Page 6 of Flawless Foundations

I waste no time; they are barely out of the room when I decide I've waited long enough to hear my own fate. "Well that was unnecessary. What do you want to discuss?"

He sits down in the seat Kitty just vacated and sighs heavily. "I don't know where I went wrong with you two. I gave you both everything. You never wanted for anything. This is the thanks I receive?"

Yeah, this is a game I'm not interested in playing. "Whatever the hell that was, let's just cut to the chase. You turning the company over to me or not?" I hold my breath. He levels me with a stare.

"I honestly don't know that I trust you not to run King Cosmetics into the ground." I'm irate at his words. I stand. It takes great focus to set my glass down on the glass table next to the couch.

"I've worked my ass off for this company. I know I don't own any part of it yet, but it's my company too. Everything I've done in my life, up until this very moment, was in preparation to take over."

"You haven't done everything," he corrects.

"What are you talking about?"

"You didn't marry Darcy. That was important to this business, Levi, and you flat out disobeyed me."

I run my hand distraughtly through my hair. "I'm a grown man, and I decide who I marry. I decided I wasn't going to marry a woman who couldn't even wait until the ink was dry on our marriage license before cheating on me. Twice."

He waves my words away. "Be that as it may, you didn't follow the rules of our agreement."

I straighten. "What?"

"When you started working at King Cosmetics, you signed an agreement stating that when the time came, you would take over the company. That you would be married and have made at least three contributions, such as company growth, monetarily, and public image to the company. You've already invested some of your own money, but you've not done much to grow the company, and your public image was to show that you were committed in every aspect of your life."

Fuck.I did agree to all that shit. I stand there and stare at him. I hear a thump outside the parlor door, and glance at the door, but it doesn't open. Before I can gather my words, he continues to lay it on the line.

"Until you can fulfill all of those three contributions, you will not be stepping into the role of CEO of King Cosmetics. You have until the end of the year, or for the first time in its history, the company will not be run by a King." He sits in his chair like he's the Great and Powerful Oz. I've never wanted to hit my father before, but right now, at this moment, I can't be in the same room as him for a second longer.

I turn on my heel and walk out of the room. I walk all the way to the front door without stopping. It isn't until I'm in the elevator back in 425 Madison, on my way up to the 14th floor, that my anger starts to fade away and my determination to still get my company sets in.

I will be the next CEO of King Cosmetics, no matter what.

Chapter 5

Becca

Isit down on one of the plush sofas in the lobby of the 425 Madison building. Marshal will be here to pick me up any minute, but I'm feeling a bit moody toward him since he caused me to get chewed out by my jackass manager yesterday when I was working. Speaking of the jackass, I have a voicemail from him that came in while I was getting ready. Plus, I have a no answer rule when it comes to work. I let all calls roll to voicemail. Maybe I'm a bitch, but I'm not going to cover a shift for just anyone, I'm a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" kinda girl.

I pull up his message and give it a listen.

"Becca, this doesn't look good, your no show tonight. This is going down in your file. I couldn’t give a rat's ass who your mommy and daddy are. You pull this shit again and consider yourself out of a job."I rip my phone away from my ear and shove it into my tiny purse.

Rick's voice mail from only a few minutes ago leaves me pissy and ready to call him back and tell him to fuck off. I called in two days ago, letting him and the staff know that I needed someone to cover my shift tonight. My shift is being covered, and I wasn't just a no show. In the five years I've worked at Blush, I think I've called in a total of five times. All due to sickness.

"Kiss my ass," I grumble, crossing one leg over the other, I punch my fist down on the couch next to my thigh.

"Yikes, what did that couch ever do to you?" I hear an annoyingly smooth, deep voice in front of me. Looking up, I'm greeted by an equally annoying man.

"Go away, Levi." I roll my eyes at his presence.

He chuckles but doesn't leave. "Really, I'd like to know what's got you all fired up."

I look to the ceiling and grumble, trying to cool myself down. The added presence of Levi isn’t going to do anything positive for my mood. Marshal would be pissed if I showed up to his business meeting in bitch mode.

"My job. I'm sick of it," I mutter.

"Yeah? You working tonight?" He shifts on his feet, his hands casually in his pockets. I take a moment to drink him in. His tall, athletic form is clad in a sharp, black business suit. He's not wearing a tie which is for the best. Levi King wearing a tie makes me want to do dirty things with him and said tie.

"No, dinner date," I tell him.

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