SKYLAR
I stood frozen in my place while staring at him. I knew that coming here was a mistake. I now realized that I couldn't say no to my parents' request but this was the only exception. After all these years I comprehended that I couldn't face him at all.
"Well? Are you going to inform me about the reason for your unexpected visit or you will just waste my time while standing immobile in my office, Mrs. Bredehoft?"
I could feel my teeth start to grind. The way he was addressing me with my married name there was an unmistakable sneer and insult in his voice. He was looking at me with those cold green eyes and he didn't even bother to hide the scorn he was feeling at the moment. I have to remember that this was not the same man I knew four years ago!
I cleared my throat while debating if I would push through this ridiculous meeting or if I should turn around and leave as soon as I can. I couldn't do it. I simply cannot. Maybe I would never be prepared to see him again after everything that happened in the past.
"If you don't have anything to say, after all, you may go." He gestured to the door behind me with his hand. "I hate people wasting my time. I have work to do."
I swallowed hard as I was about to abide by his suggestion and get the hell out of there but then I was about to do that I recalled my dad's sad face this morning. Even if, he claimed that he was okay with the idea of losing control of our company because of this man I knew deep inside he was broken-hearted seeing someone commanding the company my grandfather built. So I hardened my heart as I forced myself to look this man straight in the eyes.
I tightened the hold of my handbag as if it was my only lifeline. I defiantly raised my chin. "I-I came here to talk to you about my dad's company."
"Ah," Satisfaction fitted his green eyes. I watched him sit on his swivel chair and sat back comfortably in it. "I gather that much. What do you want to talk about it, Mrs. Bredehoft?"
My jaw clenched the way he was addressing me. I perceived by now that he was addressing me with my married name out of spite. He was rubbing it to my face at every opportunity he had. I have to remember that he was an almost different man. Well, technically, that's true because now he was one of the most powerful men in America. "I heard that you recently bought fifty-five percent stocks of my father's company."
His fingertips tapped on his glass table playfully while looking at me with a crooked smile in the corner of his mouth. "Yes. That's correct."
My eyes narrowed in his direction. "What are you planning? Do you plan on taking over my dad's company after the executive board meeting next month?"
He merely raised an eyebrow in my direction, there was a sardonic smile playing on his mouth. "Are you questioning my decision on buying shares from your father's company? Am I right?"
"Yes." I sighed deeply. I was aware of how my heart hammering so hard in my chest that I felt that he could also hear it. There was something that was nagging me since I learned that he bought shares from our company and I wanted to ask him about it. This might be the right time. "Don't tell me that the reason you are doing this is that you want revenge on me?"
"Not everything revolves around you, Mrs. Bredehoft." He scoffed, looking at me with bored eyes. "Don't assume things."
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" I snapped at him before I have the chance to stop myself and lost my composure altogether. "Don't address me with 'Mrs. Bredehoft' repeatedly I have a name in case you forgot!"
He feigned a look of surprise but deep down I knew that he was just faking his reaction. Sadly, I knew him too well. "My apologies, I thought you wanted to be addressed with your husband's name. Oh, yeah, I remember that he died six months ago you must still be grieving. I am sorry for your loss at such a young age you become a widow."
I grind my teeth while glowering at him. He wasn't a bit sorry for me. The mocking in his voice was so obvious. "I did not come here to talk about my marriage. I am here on my parents' behalf."
Unmistakable anger flashed in his eyes before blinking it away. He shot a look at the wedding ring on my finger before settling his furious gaze on my face. "You must love him dearly for you to still wear your wedding ring after his death."
I refused the urge to run my finger on the wedding ring on my finger, which currently felt cold and heavy in my hand. I should have removed it before coming here to his office. Wait, why do I have to do that? The idea was absurd! "For the last time, I don't want to talk about my marriage."
He shrugged unfeelingly. "If that's what you want."
"Why did you, all of a sudden, buy almost half of the shares of my father's company?" I pressed the issue. "Can you look me in the eye and deny that you did that because you want to get even on me?"
"Do you think I bought those shares because I want revenge?"
"To be honest, yes," I answered without hesitation. "Because there's no way you will have a sudden interest in my father's business if not for your thirst to see my downfall. You want to settle the score for hurting you four years ago."
He smirked at me. "That's some serious accusation, Mrs. Bredehoft. But sorry to inform you that the reason for buying the shares in your father's company is purely business. You see, I am a businessman now and a good businessman never missed a good opportunity. I have this plan on expanding my business portfolio and your father's business happened to pique my interest that's why I want to explore Industrial Business."
I let out the breath I was holding with his answer but I was still not fully convinced. For now, I would just believe in his words. "Are you going to take the chairmanship of the company from my dad?"
He just raised an eyebrow in my direction while a small smile played on his lips. "Ah, that's the real reason why you went here, isn't it? Your parents must force you to come and see me and act as their representative knowing seeing me again must be the last thing you want. But being an obedient daughter that you are, of course, you feel obligated to act as their damned attorney."
"Stop ridiculing me and my parents!"
I immediately took a step backward when he abruptly stood from his chair and glowered at me. He started advancing in my direction. "Am I ridiculing you and your precious parents? Oh, come on, what do you think of me? A snob person like your mother? A woman who never gives a person a second look if she thinks that he was not worthy of her time and treated him like dirt because he was inferior to her social status."
I blanched at his words. I knew that any conversation with him would only lead to this topic. I was aware of the menacing anger that pouring out of him. With his years of resentment toward our family, I was surprised until now he hasn't done anything to our family and sees us ruined now that power was at his fingertips. I guessed that he was just biding his time and waiting for the right time.
"What? Are you not going to defend your mother against me?" He mocked, standing closer to me.
I could already smell his perfume from this distance. I was surprised when I smell the same scent I bought for him in the past as a Christmas gift. Was he still using that same brand of perfume? Then I realized that he was looking at me as if expecting me to answer him. "N-No. I will not defend her. I am done defending her with her actions."
He raised an eyebrow. "How surprising? I guess you finally knew how to stand on your own. Marriage does wonder to a person."
I glared at him insolently as I felt a twinge on my chest. "You do know damned well that I already proved that I can stand on my own, way before I married Charles. I can defy my parents' wish for—"
"Never speak of that bastard's name in my face if you knew what's good for you." He hissed, while his eyes filled with hatred and anger. "I do not want to hear his name."
"I was just making a point!"
"I don't want to hear it, nevertheless!" He retorted back, his green eyes snapping with fire.
I knew that I should back down but I couldn't help it since he was the one who started this conversation and now I wondered why he was so mad. "You're the one who started this topic and now you are being an ass for the reason you only know."
It seemed that he was taking a back when he took a deep breath as if calming himself. His expressive eyes a while ago were now once again emotionless. "You're here to appeal your dear daddy's case right? You are hoping that I will not take over your family's business and your dad will remain as the chairman of the company."
"Yes," I answered, there was no way of denying the reason why I came here in the first place. I did not come here as my mother had requested. I came here because of dad.
He moved backward, thankfully. He rested his hip on the glass table while crossing his arms. "But what do I get in return?"
I blinked at him. "What?"
He allowed himself to smile slightly. "Do you think there's still free in this world? Everything has a price, don't you think?"
I moistened my lower lip. I should have known that he was expecting something in return for the favor I am asking him. But what deal could I strike with him that he would have a hard time resisting? Money? I still have decent savings in my bank account but would that be sufficient? "If you want money I can arrange—"
He chuckled sarcastically, looking down at his pristine appearance. "Do you think I am still that person who barely makes a living in Brooklyn? I am now one of the heirs of the St. Clair family."
"Of course," I conceded while looking away. I felt my cheeks heat while being reminded that he could now buy anything he sets his eyes on. "I didn't mean to imply that..." I shook my head. "What do you want in exchange for the chairmanship of my dad's company?"
"Can't you guess?"
I shook my head regretfully. "No."
He arched his brow suggestively at me. "You're not even trying to guest. I thought you are smart why don't figure it out."
I frowned at him while mulling my brain for the possible arrangement he was expecting in return. Oh, wait. "Don't tell me..." I couldn't even bother to finish the sentence because I think I was just mistaken. There was no way in hell.
A cold smile fitted his lips. "You finally realized what I want, yes? A small price to pay for your father's position, don't you think?"
My palm suddenly landed on his cheek. I could almost feel a red haze in my eyes. The pain in my palm was not near the pain in my heart at the moment. "Damn you to hell! There is no way in hell I will prostitute myself to repay the favor of letting my father retain his position in his company. I will never be your sex slave!"
He rubbed his cheek where my palm landed. There was a scornful smile playing on the corner of his mouth. "I told you in the past that violence isn't always the answer. And who says about being my sex slave? For your information, I don't want a recently widowed woman to be my next bed warmer." He looked at me from head to toe. "Besides, do you think I will have a lack of supply with available women in town if I want a sex slave? You'll be surprised how many women would be willing to fill the position."
Of course, I knew that. Despite my effort to steer clear of any news about him in the past four years, it was a hard task since he was the favorite topic of Page Six. He would not be seen with a woman in his arms and he would be surely on the front pages of every tabloid in New York. Sometimes I couldn't resist reading the articles about him and the latest woman he was currently dating. "W-What...do you want me to do then?"
"Use your body," he answered callously. "But not in a sexual way. Work for me if you want your dear daddy to retain his position in his beloved company."
"Work?" I echoed in confusion. "What kind of work?"
He detached himself from the glass table and walked in the glass window. He mimicked his position before I entered his office. He was looking outside his office window while his back was to me. "I need a temporary secretary because my current secretary is heavily pregnant. I want you to fill in the position."
"But I think she was not heavily pregnant when I saw her outside your office."
"That's not my secretary. She's just a temporary while the HR is still looking for the person qualified for the position."
"What about her? I think she's more than qualified for the position. She seems efficient with her work. I think the woman outside will be capable of the job until your secretary returns from her leave."
"She is already needed in their department." He snapped while looking at me over his shoulder. "Do you want to accept my condition or not? If not, then you are now free to leave and think of another way of how your father will still hold his position in the next executive board meeting."
"Wait! What about my work?" I asked exasperatingly. "I cannot possibly drop everything and work for you, can I? I also have work in case you are not aware."
He shrugged unsympathetically. "Your choice. Work for me or your father will lose his position in his company."
"At least, give me time to think."
"Twenty-four hours."
"What?!" I asked in askance. How could I decide in that short time? "You can't possibly be serious."
"I am. And you know very well that I hate when people are wasting my time. I am giving you twenty-four hours from now to give me your answer."
"Bastard!" I hissed at him, I never felt so angry in my life until now. "Since did you become so demanding?"
He gave me his full attention and his eyes filled with emotions that I couldn't recognize. "Since I found out that people will do whatever you like at the flick of your finger if you have money."
A/N: To mark the completion of this story next week. I will be dropping two chapters here. Full story on my Patreon and Amazon Kindle. Link on my bio.