Once Upon A Prostitute

CHAPTER 45 - MR CEO

"Tell him him to come in for an interview then." Eve said. "I will need like three more waiters for the luncheon next week. Make the call Matt, let's start the interviews"

Eve pulled out a chair and got straight to work making a budget and preparations for the luncheon. I checked my phone messages.

Luke: Hi beautiful

Me: Hello stranger 🤔

He'd been silent the whole week. After that night he talked about selling his soul to the devil, he just shut down. It reminded me of when he wouldn't tell me about Laura. I knew he was hiding something, but I figured if it was something about the company, they will resolve it sooner or later. Work wasn't something Luke talked about often, and I respected that. I didn't want to be the nosy girlfriend. He'd tell me when he was ready, or not. Either way I'd be here for him.

Luke: Sorry I went ghost, been really busy.

Me: It's okay.

Luke: So, I booked you a studio recording session for the weekend. Can you get off work tomorrow?

Me: Not sure Eve will let me. Violet isn't here, so it's just I and Matt. What about Sunday?

Luke: sounds great.

I smiled. I was excited to hear the studio version of my voice. I loved singing, and I just discovered that I may be able to write songs too. I was writing in my diary one morning and somehow it ended in a song. It had all the words I wanted to say...

"Guys, I need you" Eve called out.

I and Matt dug our heads out of our phones and made our way to the kitchen.

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Luke's POV

As soon as I drove into the parking lot, a wave of memories hit me so strongly, I almost threw up. I took deep breaths and steadied myself, then stepped out of the car. I walked into the elevator and pressed the circle button with a 3 on it.

As the doors closed, my eyes were drawn to the button with a B. Scenes of that day flashed again through my mind but I shook it off. The same way I shook it off repeatedly this whole week at school. Even though my conscience was eating me up, I convinced myself this was the best way. I couldn't go to jail. Yes, I had been defending my dad and Kurt, but I was the one who pulled the trigger, the one who killed Chipmunk. Even if it was ruled as manslaughter rather than murder, I will still face charges an accomplice for kidnapping and torture. Because how do I explain that a man was held in our basement for over 24 hours? How do I explain that I stood by while Kurt used his face for a punching bag? I couldn't come clean and confess to the cops because I knew my dad and Kurt will never back me up. There was too much at stake and they will rather turn on me. So here I am hoping that our new skeleton we buried remains buried forever.

Our skeleton

It was always my skeleton or his skeleton. Now we had one together. Not exactly what I had in mind all these years I craved a bond with my father.

He had asked me to come in during working hours today because we he had something important to show me. I wonder if they had finally cracked the code. When I left Monday morning, Miles was still trying to decode the file. Chipmunk, even when dead was giving him a run for his money. Or maybe I finally get to see the archive. I highly doubted it was any of the two, but I was curious.

I have something to ask my father too. It's been on my mind since the incident. It was what Chipmunk said - exodus. What on earth is exodus?

The elevator doors opened, and I stepped out. The receptionist greeted me and flashed a seductive smile. I simply nodded and proceeded down the hallways. I could see a good number of people in the boardroom, mostly top-level staff and some board members. The walls were glass, but it was soundproof, so I couldn't hear anything. My father was speaking, and they seemed to be laughing and nodding. Taking a deep breath, I stepped in.

"Congratulations" came shouts from various corners of the room.

I froze and stared at them. My birthday was on January 29th and I didn't win the lottery so what was going on?

I looked at my father questioningly. He was smiling at me. Weird! He raised his hands and the cheers quietened down.

"Today, it is with great pleasure that I present to you the new CEO of Crenshaw industries here in Twinhills, my son, Luke Crenshaw"

There were cheers and hoots again and I was speechless. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined my father to bend his decisions. He was a man of his words usually. If he told you that you were to become CEO in ten years, you will become CEO in ten years, but not a day sooner.

I guess killing someone changes everything.

My father was beckoning on me to step forward. I came closer and stood beside him. I said some words about taking the company to greater heights and continuing our legacy of success. I can't remember exactly what I said. It was all like a dream and even the cheers seemed far away as I took it all in.

Later that day in my new office, I looked out through the huge glass windows. I had a nice view. I could see the twin hills in the distance. This is what I've been wanting for so long. And now I had it.

My father poked his head in through the door. "Enjoying the view?"

I looked at him with a small smirk. "It's grand. Whose office was this?"

He strolled in with his hands in his pocket. "No one. I was saving it for you, for when you graduated"

"And now I have it. Why did you change your mind?" I asked him. I knew why. I just wanted to hear him say it.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. "Because you proved your loyalty, son. We're in this together now"

I wasn't sure being in the same boat with my father is something I should be happy about. But I comforted myself with the thought that I was getting something good out of it.

We stood there for a while, just taking in the view and talking about no particular thing. We really don't have much to talk about anyway. This is probably the longest calmest moment I've shared with my father in twenty years.

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Thanks for the reads pals 🤗