Page 68 of Inevitable Inheritance

“Going to ruin this company!” Rich responded. From her study session, Taylor was willing to bet Rich was Mr. Richard Tappen, chairman of the housewares industry of Preston. “And we are supposed to just let her come in here. We’re supposed to just kiss her ass! Well, I won’t do it!”

Something lit inside Taylor. She had heard enough. She strode forward and into the room, where everyone was looking in the opposite direction at a man who was red in the face. He had a head full of silver hair, and he was standing with his hands braced on top of a large boardroom table.

“You are absolutely right, Mr. Tappen. You won’t be kissing my ass or letting a spoiled child run this company.”

Every head in the room turned and stared at Taylor, and Richard Tappen’s face went from red to gray and ill looking at the speed of light.

“But let me assure all of you that ass-kissing would be futile, and I am well above age to be considered a child.”

Tappen straightened himself and cleared his throat. “Ms. Preston, I did not mean—”

“Have a seat, Mr. Tappen,” Taylor clipped. She didn’t want to pass out forgiveness just yet; she had to get a better feel for people first.

Obediently, Tappen took his seat.

“I understand that this corporation has been lacking a figurehead for some time, but I am here to change that,” she said, standing tall, feeling like the confident woman she had seen in the mirror. The words she had just heard, the way everyone was looking at her, and the possessiveness she felt for the company left her no other option.

“I know you have all been here through it all, working hard. And now I am here to say thank you because together we move forward. Today I will meet with each department head, and we will discuss what is going on with each division and what needs to be fixed. I have three projects that I have decided are top priorities for this company, including updating some of our biggest hotels—”

“With all due respect, Ms. Preston, that isn’t how things are done,” a salt-and-pepper-haired African American man said.

“Well, Mr. Jones, it is how things are going to be done now,” Taylor replied smoothly. “Todd, would you please pass out the packets?”

Todd and Charlie handed out the packets to each board member. She had to hand it to those two, they may have stolen her back, but they were on it when she asked for stuff.

“You have in front of you a severance packet,” Taylor said, and the intake of breath was audible in most of the group. “This is voluntary. Preston Corp. is going back to old-school. My grandfather and father had their hands in every aspect of this department; they knew the ins and outs, and this company excelled. So that is what I intend to do. After we meet, if you decide that the direction is not what you want, you can sign the paperwork in here and walk away. However, you only have twenty-four hours to return this. Also, if you have any deals of buying and purchasing in the works, I suggest you put the brakes on them now before they hear from some other source that Preston Corp. is not buying at the moment.”

The outbursts were unreal.

But Taylor held up her hands and silenced them at once.Powerful, she thought to herself. “Charlie, can I have the pictures please?” she said. A screen was dropped behind her, and the awful hotel suites started to slideshow past. “We have issues in house that need to be rectified before we take on any more. We will show the public, our employees, and our consumers that we take care of the things we build and market. And believe me, I do care, and I take care of what is mine. If that isn’t part of your plan, then fine. But sign the contract and don’t waste my time, because I have a corporation to bring up to date with the help of strong and committed people.”

Some people smiled in response, some sulked, and others remained stone-faced.

“So, first I am meeting with Lauren,” she announced, meeting the eyes of the woman in charge of the hotel division. “Everyone else please cancel deals and get things ready to be discussed. Charlie and Todd will be letting you know what time I plan on meeting with you all.”

As Taylor finished speaking, the executives started to move, taking direction very well. Everyone cleared the room except Lauren who stayed seated. She had been one of the ones smiling.

It was going to be okay, Taylor thought.

“Morning, Lauren,” Taylor said as she grabbed an iPad Todd had brought in for her and sat next to her. “Let’s take care of these hotels, shall we?” Taylor asked, and Lauren smiled broadly and nodded enthusiastically.

And for the first time, all Taylor could think was,I got this.

Chapter Seventeen

Derrick enteredPreston Corp. and was all too happy to go through security gates. He was glad Taylor had let Henry go all out, but he still didn’t like him.

Derrick had wanted to call or text Taylor all day, but he didn’t want her to think that he didn’t believe in her, so he waited. He also knew, though, if she wasn’t interrupted she wouldn’t eat, and who was going to tell the new boss to take a break? So he had cleared his schedule at two, figuring that would allow Taylor enough time to get through the major stuff she had wanted to focus on.

Getting through the paparazzi had been ridiculous. The second they saw him, he was surrounded, but he just kept walking forward. He wasn’t sure if Taylor was aware, but they were totally in the know about their engagement—thanks to Marty, of course. It wasn’t hard to believe. Who else would she be posting a picture of an engagement ring about after leavinghispenthouse?

“How did you propose?”

“When’s the wedding?”

“How big is the ring?”

Derrick ignored everything and stayed stone-faced, making his way into the building and up to Taylor’s floor.

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