Page 101 of The Passion

“You’re wrong, but continue.” My voice is calmer than I expected, and I can feel my inner strength holding me firm.

“Oh, you think you know everything and are in complete control. Well, I can tell you now, you are so far from it. There is a board members and shareholders meeting in forty-five minutes’ time, at eight am, where I will be revealing my information. There is no way they will vote you in as the new CEO at your meeting later this week that you had planned, when they find out we are being attacked from the outside by a hostile takeover.”

My mouth drops open, and no words are coming out.

“That’s right, and they will find out the person trying to take over this company is the man you proclaim to be better than me, Flynn Taylor. Just like your mother, you will open your legs for anyone. He is just fucking you for power!”

The blood rushes from my head, and although I’m sitting, I feel like I’m about to pass out. This can’t be happening.

He wouldn’t do that to me.

Flynn loves me, he told me. He showed me.

Was it all just a lie to get control of my company?

My father turns and heads to the door. He stops with his hand on the knob and turns to look over his shoulder at me with nothing but pure satisfaction at the bomb he just dropped.

“You might be a conniving little bitch, but just remember, I’ve been playing these underhanded tricks a lot longer than you. I’d say that’s checkmate to me, in your little chess game.”

The rush of thoughts in my head and total disbelief of what I’ve been told has just shattered every last piece of strength and confidence I have been storing inside me.

I trusted Flynn. For the first time in my life, I let down my walls, and I trusted him.

Why wouldn’t he have told me, unless he was being deceitful, and it was all a plan?

But surely not everyone was in on this—his friends, Cherie. It’s just not possible for that many people to be so cruel.

I felt these people becoming my friends, they cared.

Wait, is this just my father trying to drive a wedge between us? It has to be a trick, trying to make me let my guard down.

“Felisha, are you listening to me?” Harper is trying to get my attention, snapping her fingers in front of me.

“It can’t be real,” I whisper with the little strength there is in my voice right now.

“What the hell can’t be real? Talk to me.” All I can see is her very concerned look staring at me, and I feel like I’m about to throw up.

“Right, I don’t give a fuck about my job. I’m going to find your father and fuck him up.” Harper’s words shake me up.

“No. Stop.” I grab her arm, stopping her from moving.

Mustering everything that is inside me, I stand and walk to the door that she just came through, closing it and then walking to the cupboard beside the window and reach in for my calming tea. Boiling the kettle, I wait before pouring a tea. Not saying a word, just concentrating on breathing in and out. I can hear Harper moving behind me and just waiting for me to say something, but I can’t yet.

I take a few moments to compose myself, construct my walls, and get ready to work through this.

“My father proclaims that we are in the midst of a hostile takeover of the company.” I bring the cup to my mouth and blow on it as I take the first sip. “And the man responsible is Flynn.” I turn toward the window because I can’t look at her, but I hear her gasp.

“What. The actual. Fuck,” she says as she steps beside me and pulls on my arm to turn me to face her. “That can’t be true. You don’t honestly believe what that weasel father of yours is saying, do you?”

The answer is I honestly don’t know.

“No, yes, I don’t know. I want to believe it’s not true, but it’s too far out of left field, surely. Why would my father make that up?” Taking another sip of my tea, it’s like I’m on autopilot.

“Call him. Let Flynn tell you it’s all a lie.” I can tell Harper is as panicked as I feel on the inside, but I won’t let it show. I’ve spent most of my life hiding my feelings, so it’s easy to slip back into the mold.

“No.” I can’t. I don’t know if I could bear to hear him tell me it’s true.

“If I am to fight my father, I need to do this on my own. I will front the meeting and listen to what the shareholders tell me. If there is enough evidence, then I will confront Flynn face to face. This is not something I will do over a phone call.”

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