Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Not to brag, but I once made a first-year associate call his mommy from the bathroom like he was an eight-year-old off at sleepaway camp for the first time. “Hey, Mom, yeah, I hate it here. My boss sucks. Can you come pick me up?”
Now here’s the part where I tell you that deep down, I’m looking to reform. My big bad ways have landed me in hot water, and it’s high time I right my wrongs.
Cue smug grin.
The pleasure I got from pounding on that stall door and telling that first-year to “hurry it up” was a rush unlike any other.
I’m content with the way things are. I’ve been with Elwood Hoyt for nearly ten years. I’ve worked my way up from summer associate to partner at a lightning-quick pace, and now I’m looking to add a new title to my belt: senior partner.
It’s absurd, really. Most of my peers would be happy to call it a day in my current position. A partner at Elwood Hoyt’s principal offices in Chicago—that’s it. That’s the golden ticket.
But I want more. Like any good villain, I’d prefer world domination, but making senior partner would be a close second.
With this goal in mind, I accept an unprompted meeting from one of the head honchos. Anders Elwood is one of the two founding partners of our firm. Though well into his 60s, he’s not going anywhere. So while I can blow past just about everyone else in this building, for him, I have to dig deep and pull out my last vestiges of humanity. My smile has to be genuine. For once.
“Hudson? I’m assuming you have a moment,” he says when he strolls confidently into my office as I’m in the process of dialing my phone.
I mean, what power! He didn’t even knock! Did Lucy even attempt to stop him? (Not that she could…)
I clap my phone back into place and stand up. “Of course. What do you need, sir?”
I expect him to bring up an issue with a contract, some amendment he wants me to glance over. Anders doesn’t technically work in mergers and acquisitions, but when we have large-scale deals in the works with billions of dollars on the line (which we do, most of the time), he usually keeps a close watch on them, especially during preliminary review and closing.
“As you know, all my children followed in my footsteps to pursue a profession in law.”
That’s…not where I thought he was going.
He walks around my desk and takes a spot at the window, knocking over one of my achievement trophies positioned there. I wince when it cracks against the glass, but he doesn’t even seem to register the sound.
“Barrett, Wyatt, Conrad—I’m proud they’re all here at Elwood Hoyt.”
I merely nod, choosing to keep my mouth shut considering I still don’t have a good sense of where this discussion is headed. I can’t think of a single other time Anders has strolled into my office to discuss his children. To discuss anything outside of work, really.
The Elwood brothers are infamous at our firm for obvious reasons. Thank god only one of them works at the Chicago office. The last thing I need is to be competing with three of the boss’s kids instead of one. Though really, while Barrett is intelligent and capable, I don’t exactly view him as my competition. Namely because he’s not in this department, and last I checked, he was only projected to clock about 2,000 billable hours this year. Last year, I soared past 3,500. I was the firm’s top earner, and that little trophy Anders is carelessly letting crash to the ground proves it.
“Unfortunately, my youngest has also decided to join the family business.”
To call Elwood Hoyt a family business is laughable. It’s like the Waltons calling Walmart a li’l general store. Elwood Hoyt employs thousands of lawyers worldwide, over 700 here in Chicago alone.
“I’m sure you’re proud.”
He turns to me with an annoyed scowl.
Okay, rewind, not proud.
“I’m furious.” He spits the words. “Beyond. My Scarlett doesn’t belong in this world, not among—” He looks me over with careless judgment before finishing his bold statement. “Men as cutthroat as you.”
Good to know my reputation has pervaded every square inch of this office. If Anders Elwood considers me cutthroat, I must be doing something right. The man isn’t exactly a gentle lamb himself.
“I’m sure your daughter will be able to hold her own.” I have to bite my tongue before adding, Now if that’s all, would you mind… while gesturing toward the door.
“Fortunately, I won’t have to worry about that. You will ensure it’s taken care of for me.”
I blink, utterly baffled.
“She’s taken a liking to mergers and acquisitions,” he continues. “She’ll start on this floor today. I just checked and she’s meant to be under the wing of Amaya Chandra, and while Amaya is a capable lawyer, she hasn’t been with our firm as long as you have. She doesn’t have a vested interest in ensuring my daughter has an easy path ahead of her. Do you catch my meaning?”