Dad—”

“Let me finish. I thought I was doing the right thing for you kids—ensuring a solid future so our family would endure many more generations. But along the way I didn’t learn the lessons I should have from my father. I remember often feeling lonely and fatherless as I grew up. My father wasn’t one to give me time or affection. I followed the same path, leaving Ava and you kids alone far too much. When I think . . .” He choked up. “Will, you have what I never had.”

Will frowned. “What’s that?”

“Balance. I see the time you spend with Laura and the kids, the way you put them first, the decisions you make as a result. I think you learned the hard way about being lonely, because I was gone a lot of your growing-up years too.” He held up a hand. “And don’t deny it. Ava and I have talked about it. She’s set me straight, as hard as it was to hear. But you? You’ve watched what I’ve done right and what I’ve done wrong, and you’re a better man for it.”

His father was right. Will couldn’t deny he’d made some decisions about his own priorities because he’d wanted things to be different for him, for Laura, for his kids. “That’s one of my concerns,” he admitted. “Running Worthington Shares and also juggling CEO of AF. I’m not certain I can do both. And do both well.”

“But you don’t have to do both by yourself. You’ve already surrounded yourself with capable people—people you can trust, like Drew, like Sean. But do things differently than I did. Learn to let go. Will, you’ve seen the upside and the downside of me being off balance. And you have something else too—Laura on your side. She’s a different generation than Ava, and a different temperament.” He chuckled. “She won’t let you get off balance.”

Will laughed, thinking of this week, when she’d reined in his business schedule because it overlapped with an event of Andrew’s. “You’re right.”

“Will, you’re on the right path. And now I think Sean is too. He’s run some ideas by me for fine-tuning his role at Worthington Shares that he wants to talk with you about. Making that side of the business his own, and even better.” Pride glimmered in his father’s eyes. “Both of you have chosen to do what’s right, as hard as that is sometimes. There’s no greater legacy I can leave my sons or my daughter. God knows I haven’t been perfect. I’ve made some big mistakes along the way. There’s a lot I have to make up for—with Ava especially.” Bill straightened, his stance once again that of a business titan. “I had to make a decision. To no longer be held back by the fear of what might happen. I need to live by my own creed. The only failure is in not trying, in not giving something your all.”

“So, Dad, what would you do? Would you take on AF? Now?”

His father studied him. “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

Will leaned back against the couch. This time there was no pushing. No “Will, you can save the world, and you’re the only one who can do it” speech. Only a few words that showed his father believed in him and in what he could do.