Page 71 of Sweetest Revenge

Asshole.

25

WARREN

Keeping Addi from this meeting was for her own good.

I just hope she slows the fuck down on her work.

I always knew what Addi could do, but seeing her in action again brought back pieces of our time together eight years ago. She had brought her own headphones, and even though she was obviously annoyed that I had stopped her from entering the room, she jumped right into work mode.

I was watching her progress on my phone.

Slowly, four hundred emails turned to three, and the numbers were steadily dropping every few minutes.

She was faster than even me. Starring things that needed immediate attention while labeling others. A smile threatened my lips when she replied to one of my more annoying vendors who had yet again asked for an extension and budget increase.

Please see the outlined terms of our contract above. You have already delayed the office renovation by a month. Another delay is unacceptable. Additionally, I looked at your funding request and do not see adequate proof that it is needed.

She was an incredible employee and able to adapt to whatever I threw at her. Both back then and now.

And at least this would get her mind off what her father had done. My chest ached just remembering seeing how distraught she had been after talking to Maxwell.

I almost punched him, even though I knew he had nothing to do with it. It was just the realization that her father had done some pretty fucked-up shit.

I allowed Nick to ramble on about his company and bring on presentations and reports while my thoughts were busy with Addi and the work she was doing, but now my patience was shot.

“I hope all this shows how glad I am that you decided to join us. We’ve been waiting for an opportunity to?—”

“Cut the bullshit,” I said and looked up at him. I was annoyed that I had to play this polite game in the first place. But for the sake of everyone’s reputation, I couldn’t just come charging in, yelling up a storm.

It wasn’t my style, and quite frankly, it would be embarrassing.

Men who needed to yell were no men at all. They were weak-willed cowards who used the fear loud anger pulled from those below them.

His smile dropped.

“You know why I’m here. You haven’t changed your ways. Rumor has it you’re abusing staff. Again.”

I had known that even before I invested. It was why I had invested when no one else would.

I hated people like him. Loved to see them suffer when I swept in and pulled out the rug from under them. They walked around thinking they were the shit. Not caring at all about the people whose lives they were ruining.

Greed. All they saw were the zeros at the end of their bank statement and not the blood pouring out of their victims’ wounds.

Fortunately for me, after so many years of doing this exact thing, it wasn’t hard. I had resources to make it work. Had the ability to be either the only or the biggest shareholder. One with enough power to demand change, and when it wasn’t working, take it into my own hands.

Unfortunately for them, most of their companies had a good chance at succeeding.

As long as I got rid of the weak link.

Doing it was healing. I wish I could have done it sooner. Would have saved everyone a lot of pain. Father would still be here. Alec would still be here.

And his daughter wouldn’t have had to sell her body to the likes of me to keep a roof over her head.

“Warren, I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, holding my gaze.

He’s always been a good bullshitter. He had that going for him at least. He used his looks and charming attitude to get people’s guard down before he pounced.

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