He grins and rises from his chair. “You heard me.”
My heart thunders in my chest. That’s a bigger opportunity than anything I’ve ever considered before. To keep my hands from shaking, I shove them into my pants pockets. “I’ll talk with Sean and Cora.”
“Don’t talk too long.” He winks and walks to the door. After he grabs the knob, he looks over his shoulder. “Why don’t you bring your dad aboard? It would be an excellent opportunity to prove to him that you’re ready to take the helm and you’re competent enough to chew gum and walk at the same time.”
I nod. “You’re right. This is the best opportunity I’ll ever have.”
Once Wes leaves, I call my father’s office. Only to be told he’s in a meeting. This could be the best of both worlds. If I can get my father on board, I can consolidate everything into the company, making it easier then he turns the company over to me.
I need to contact my attorney to have everything ironed out. An ironclad agreement that if my father falls through, everything reverts to me, and I remain in power of my business. I pace the floor. Or would it be better to keep it my business but work together, strengthening both the companies?
Someone bangs at the door, drawing my attention from the thoughts swirling in my head. My father barges through the room without waiting for me to reply. His shoes pound on the floor as if he’s a lion charging after its prey. And today, that prey is me.
Heather breezes into the room, trailing after him with a sneer on her lips like she’s stolen a golden goose egg.
“Shut the Door!” He barks at her.
“Yes, sir.” She sways her hips as she retreats to the door, shutting it as Cora stands on the other side of the threshold with her open palms facing the ceiling.
My back bristles. This is not good. Whateveritis, my father is foaming at the mouth.
“I was on my way to your office to propose a business deal that could catapult us to the top of the food chain.” I press my lips together. “But it looks like you have something on your mind.”
“Yes, I do.” His hands are fisted at his sides as his nostrils flare in anger. “Heather stopped by with some rather disturbing news, and frankly, I’m appalled by your behavior. Carrying on with one of your students.”
By the time the last words are out of his mouth, the gig is up. I don’t know how Heather found out, but she did. And it’s clear there’s no way she’s keeping her mouth shut. She’s out for blood. Daisy’s blood.
I hate that she’s so determined to destroy Daisy, but maybe this is for the best. We don’t have to wait any longer. I can resign from college and move forward with the app deal and my business. Because, thanks to Heather, the situation with my father is going to be unsalvageable.
Medical school will likely need to be pushed back a semester due to my class being canceled at the last minute, but money won’t be a concern for her. I’ll take care of anything she needs. The tension in my shoulders disappears. This is the right decision. Even if it was made for me.
It’s time to move on and start my future, rather than continuing to kiss my dad’s ass for something that should have never been up for debate. I’m his only child. I’ve worked at the company since I was in high school. It should come to me with no strings attached.
“Yes, I’ve been seeing Daisy Adler.”
“You aren’t denying it?” My father stares with his mouth gaped open.
“No.” I shrug and shake my head. “There’s no reason to. We met at Wyatt’s wedding before classes started and hit it off, not knowing I was her professor. When we found out, we decided not to see each other so she could finish her degree, but over time, waiting was not an option.”
“That is childish and immature. You can’t keep your dick in your pants for sixteen weeks? Are you serious? That is ridiculous.” He paces from the door to the desk. “The damage control.” He stops mid-step and slaps his hands on his hips. “Do you have any idea what it’s going to take for damage control? This is going to ruin my company’s reputation.”
Heather plops down in the chair across from my desk. “500k for me.”
“I’m not paying you one cent to keep quiet.” The bitch. She wouldn’t keep quiet anyway. It’s a fool’s errand to pay her.
She laughs, and anger shoots through me. She’s a conniving, manipulative bitch.
“Don’t be a fool.” My father waves his hand in the air like he’s swatting at a fly. “We’ll pay her. We have no other choice. There’s too much at stake. The company’s reputation. Your teaching degree. Any hope of finding a suitable woman to marry you if word gets out about this. You’re ruined. I’m ruined. All because you’re weak and irresponsible.”
“I’m not looking for anyone else to marry. I’m marrying Daisy.” Okay, I’ve got to ask her first, but now, there’s no reason to wait.
“You will not. Under no circumstances will you marry this girl. Daisy?” He scoffs. “Who names their kid Daisy? It’s an embarrassment that I raised you, only to have you betray me by sneaking around with this ridiculous child.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m going to marry Daisy, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m only sorry I waited this long to tell you, and I’m disgusted with myself for putting up with your bullshit for all these years. I’ll put in my immediate notice and send out a no longer doing business withTaylor Corporationto make things easier for you.”
“Alexander.” Smoke rises out of his head.
“Not so fast.” Heather tosses her feet on top of my desk, crossing her legs at the ankles. Stop thinking of it as my desk. It won’t be after today. “Daisy will never marry you because her father will forbid it. You think your father is tough.” She laughs. “Uncle Daniel is ten times worse. And Daisy will be banned from medical school if word gets out that she had an affair with you. So, you’re looking at not only giving up your company but Daisy being banished from the family and blackballed from practicing medicine.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Is that what you’re aiming to do, big boy? Ruining Daisy’s life?”