Marilyn Harrison.
Board meetings tend to drain all your patience until there's nothing left but the urge to slaughter everyone.
I am sitting in my main meeting room with 15 fat-ass investors who think I owe them my life just because they have put their money into my business. "Marilyn if you want my opinion regarding this partnership with the Wrights, I would say—"
"I don't." I interrupt Tripp before he could finish, "I have my own." He's been trying to convince me how great my company will be if I sell it to any of the highest bidders because a woman like me needs to stay home and build a family.
"But at least—" I raised my palm to stop him from speaking further, "I won't repeat Mr Tripp," I said in a stern tone. "Whatever needs to be dealt with the Wrights is already done thus, there is nothing to worry about. And the contract will be officially signed tomorrow."
"But what if in contrast to investing in their business, we offered them to invest in our own? What do you say?" One of the shareholders named Jacob said out loud.
Deep breath Marilyn, you cannot kill them. You still need their money.
"What is it? Are we some barter shop for you?" Sometimes I doubt why are they so rich when their brain is like a goldfish. "And regarding that, I think our capital budget is almost close to what is been agreed and we cannot seek more investors before amending the MOA. Or are you not aware of your own company's status? If so, I suggest why don't you sell your shares to the Wrights instead." Would be a big favour for my mental state.
"Jacob is not suggesting this because he is clueless but because he cares about our company, Miss Harrison. We are the shareholders of this company and we have the right to make decisions for it." Tripp speaks up.
"And Mr Tripp, I have also offered you full payment of your shares at the market price if you ever felt like your opinions were ignored. Do you know why I gave you all that offer?" I asked, looking at the faces of all fifteen of them. "Because...you will be ignored. So either you take the money and leave or shut your mouth."
Rude. But gets the work done.
"You think acting like a spoiled brat will make your company succeed? You are so mistaken, Marilyn." Tripp said, whose eyes will pop out of their sockets any moment. They are wide as shit.
"Well, being a misogynist won't bring me success either," I said, batting my eyelashes.
Smile. Give them your best smile.
"Did you just call me a misogynist?" Tripp is now out of his chair screaming at his highest tone. He looks like he is angry or maybe ashamed. "I have three daughters of my own, Miss. Harrison, I have raised them giving them whatever they need. I love my daughters and I never felt the need for a son. So, I'm the last person you should call a misogynist."
"And last I checked, two out of three of them are married to your recent business partner's family. So, if the shoe fits then I advise you to wear it, Mr.Tripp."
"You are going to regret this, Marilyn." Mr Tripp sneered, teeth gritted tight enough to fall apart.
"I have many regrets in my life but I'm damn sure this won't be one of them." I keep the sweet smile intake on my face while looking dead into Tripp's eyes I added, "So, touch what's mine and I'll strip you apart until there is nothing left in you." The whole meeting room went quiet and everyone looked around, under, anywhere except at my eyes.
"You don't get to threaten me. I am your shareholder. Because of me, your company is still alive. And because of me, your company will survive if it faces any obstacles. So choose your words wisely." A smirk sits on his face which is making my inside gag.
"And does that include that little ambush you and your sons-in-law are planning to do?" The moment words leave my lips Tripp's face has gone pale, mouth wide opening he froze. "Don't look so shocked. And don't worry, I won't interfere with it. I am honestly excited to see your creativity since you failed miserably to show it at your work." I said in an encouraging tone.
"I-I don't know what you are talking about. I'm not planning anything." Tripp shutters over words trying to neutralise his facial expression.
"If you insist then, sure. I'll believe you." I said closing my laptop, "Does anybody else have any queries, threats, or advice to present then please say it." When nobody said anything I stood up, "No? Then I think we can wrap it up. Thanks for your presence, everyone." People uttered goodbye in barely audible voices as I walk past them to leave the meeting room.
While on the way to my office, Luca fell in steps with me, "Can't you be a little gentle? Those men in there are terrified of you." Good.
"Did I threaten to kill anybody today? Or their family?" when he didn't answer I continued, "No. Which meant I was being extremely sweet."
"Don't blame me when someday one of these old guys gets a heart stroke because of you," Luca said, shaking his head with a sign. That will be a scene worth watching I would say but then Luca will give his heart retching disappointed look and I am not really in the mood for that.
"Then they should stay out of my fucking way." I spat the words.
"I miss your sick personality. She was sweet and caring. This one is always ready with a knife to stab." Luca said while walking towards his table leaving me in front of my office door.
"Too bad, she got bloodlust!" I yelled behind him to which he flip me off.
.....................................................................
It's already been two weeks of me losing my shit on the bathroom floor. Four days ago when Luca informed me of the date of our next meeting with the Wrights I assume we'll be using the postal service to deliver our signed agreement since that's how we normally did before. But when the Wrights specially requested a face-to-face contract signing event I felt like crawling into a hole.
But my nervousness vanishes when I see two of my nemesis sitting in the meeting room. "What a pleasant surprise Mr.Tripp and Mr.Jacob. It seems like I need to have a good talk with my assistant regarding the acceptance of uninvited guests." I said taking my seat at the head of the table eyeing Luca who is doing everything in his will to avoid my gaze.
"You are being funny Miss Harrison. We are all part Loiuse, there is no guest among us." Jacob replied letting out a big laugh.
"If I wanted to be funny I would have spoken about your unused brain cells, Mr.Jacob. But we are not are we?" Which made him stop laughing and scowling at me.
"There is no need to be so rude about us attending the meeting, Miss Harrison. Or are you hiding something that you don't want us to know?" Tripp being a Tripp spoke out with his default frown.
"More like, worried since you two tend towards being destructive and I honestly have no energy to clean your messes." When people hate your guts they would go to any length to bring you down. But when they repeatedly keep on failing they should stop. But some people are too oblivious to their idiocy.
"We are not kids! We are here to present our support since a young woman like you does not have much experience in dealing with such a big company."
"And you ask me not to call you a misogynist," I said with a shrug.
"I don't appreciate this attitude of yours, Marilyn. We are not your enemy, we just want to help you!" Tripp announced with a frustrated facial expression. Like I can't see the venom lurking behind those disappointed eyes he is throwing my way.
"I don't know how to say this nicely, so I won't. Do you want to sit in the meeting? Go ahead. But say a wrong word, just a word and I'll burn down your entire fucking mansion while you are in it. You understand?" I said in a low tone. Jacob nodded immediately while Tripp flashes all shades of red. "I'm not deaf and you are not mute, so use your voice. Please." I said in a normal voice with a wide smile stretching side to side which seem to scare them more since Jacob has gone entirely pale.
"Y-yes Marilyn." Jacob agreed.
"You don't dare." Tripp's angry voice rang through the walls.
"Don't tempt me" I said grinning at him just before Luca entered the office followed by Edward and Jake since Jesse took her maternity leave three days ago. God, I didn't even know she was married. "They are here," Luca announces before coming to stand behind me.
"Mark my words," I said standing up, pushing away the familiar panic to the corner of my head.
Ridge enter the room followed by two other men, one being Finn Harper but the other one wasn't here in our previous meeting. But the way his eyes were of the same familiar shade and facial structure which were way too similar to miss, I knew exactly who he was.
Elliot Wright, the famous centre player of the Kings, is one of the strongest NHL teams. Six years ago he was just enlisted but now he is one of the most expensive players in the league. And he is staring at me like I stole his candy. Whereas his brother was looking at me like he would find Mara within me.
He won't, I made sure of that. And the one who is standing in front of him is Marilyn, who plays dirty enough to win through every mess.
And he needs to see that, accept that and I'll make sure he is well aware of who exactly Marilyn is. How that little naive girl he met years ago never deserves this cruel world.
"Mr Ridge, a pleasure to meet you again," I said, forwarding my hand for shaking. To which he accepted immediately not leaving my eyes in the meanwhile. Nodding my head to Finn my gaze shifts towards Elliot. "And you must be...." I said letting him finish it acting like I have no idea who he was.
"Elliot. Elliot Wright. A pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Harrison. Have heard a lot about you." He said with a straight face not letting any emotion show. But the sharpness in his voice is noticeable.
After everybody was settled down Tripp open his mouth, "How was your flight?"
It's already past an hour of us going through the claws of the contract for the last time before signing it. "We normally don't invest in government-involved projects especially when three countries will be involved in this one. Are you sure they will not try to turn it into government investment?" I asked Wright. Government investing project are tends to bring much slower profit compared to private projects thus, involving in one of them is the last of our goals.
"I have a special acquaintance with the prime minister of England who also helped me to deal with the Canadian government. And regarding the US government if you insist we can talk-"
"I'll handle the president as long as the other two don't have any issues." I interrupted Ridge, to which he raised his eyebrows.
"As you wish." He replied.
"So I have another—" Before I could speak further Mr.Tripp interrupted me, "Marilyn, I am sure that the Wrights have sorted out all the issues which we have presented previously. There is no need to waste time on it again." Tripp said with a smile which is making every particle in me to smash my red Jimmy Choo in his skull.
"Mr.Tripp?" I said, which made him look toward me, "I am speaking." I said with a gritted teeth smile.
"All the required conditions are taken care of, don't worry Miss Harrison," Finn said assuringly. I gave him a small nod.
After all the claws are re-check and agreed upon by both parties we signed the agreement. Which will soon be a headline in both USA and Europe business news articles. A small press conference was held as well to give a public statement about The Wright and Louize's partnership for this upcoming project. Publicity was entirely managed by the team brought by the Wrights. We normally stay very low until the projects are launched but since Ridge wants the world to know about us working with them more like he wants his shareholders to know about it so we did whatever they asked as we have no such rule prohibiting publicity.
To celebrate this partnership a dinner was organized where the employees from both the company had informal talks more like my shareholders were absorbing every single detail about working procedures from their team who accompanied Ridge, Finn, and Elliot to the dinner.
But Ridge was entirely quite solely concentrated on his food. He was acting like I am not even here even though that's what I wanted him to do but I still felt a slight sting in my heart.
"Are you alright?" Luca murmurs near my ears keeping it audible only within us.
"Yes, I'm alright. How's the food?" I asked nodding towards the food, removing my eyes from everyone else to focus on Luca.
"It's good, but of course, I chose the place," Luca said with a shrug.
"Luca, how long are we going to ignore the fact that you didn't inform me about those two plague's presence in today's meeting?" I asked in a low tone which made him cough in his food and his body go entirely still. Everybody's gaze falls on us, "Drink some water." I said giving him a glass of water while smiling around.
"Pardon me," Luca said to everyone before taking the glass from me and giving me his puppy eyes as if they are going to work.
After making sure Luca was alright I looked at my opposite only to catch the pair of blue shades glaring at me. Ridge was looking at me like he loathed to be in my presence, like even my sight makes him sick. Hate. So so much hate.Even though it wasn't the first time someone looked at me like that I still felt the sing in my heart.
"Look, I honestly had no idea they were coming, otherwise I would have not allowed the security to grant them access," Luca said which made me move my gaze from Ridge towards him.
"We'll discuss that later," I said not making the matter bigger.
"That's Elliot Wright right? The one that plays for Kings?" Luca asked whispering in my ears like someone would hear him at this big table of almost twenty people.
"You don't need to whisper, the table is too big for them to hear. And yes he is, I guess." I said in a low tone bringing the fork to my mouth.
"Holy shit, he is huge, how huge can his dick be? And he is also involved in family business, what more can a broke gay man ask for?" Luca said all of this with a straight face like he didn't just ask me about Elliot's dick size.
"Why do you always choose straight men as your target? And how am I supposed to know his dick size, dockhead." My annoyed voice whisper around us.
"You have seen his brother and I'm sure the gene flows in the family based on how similar they look. So it'll be similar." Luca said not taking his eyes off the food.
"I didn't—" Before I could finish, "Oh please, the way you two look at each other seeing his dick is the last thing you have done," Luca said, cutting me midway. That made me flustered and my ears turned all hot. "Chill women, you look like a tomato," Luca said, whispering in my ears.
"Stop whispering in my ears!" I said in a low tone, "And we didn't do such things." I say even though I sound anything but convincing.
"Keep saying that and maybe you'll convince yourself." Luca replied, "But...seeing your man of choice for the past few years he is exactly the opposite of what you go for." Luca said sounding confused. Now who'll explain that he is the exact reason why I go for guys who look the complete opposite of him?
"I said we didn't have such things. And stop keeping track of my man of choices, someone's mind thinks you're in love with me." I said, looking sweetly at Luca.
"Oh please, I'd rather fall in love with a scarlet witch instead of you." He replied, which made me glare at him. I am not that bad. Reading my thought he raised his eyebrows at me saying 'Really?'
The dinner went on for two more hours before people started to leave. During the whole dinner, Ridge didn't look at me again except for that split second. Everybody was gone leaving me and Luca since our car is the last to arrive. But when I was about to get in the car, someone from behind call my name.
A waiter who served us today was standing in front of me looking almost scared to shit. "Yes?" I asked.
"Miss.Harrison I apologize for causing this hindrance but our manager wants to have a word with you. If you don't mind, please allow me to escort you to him." He said while trying to not piss in his pants.
Normally I would have said no, but seeing the guy and how scared he was I decided to go with him. "You stay here, I'll be back in a moment," I said to Luca who was already sitting in the car.
"You sure you don't want me to go with you?" Luca asked with a frown. To which I shook my head and joint the waiter to meet his manager.
The waiter took me across the restaurant, crossing the kitchen to the very back, "Where are we going?"I asked, looking around.
This isn't where the manager stays. But he didn't reply and took me to the very back of the restaurant opening a door that revealed the back alley with no one there. Suspecting something is wrong I turned to him but he ran inside closing the door in my face just before murmuring, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
My gut feeling knew something was wrong when he came to escort me to his manager then his manager came for me but the way he was so scared I decided to go with him. But he wasn't scared that his manager will fire him because when wanted to bring me into this alley.
I immediately try to open the door but before I could open it, someone covered my head with a hood and everything turned black.
My panic raise with the darkness and I try to remove it but someone holds my hands tightly enough to bring it to my back. I punches my hands around moving rapidly not allowing them the pause to tie it down. My fight mode turn on and the past scenarios started playing around my eyes.
I need light and I need these hands away from me.
"Let me go, don't touch me. Let me fucking go!" my voice broke when I am supposed to scream out loud for help. But a familiar fear takes in and I become numb all over.
Everything turns quiet and my ears started ringing. This is bad, my mind alerts me but I felt helpless all over again. They brought my both hands to the back tieing it together and then someone lift me placing me inside a car. But I don't miss to notice the absence of roughness and rather they were careful to not hurt me. But all this time while I was screaming, and cursing none of them said a single word which triggers a new fear in me.
I screamed and fight to free my hands but the rope was too tight. Tight enough that if I struggle too much my wrist will have cuts around them. But I didn't want to give up, give up to let time shows what was about to happen next. I struggle around more but there was no use. The door close around me but other than the reviving engine's sound there was no voice around me.
Fuck
Someone just abducted me from the back of a restaurant in the middle of fucking New York. No this can't be happening. I am going to die, isn't it?
But it's not time yet, I can't die now.
Taking in a deep breath I try to calm my beating heart down and start thinking. None of those who put me in the car got in. No, the one who is driving the car is someone else. Maybe there is only one of them in the car. Maybe I can fight him.
I struggle and move even more, start kicking around hoping to hit something, anything. But then a voice come proving me wrong and stopped me from moving turning my body stoned cold.
"Calm down, princess."
Ridge.
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕
Hey, everyone new chapter alert. This chapter is quite long and took me a lot of time to edit is out.
Personally, Marilyn is turning out to be a cold person who is only good to two specific person. And she really hates her investor. Why? I wonder that too😂
Anyway, she got kidnapped!!!!
What do you think is going to happen next?
Stay tune and don't forget to vote.
Byereerer 💖🎀