Mirage | 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣

Chapter 7

When everyone left the meeting room, I was left with President Jackson in the room. I was still shocked that he easily passed me onto his nephew's hands. I felt so surprised that he kept punishing me because of one mistake I had made. Was this the way my father felt? Even when he corruptibly became his Vice President? Did he feel as helpless as I did now?

"You can't quit now, Louisa", the President said, looking at the big windows that gave sight to the outside world, that felt so distant from me lately. I've felt disassociated from the real world for a while now.

"Yes, sir", I said and felt like a recorder, repeating the same words, over and over again. I started to feel tired.

He looked up to me and I could see his soulless eyes, staring right into mine. "Michael is going to do everything to bring me down", he said, and I understood what he meant. I've always admired this man, but right now I could read him this well: he wanted me to protect him. The same way my father had done before. "I don't know if we will win this war, Louisa, to be honest, I... I feel that this will be the end of me and this legacy your father and I worked so hard to build"

He was trying to get to me, using my father as a middle excuse. I clenched my fists, going unnoticed by the man that was showing me his true colors in desperate times. He was a coward, a man that had used my father before and that sees him in me. My father wasn't a bad man, President Jackson was. I started to notice ever since Michael Jackson came back into the picture a few months ago.

"I understand, sir", I said, using a monotone voice as I did. "I'm going to go now, Mr. Jackson has to be waiting for me at his new office", I said, bowing at him before leaving him there, alone.

I walked shaky steps to the secretary hall, feeling my world crumbling down with every day that goes by. Now I was in Michael Jackson's hands. And the man that was supposed to protect me is gone and the one that had to take care of me in behalf of my father had betrayed me, once again.

"Lou!", Reina rushed to me as I lifted my head and faked a smile. "Is it true you're going to be Mr. Jackson's secretary now?!", she asked, horrified as I nodded, tired.

"Oh my God!", Lenore said, covering her mouth with her hand. "What are you going to do?", she asked as I took a dissembled box and started arming it.

"What else can I do? I'll just get to work", I said, bitterly, but not meaning to be mean with them. I just felt as if I needed my space to think now, but I couldn't do it if they were at my back like this.

They kind of understood the message as they looked at each other and backed off my butt.

This useless war was over greed and possession, it was so stupid for me that in the end I understood why Michael did all of this. But I didn't understand why he had so much energy over it, now that he has went over a heart surgery and had to be recovering instead of pushing boundaries to make a point.

I took some painkillers for my headache as I went to the elevator with my few things to take over the new office.

When I saw Michael's P.A in the entrance of the office, I felt that this whole thing was stupid. He already had a Personal Assistant, what he would need me for! He already knew that I didn't directly obey the President's rules but the company's rules – I wouldn't tell him anything about the internal issues, never, not even if he tortures me. I have a strong mindset when it came to work.

"Ms. Ronan", the P.A guy said to me, nodding at me.

"Hi", I said, still bitter, as I placed the box on my new desk. I was about to order my stuff when I heard Mr. Jackson's voice from his office.

"Louisa Ronan come here", he said as I rolled my eyes and entered his office.

He was looking at something in the wall when I entered. "Yes, Mr. Jackson?", I asked him when I stood in front of his desk. He turned around to face me.