"Dad." I said softly. He turned to me with a guilty expression and gave me a weak smile, "Don't tell your mother?" I glowered at him and in our tense silence Athena got over her shock and approached my father.
"Papa?" She questioned. My father shot me a look that told me I shouldn't have brought her here but I shook my head. Athena needed to be here, this was a lesson I'd want to wait for another time but you could never put a watch on these things. She needed to know that people weren't always going to be around. He plastered a grin on his face and scooped her up and onto his lap.
"My Thisavrós"
I smiled at his Greek endearment, he didn't even talk to our mother in his home language but I knew what he had called her, his treasure. She was the silver lining in every bad situation, the Lawson treasure that money could never buy.
I sat in a chair and watched as Athena described her experience being sick, she told him about fathers day and I cringed, I forgot to call my own dad. Athena frowned and told him about Matty calling her a bastert,
"Papa, what's a bastert?"
He glared at me and I stifled a giggle, Athena thought he was the smartest person in the world and saved all her questions for him.
"Oh and Papa! Mummy said that we are moving house! Can we live with you Papa? I want to live in your house!" She exclaimed happily.
My father turned his attention to me and I forced a small smile, I spoke to him in French, knowing that Athena would understand parts of Italian and told my father that it wasn't safe for Athena and I to live in that apartment anymore. He nodded his head, understanding the importance of her staying a mystery and turned to Athena. He'd save his questions for later.
"Sure my Thisavrós, you and Mama can stay with me as long as you are a good girl." He said smiling.
Athena was always good for her Papa. Something I hadn't yet achieved but was working on. The two had a special bond and I couldn't possibly understand and didn't want to interfere, watching them was like watching two foreign people interact. They made strange hands gestures and sometimes babbled about nonsense. It was entertaining.
"I'll be a good girl Papa! I promise!" She exclaimed wildly with wide arm gestures. I leaned back in my chair and folded one leg over the other. I think I found another regret in this situation, not bringing my family together more often. I smiled as Athena made little binoculars with her hands, discussing the dilemma between saving the panda bear or eating ice cream. Her strange personality was something I loved dearly about her and not many people went along with it.
She giggled and told her Pa that the panda was a cookie and the ice cream was poisonous. She was glad she chose the panda! I didn't follow this but if she was talking to me I'd have gone along with it and been in that same place that she was.
While granddaughter and grandfather were distracted I pulled the papers my father was reading and signing to look at. I wondered what was worth stressing himself out about, but I didn't get a chance. I cringed and ran straight to the bathroom feeling my caffeinated breakfast escape through the toilet in my fathers bathroom. I wiped my mouth with toilet paper and flushed. Gross.
I walked out of the bathroom after washing my mouth out with water. I was glad Athena was too distracted to notice but I wasn't lucky enough with my dad. I gave him a weak smile. I had been told it was a side effect of the morning after pill. I was told that I could possibly throw up. I shook my head at my father and smiled. There was also a possibility that I got the tummy bug Athena had, there was no way to be sure. I wasn't sure which I wanted it to be. I ignored the awkward churning of my stomach and looked at the papers, frowning and looking at my father.
"Dad..." I murmured, "These papers say that I'm now CEO..."
The conversing between Athena and dad stopped when he smiled and nodded at me. It wasn't supposed to happen for another week. I blinked at the papers and pursed my lips.
"I have ensured that there is nothing to happen for a while, so you get used to this position, but now, with the start of this war between companies, switching between CEO's in the middle is no way to assert a stable lead and I'm in no position to do the long haul."
I nodded at him. I needed a drink, all of a sudden I felt the weight of my new position. I called Tara asked her to call our company lawyers to finalise this. I had spent years preparing for this and suddenly I felt like I wasn't ready. I felt like a child again, about to head into elementary school and not wanting to leave my parents.
I felt tiny arms wrap around me and a large hand engulfing my hand. I looked to see my dad taking my hand and my baby hugging me. Her eyes shining with pride. "Is Mummy the boss now?" She asked no one in particular. I nodded unable to speak. Athena squealed happily and jumped around the room.
"Thena," I said noticing the colour pencils and paper, "Why don't you draw a picture for Papa?"
She stopped jumping as her eyes skimmed the room, finally landing on the paper and pencils. She looked between us and cheered her acceptance, sitting on the couch and playing silently. The only interaction she had with children was during day care, other than that she was surrounded by adults, did that mean she grew up quicker than most? She hummed a soft song she had made up and I smiled at her.
I turned to me dad and sighed. "You look like crap old man." He chuckled and nodded,
"And after having your head in a toilet? Like you look any better." Was his retort.
I huffed at him and pouted as he laughed once again at my expense.
My father and I were close we talked without needing to talk, we always had some kind of unspoken agreement. The one thing we didn't agree on was Cindy, I didn't know if I could trust her. Her father's blood still ran through her veins and she was the only thing that was stopping Axel from gaining more control. She held the remaining 8% of our company's shares. I needed to talk to my dad about this.
"Dad..." My tone of voice had changed and he looked at me with confusion. "About the shares..." I didn't feel comfortable or confident expressing doubt in my own family, but this had to be said.
"Cindy holds so much power... She's the sole reason that Halbridge doesn't have part control... I don't trust that she-"
My father glared at me and I stopped talking, the famous Lawson glare. He pinched the bridge of his nose, our trait for stress, and took a deep breath.
"Elizabeth-" He narrowed his eyes at me. "-You can't keep looking at her like Alexander. That vile man had no part in her life, she is nothing like him."
I shook my head in denial." NO! Because I see his personality in Athena all the time!" I gritted out "And she has never met him. She never will."
I hated to admit it but her charm did not come from me. I couldn't be charming I was awkward and always had to be in control. Having a daughter like Athena was hard because I was constantly challenged with my authority, I had to learn how to decline her puppy dog eyes and cute pleases. I was never good at that. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose and looked at him. I knew he wanted to pursue the subject about Athena's father but I continued quickly,
"I don't want to take her shares, she is family. I won't deny that she's like an older sister, but I don't want to be sidelined. He's so close to taking over and you've worked so hard..."
I felt my father's hand on my shoulder. I saw him looking at the doorway, I turned my head to see the rest of my family standing there, my brother, mother and Cindy. She walked toward us while Lyndon and mum went to Athena.
I gave them all a weak smile. Cindy had a determined look I hadn't seen before, she took a seat next to me and took my hands in hers. I looked up at her and she sighed.
"Ell, I know we haven't always seen eye to eye. I promise that these shares are safe with me. I stand by this family, with or without the fortune." She looked at my father and sighed again, "You people have treated me better than anyone else I know. I will not allow him to take over."
I sighed and nodded. I could only take her word for it, I couldn't force her loyalty. I would accept this, for now.
"Thena, baby, go show your pictures to Max and Wyatt." I called.
She looked happily up at me, unaware of the tension in the room and ran off. I needed to tell them this. I needed them to know, but I didn't know how to break it to them. Athena went out of the room and as the door closed I stood up and started to pace.
"Athena was the result of a one night stand." I knew my father was going to question me, I had let it slip. They all looked at me. "I know! It was stupid, but I had just gotten into a fight with Lyn about Olivia and I was doing my double major AND I was training to take over the business. I let the stress get to me a little and decided to have a night at a club, by the time I was sober I was drunk on lust."
I sighed pacing harder and faster, I squeezed my eyes tighter and let out a frustrated growl. "After I found out I was pregnant I tried to find him. I gave up two years ago. I couldn't find anything about him. I didn't even know his name..." I turned to look at my family who seem wrapped up in my story. "I decided that I couldn't give her the father she deserved, I tried so hard to find him and came up empty. I gave up. I just don't think I was looking in the right places, I don't know, but he found me."
Breaths hitched as they looked at me sharply.
"He didn't see Athena, he had proved to me that he isn't worthy of being a father and I'm not going to speak his name... But I wanted to tell you, I want you to know that keeping her a secret is going to harder with him lingering around. He's made clear to me what he wants..." I swallowed hard, he wanted me, he wanted revenge and although he hadn't said it, he wants me to suffer. "We need to keep her safe, please. Mother, father can we please move back into your place? Cindy and Lyndon? The paperwork to finalise taking over the company will be filed by the end of the day."
" That's a week ahead of schedule!" Lyndon said with shock.
"Yes," Our father agreed, "Elizabeth has been training almost 8 years for this, she's ready." He confirmed. I nodded at him and turned back to the two.
"Lyn, I need you to dig up everything about Axel. We need to know exactly who we are dealing with, go into his family history, I mean it, everything. Put aside all your work and focus on this, I asked Tara but she's busy with other things, especially with me being promoted to CEO," He nodded his head.
I turned to Cindy. "You hold a lot of power with the shares that can stop Halbridge from having part control in our families company. Like you said, we haven't always seen eye to eye. You've been a silent partner as such but I want you to step up. I want you as my right hand. I want you to take up my old role."
Cindy shook her head at me, "I-I can't. You worked so hard for it and I've done nothing..."
I glared at her, "You have enough knowledge to do it. You're not as stupid as you make yourself out to be."
Cindy shook her head, "I'm nothing like you or Lyn," she whispered.
Was this it? Was that the reason we had never gotten along? She had thought she wasn't as good as me? I wanted to laugh at the irony, some deep and dark part of me envied that she breezed through life easily. Ugh, I hated cliche moments like this. I felt warmth flowing through me, it was light and happy. I smiled at her.
"I believe that you can do this."
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and forced a small smile, I had to lighten the mood a little and I smirked at her, "Just lose the hair extensions and fake tan I don't want my employees to doubt my choices by hiring a bleach blonde carrot."
Everyone laughed a little and the tension had finally lifted in time for Athena to burst through the doors holding Tara's hand with the lawyers behind her. We nodded curtly at each other as my family cleared the room leaving only my father and I for this meeting.
§°§°§
I sent Cindy with Tara to get her mask and fake appearance stripped away. I believed that our family needed to stand together and united, she seemed to understand that as well. I had met with Alice who waited in the limo and sent her with Athena to my parents place.
I called for a driver and set off for my new 'house.' I had the movers take my things there. Athena even had her own room. Clothes were packed separately and sent to my parents. I needed to show up at my house I guess. It was the closest place to the office and if Axel was wanting to ruin me then I know he'd have the place under watch. I took note of the cars around my house and as my door was opened I thanked my driver and sent him around the back of my place. It had a road for residents only. I walked to my front door and unlocked it. Everything was set out nicely. It was a modest sized place enough to sleep, eat and work privately.
I went to the kitchen and I unpacked all my things. I tinkered and made the place seem lived in. It took a few hours and my body was craving more caffeine. So I drank a coffee and left the empty cup on the bench as I got into my car. I dismissed my driver when I saw that my car had also been brought over.
It was a Subaru WRX, the girl racer type of car, it wasn't expensive but that's not why I bought it. The shape and size of it, the car was just amazing. I had mine in metallic orange and that's about as much as I know about cars, I saw it, fell in love with it and bought it. It even came with tinted windows. I giggled to myself as I got behind the wheel of the car and opened the garage door. I zoomed out and headed for my parents place, I noticed the missing car around my place and wondered if that was the person checking up on me. Honestly the idea that someone would stalk me like this was insulting.
It took me 25 minutes to get to my parents place and when I parked my phone started to ring, I looked at the unknown number and frowned, this was my personal number, nobody but family and close friends were supposed to have the details. I sighed and answered.
"Elizabeth speaking." My voice was sounding cold. I didn't drop a last name in case it was a wrong number. I waited for the person to respond but there was nothing, I gathered my things and started walking to the front door.
"Bye." I said tersely.
"You know." The voice replied with irritation dripping into his tone, "When I told you, that I owned you, I thought you'd understand the rules."
I rolled my eyes and walked into my parents house, and straight to the kitchen. I leaned on the door watching Alice and Athena bake. I moved towards my father's study and closed the door behind me.
"Since when are there rules Mr. Halbridge? " I don't think it was a good idea to mock his last name, but I did, I couldn't resist.
" Don't test me Lizzie." I cringed at the name, it's just not for me, I was an El or Ellie and I had strange feeling he knew that.
"You have a photo of us in bed together Axel, are you attempting to blackmail me?"
"Must you think so low of me, Ms. Lawson? I have plans."
I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth, trying to think about calming things. "Your rules?" I wish that I could say I didn't care but right now, my father didn't need more stress and that picture would not help. It'd drive down our market price, and while my father was in hospital, I'd need to play safe.
He chuckled, "No dating, you come with me to functions and events, you meet me once a week at my place and I have to know where you are always."
I laughed, actually laughed at those 'rules' they they sound like the rules for dating a person, I must have said that out loud because he replied,
" That's exactly what we will be doing." I could almost see his self-satisfied smirk.
"Why?" I gritted out.
"Because, buttercup, despite our personal issues we want people to still have faith in your family brand, right? What better way than to get in bed with the opposition. Form a public alliance."
I didn't miss his little pun about getting into bed with him. I glared at the wall. He was right, in someway, I didn't want to 'date' him though. It would look really bad if the newly appointed CEO of the Lawson corporation had a picture like the one Axel had.
"Fine. But you aren't always going to know where I am, I do have a life outside of work."
He laughed mockingly with no humour and I could almost see his cold eyes. "Oh really? Pray, do tell?"
I scoffed at him and smiled as Athena popped her little head in the door and ran toward me silently. She jumped into my arms, "It's a publicity relationship Halbridge, no need to pry," I watched as Alice ushered Athena out, probably scolding her about office time being work time. "Why should I tell anything to a person who vowed my ruin?"
He was silent, almost as if contemplating what to say next, but I beat him to it. "I have some personal things to deal with, call me when our first function arises."
I hung up the phone quickly and tossed it in my bag, I walked to the kitchen and started to help the girls bake. By the time the cup cakes were in the oven there was a thick cloud of flour looming in the air, egg in my hair and vanilla essence on Alice. I don't know how the food fight happened bit somehow my little rat of a child was spotless, not one speck of flour on her.
Alice and I soon changed that. We were all laughs and giggles until my mother came in.
"Elizabeth Margaret Lawson! Alice Mariah Tate! You two should know better!"
Like two scolded puppies we both playfully glared at Athena who stood by my mother. "Nonna!" She squealed and ran over to her.
"Ma! Athena started it!"
My mother glared at me, shaking my head. "Don't corrupt her streghetta mia!" She said to me, hands on hips she looked at Athena, covered in flour, egg and all sorts of baking ingredients. I don't know how she did it, but there were times, when she said streghetta mia lovingly, it was a doubled edged sword really, being called her little witch. "Patatina? What have they done to you?" She questioned picking up the four year old. Alice looked at me and then my mother, "You two will clean up this mess, by yourselves!" Our jaws dropped, it really was Athena who started the flour fight. I pouted as my mother cooed at her Patatina.
Alice looked at me with a frown, "Isn't that Italian for little potato?"
I looked at Alice and nodded. I watched as Athena poked her head past my mother and poked her tongue ay us playfully. I was half thinking about calling her streghetta mia, my little witch, I could understand it a little, but I was innocent in this regard! I sighed and looked at Alice.
"I suppose I can't leave you to do this by yourself?" She glared at me and shook her head,
"You don't even need to ask the question to know the answer." She said handing me a broom, "You're not getting out of this that easy."
I huffed at her childishly and started sweeping, but soon enough, it had turned into another game and we got kicked out of the kitchen, I think we were even banned from going back in there, whoops!