章 4: 3. Drama
Reece's POV
"Thank you sir. We will be seeing each other very soon." The bald man shook my hand with a very bright smile on his face. I gave a curt nod before him and his male assistant both left.
I let out a tired breath as soon as they walked out of my office, shutting the big black door behind them. I loosened up my tie so I could at least get some oxygen into my lungs.
Whoever created ties needs to be slapped at least an hundred times.
I sat back on my chair, closing the files I just signed and began going through new ones. I just closed a year long deal and I was beyond relived. The company was a hard one- well they tried to be -but at the end of the day, they accepted my offer.
A knock came at my door and I replied to let them in. My assistant Shelly walks in with a document clutched to her side.
"You have a meeting by 3:30pm with Roman Vladimir." She informs looking at my scheduled meetings and stops in front of my desk.
I nod in response but she still stood there. "Anything else?" I questioned with my eyes now trained on the files and contracts on my desk.
"Did you have breakfast this morning?" I know that tone all too well. "Anything related to business Shelly?" My strict tone did not stop her from interrupting my already stressful day with her questions.
"We could grab lunch or dinner together if you're hungry, I don't mind." She pushes herself to my desk, causing her pale thighs that was exposed in the long skirt with high slit at the center to disturb my view.
I finally brought my attention to her and the first thing I noticed was three buttons of her blue silk long sleeve top being undone.
She's trying too hard.
I let my unamused and uninterested expression lay on my face as I stared at her. "We are not having lunch together." I say straightforwardly.
Her Jet black hair was in a short form and she had a pretty decent height. She was pretty as well but her neediness for me was starting to get irritating.
She bends her upper half to my desk, making sure her breasts comes into view with a slutty grin on her face.
"Are you sure you're not hungry boss?" I knew that statement had more than one meaning.
She has been trying to get my attention since she started working with me two years ago but a normal sane person will stop making effort when they are always rejected.
Not Shelly clearly.
"I don't pay you to ask me stupid questions Shelly." Disappointment washes over her face, making her stand upright and clear her throat.
"Is that all?" I ask again and she nods, turning back to leave. "And Shelly--" She stops and turns back to me with hopeful eyes.
"Fix yourself." I uttered sternly, gesturing my pen in-between my fingers to her chest. She rushes out in embarrassment.
I would have fired her a long time ago but she was actually good at what she does. Smart in business but that was pretty much all to it.
Some minutes after, another knock came at my door which opened up before I could respond.
"You know you can wait for my response before barging into my office like it's your home. I could be in a meeting." I gave Aaron a pointed look but he waves me off, walking to my desk and takes a chair before it.
"Shelly said you were unoccupied." He responds nonchalantly then a little grin spreads across his lips.
"Speaking of Shelly," He leaned forward and I knew he was gonna say something disturbing.
"Are you gonna hit that?" I saw it coming. "Don't be disgusting." He laughs at my statement.
"And she's not a thing but you can have her if you want. Although no fucking in my workplace." I point out and he laughs again.
"What are you doing here? Don't you have shit to do?" I go back to my files but Aaron made his presence known by yawning loudly and stretching his arms.
"Don't you dare go serious-dad on me. I've strictly taken out time to go over all my clubs and casinos. Other businesses are in good hands as well." He says with a tired tone.
I looked at him but said nothing. He's a responsible person and good with his businesses, so when he says such, it actually is.
"You on the other hand have a ton of shit to do." He mocks me, causing me to shove my middle finger at him.
Aaron Smith is my best friend. We've known each other all our lives. When we were children though, we hated each others guts. Fought for useless childish reasons, it's always funny when I think back on it.
Our Families are really close too. He looks a little more of a gang leader than a suited businessman like myself. He has this bad boy outward appearance.
Black leather jackets, tattoos and lots of rings and necklace. He embraces the look and it suits him.
"Had lunch yet? Am kinda hungry." He says taking out his phone. "No. I'll have it after my meeting--" I respond but he cuts me off.
"Shit. This news is really spreading like wild fire." He scrolls through his phone.
"Which news?" I asked.
"The whole Autumn Snow scandal." He turns his phone to me, showing me multiple headlines about the girl who I don't know.
"When did you suddenly become interested in the social world?" Aaron laughs lightly. "Well it's kinda fun to be in the midst of drama or have drama in your life," He points a finger at me.
"And if am being honest, a little bit of drama would add some flavour to your plain old basic life." Now it was my turn to laugh.
"Especially after what you've been through. We both know you need it." He adds more seriously this time but I said nothing at first.
"I don't need drama in my life Aaron, infact I need to stay clear of it." I closed the files because I wasn't concentrating, stood up and walked to the wide full-length see through glass that overlooked the beautiful city of Los Angeles.
"So are you saying you're gonna close the chapters of love in your life forever?" I almost laughed at how poetic he sounds.
I turn back at Aaron who now had a serious expression all over his face. "Forever is a pretty extreme word....and I didn't say that."
"Then what do you mean?" He deadpans. I didn't even know what to reply and just in time, my phone rings. I brought it out of my pocket, glancing over the caller before picking up.
"Father." I said first.
"Son." He had that tone in his voice. "What is it?" I went straight to the point and he laughs.
"Is that a way to greet your old man?" Aaron walks around my desk and brings out a bottle of whiskey with two glasses.
"Heaven knows you have something less pleasing to say to me." He gives me one glass and walks to my side.
"Well it's not-not pleasing. It's more of an emergency and it cannot be talked over the phone. I need to see you." Aaron gives me a knowing look by my expression.
"I'm in Connecticut for the weekend, so we'll meet there." My Dad adds.
"Am guessing I have to fly over," I rubbed temples.
"Yes. Tommorow if I may add." I gulped the whole content in the glass, feeling the enjoyable burn run down my throat.
"Okay sir." I nod even if he couldn't see me. "Don't be so formal Son. See you soon." He cuts the call.
I sighed, feeling tiredness weigh on me like a log of wood. "Am so fucking tired." I grumbled out, twisting my neck from side to side.
"What is it this time?" Aaron questions, sipping his drink while I go for another.
"Honestly I don't know but it's probably one of his psycho requests again." Aaron laughs and I chuckle at my own statement.
______________________________
"Cancel all my schedules for the rest of the week." I say to Shelly through the phone, as I made my way through the fine halls of the prestigious hotel. Two of my bodyguards following me closely behind.
"But the board said we need to seal the Norway's Airline deal before the end of the week." My Father's suite comes into view.
"Tell the board to handle it by themselves or go fuck themselves. I don't have a problem with either of them." I cut the call before she could speak again.
I wanted to open the door to my Father's suite straight away but stopped when I remembered walking into my parents making love once.
I was scarred for life. I have never been the same.
I knocked and seconds later he opened the door. "Son!" He smiles widely, spreading his arms wide and engulfs me in an hug before I could enter the room.
I chuckled, "Father." If people saw my father Luke Hayes, they wouldn't know am his son. I took more of my mom's features, Lillian Hayes. Her eyes and her height. I only inherited the black hair from my Dad but it was in a buzz cut now.
I've loved buzz cuts since I was a teenager.
My father isn't tall, more of average in height with a pot belly that only caused him to look shorter.
We walked in and my eyes travelled round the five star suite. "Isn't Mom with you?" I took off my brown coloured long coat, dropping it on a couch.
"She's out with Isadora. They went shopping." I chuckled, picturing how stressful Isadora will look. "You both dragged her here for fun right?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Not exactly. She was free and more than happy to see her parents." He says causally.
"Yeah right."
Isadora is my younger sister. The only girl among us and the last child. There's Tru too, also my younger brother.
"Some clothes would be nice," My face scrunched at my Father's maroon fur robe. "Nah. Clothes are for losers." I shook my head at him as he directs me to the dinning table where different kinds of food and fruits sits.
"So why am I here?" He laughs at my straightforwardness.
"Have you had breakfast this morning?" He took a slice of bread, adding cheery Jam on it.
"Eat something Reece." He adds before I could respond. I sighed and took some freshly made waffles with Marple syrup.
We start eating and finally he begins, although something way less related to business. "Have you thought about dating again?" He asked precisely.
"Why are you asking?" I raised a brow at him. "Is it wrong for a Father to be curious?" He responds.
"I don't know." I settle with that.
"I want grandchildren Reece. All my children are depriving me of that." He whines like a child.
"You have a grand-daughter Dad." I took a fork full of my waffle. "And don't you think Axel would want other siblings and cousins?" He deadpans.
"Tru is a player and Isadora hates the idea of marriage or commitment, so I don't see that working out anytime soon." He exhales.
"How about you? Do you want Axel to be an only child?" He tilts his head. His question sinks into me for some minutes.
"Look son, I know what happened to Claire was brutal and unfortunate, but do you think she would want you to spend the rest of your life alone?" Why can't we just talk about business?
"Are we here to talk about my daughter or business Father?" I dropped my fork and wiped my mouth with a table napkin.
By my expression, he knew he had stepped on sensitive waters. He drinks his coffee all in one go before putting on his time-for-business face.
"I spoke with an old rival of mine a few days ago. His family is in crisis and he needs my help." He starts in a serious tone.
"Why do you wanna help out an old rival?" It was a little confusing. "Because I can and I want too." He says like it's nothing.
"His daughter is in some major shit right now and it's affecting his family." I nod in understanding.
"Okay but what does that have to do with me?" He leans back into his chair.
"Everything Reece."
Lord help me.
"Who is he?" I asked.
"Fredrick Snow." The name sounds way too familiar.
"You were rivals with The Snows?" I almost laughed.
"Yes. Why is it funny to everyone?" My Father questions.
My Family are The Hayes. Billionaires and CEO's. Our major businesses are Airplane Airlines ( Hayes Airline ) and generally, we are known as The Hayes Empire.
I've known about The Snows ever since I was little. They are as powerful as us. However, my Father and Fredrick Snow have often caused comical conflict anytime they meet at events but I didn't know they were rivals before.
Explains a lot now.
"You have power in the media world, which is exactly what they need and that's where you come in." He cuts into my thoughts.
"You want me to take care of his daughter's problem right?" He nods.
"Okay done." I agree, wanting this to end as fast as possible but he looked like he wasn't finished.
"That's not all."
Obviously.
"His daughter, Autumn Snow--" Her name sounds oddly familiar and not just because of The Snow.
"She has been accused of false allegations--well most of them-- and even if the scandal goes down, she will still be blacklisted."
Allegations?
Autumn Snow?
Rings a bell....
Bingo!
She's the girl Aaron was talking about.
I follow him cautiously to see where he is going with this.
"I need you to do something for me. For all of us and it's more of a demand than a request."
Am not gonna like this.
"You are a single perfect man and in the eyes of the public, you are a walking fairytale." We both laughed at the term he used.
Less of Fairytale and more of Widower.
"So if a man like you is together with Autumn, she will be un-blacklisted and her career will not fall." My face hardened a little.
"So what are you saying?" I think I know what he's saying.
"You need to marry her." I almost chocked on my spit.
The fuck did I just hear?
My father looked calm and unbothered, while my brain plays his words over and over again.
"Absolutely the fuck not." My response didn't faze him, more like he expected it. He went back to his breakfast.
"Dad are you serious?" He looks directly at me but says nothing. Before I could speak again, the doors burst open, dragging our attention.
"God my knees are killing me!" Isadora groans loudly immediately she emerges. "Oh don't be so dramatic adora." My Mom follows after with maids and bodyguards bringing in all their shopping bags.
"I am not being dramat--" They finally turn their focus to us. "You're here!" Isadora exclaims, her smile overshadowing her exhausted expression.
She walks towards us and hugs my head, causing me to chuckle. "Reece." My Mom appears to my side and I stand up to hug her.
"Hi Mom." She squeezes me a little but Lord knows she will hit my arms if I attempt it with her. "You're growing way too tall." She complains, pulling away from me.
"No he's not." Isadora defends. I watch as Mother's expression falls into concern. "What's wrong?" Her amber eyes searches my face with concern.
The eyes only I inherited from her.
"Dad just told me the craziest shit possible." I send death glares his way but he only smiles. My Mom walks to his side, leaned down and pecked him.
"Maybe it isn't the craziest shit." Her words causes a stunned expression to emerge my face.
"You know too?"
"Of course." She laughs lightly.
"Know what?" Isadora asked, taking a grape from a bowl.
"They want me to marry Autumn Snow." She looked like she was thinking. "That famous designer and cover girl?" My parents both reply with yes.
She's a designer and cover girl?
"Good luck with that. Am rooting for you both." Isadora takes a wine bottle and makes her way to her room.
"Really Isadora?" I threw my hands up the air in frustration. I expected a little bit of back up from her. I look back to my parents who had settling winning grins on their faces.
"There's no fighting about this Reece." My Dad stated firmly.
Oh fuck my life.
a/n:
Thanks for reading!
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