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Scoffing, Walt continues his tirade. “Please! Modern girls relish playing the temptation card, and then acting shocked. What did she expect? Of course, men will drool over her!”
A savage roar rips from my chest. “The only one at fault here is your associate's depraved son!”
Face purpling, Walt plops himself into the chair. He takes a deep breath before getting to his point. “Be that as it may, it’s done now. I trust you handled the aftermath? We don’t want any bad press because of something like this.”
My fist slams down, rattling my keyboard violently. “I handled it, alright. As if it isn’t enough that Preston attacked Maddie, Walsh dared come to the hospital and threaten her. The girl was drugged and attacked during their event! And you're concerned about the firm? Or about the publicity?” I bite out, disgust welling in my gut.
Oblivious, Walt checks his watch. “So, to minimize attention on this unpleasantness, I say we quietly sign Walsh's contract this afternoon. Business as usual. There’s no point dwelling on Preston.”
I slowly rise to my feet, muscles coiled tightly at my sides. “Walsh can take that contract and shove it up his ass. We're signing Hanes Robotics, and we are not looking back.”
Walt pounds the desk angrily. “Walsh Dynamics remains the optimal choice regardless of what went down. You're letting emotion muddy sound business sense! How dare you jeopardize my empire over some misplaced millennial nonsense!” he bellows. “You always were too weak-willed for business.”
I cross my arms stubbornly, the decision I should have made weeks ago now clear as day. “I don’t want to partner with them. Hanes Robotics shares our values and still brings innovation to the table. Walsh is full of entitlement, and to be frank, it repulses me.”
“Innovation is pointless without distribution reach!” Walt retorts. “I won't stand by watching you gamble away our hard-won market dominance over something like this. You intervened, Maddie is fine, now move on.”
I meet my father's scowling face head-on. “You assume this is only about Preston's attack. But it’s so much more than that.” I start pacing the floor, fists balled. “That little prick will pay for it, I’ll make sure of it.” I stop and stare at him. “It’s the entitlement of that family that revolts me more than anything.”
He stays silent as I continue venting.
“Roger assumes every room is his. Like the way he showed up in St. Maarten, without batting an eyelash. He takes what he wants, other people be damned. Remind you of anyone?” I cut my eyes meaningfully at Walt.
He scowls but remains silent. “Preston got that same self-importance from his daddy. He felt he could just take whatever caught his fantasy, no matter if it hurt another human in the process. Yes, Maddie is desirable and any man in his right mind would want her. But that doesn't mean that they have the right to her.”
I slow my frenzied steps, a firm resolve steeling my tone. “So, mock me as naive, Father, but I won't do business with them. I was leaning toward Hanes from the get-go anyway, and this has now sealed the deal for me.”
Walt rises from his chair, his face thunderous. “I slaved decades to grow this empire. Like hell, will I let you tank us over this gobbledygook! I'm seizing back control of this company right now.”
We stand locked in a blistering standoff, Walt apoplectic at my defiance and me unbudging.
“There’s another thing you should know.” I say calmly, examining his red face. There’s no point in keeping up the charade any longer. “There’ll be no wedding and no grandkids. Well, not anytime soon. And not with Maddie. We broke up.”
Jaw set, I hold my ground as he scoffs and turns around to leave. I go back behind my desk, unintimidated.
“And it’s good you’re taking back control, Father. My advice is to look for another lapdog willing to dance to your tune. Because I’m taking my software and going it on my own.”
27
PARISIAN PURSUITS
I turn up my “woo-hoo dance” playlist on my speaker before diving into my closet. The drug that Preston slipped into my drink and the medication that the doctors pumped into me have left me weak and nauseous. Today is the first day I have been feeling better, with more energy than over the past week combined.
Half my wardrobe covers the bed already, but I still have a few outfits to sort. I lift another black sweater and pant combo onto Grace who leans in my doorway, grinning.
“How long do you actually plan on staying in Paris? It looks like you’re packing your entire closet,” she jokes, peering at the pile of clothes splayed all over the room.
I continue scrutinizing crop tops, sorting them into yes, no, and maybe heaps before responding breezily. “The City of Light deserves only my most elegant ensembles, darling sister!”
Grace snorts. “Well don't forget date-worthy special occasion stuff between museums and long walks on the Seine.” She waggles her eyebrows playfully. “Hopefully, you’ll meet another hot billionaire over there. But this time don’t settle, baby sis. A French-speaking hottie is the least we will accept!” She dissolves into giggles as she drops herself on the chaise next to my bed, pushing the skirts stacked over the backrest aside.
I roll my eyes affectionately. “I highly doubt Aunt Viv has a French hunk stashed away for me in her designer handbag. And by the way, we don't need a billionaire anymore.” I pull out my phone and hold it to my face, logging in.
Turning my phone screen, I display my online banking app balance triumphantly. Grace's eyes bug out, her jaw dropping comically.
“Holy crap, Mads! Are all those zeros REAL?!”
She lunges up to grab my phone for closer inspection. Eyes still wide, she looks back and forth disbelievingly between me and the staggering figure.
