Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72543 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72543 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
My father ignores my offering, his lips twitching. “Whatever you have in there, I have ten things better.”
A bluff, considering every single one of those things he mentions exposes him as well, but he wants Max to think otherwise. One side of my mouth quirks. “Bring it.” I stare him down and slowly shift my gaze to Max. “You’re choosing the wrong side.”
His spine stiffens. “I didn’t choose a side at all. He called me to negotiate the terms of the board meeting.”
“You mean how much of a payday you get for turning the votes? Tell them all the game is over.” My attention shifts back to my father. “Let me know when you’re ready to negotiate the terms.”
“Terms?” he asks, one gray brow shooting up. “What terms?”
Now my lips quirk. “I think you can guess,” I say, because we both know his biggest fear. And that fear is my mother’s stock and what she decides to do with it. For years, she has enjoyed the money associated with owning it, but more so, how it made my father squirm. And yes, she’s married to a billionaire, but it makes her feel like she was equal to him. But with time and age, she’s left my father in the past and is now secure in her relationship with a man who doesn’t treat her like less than him, as my father did.
She’ll hand over her stock to me the minute I say now. The only reason I haven’t given that word as of yet is that it will equate to a hostile takeover, which is exactly what I’m trying to convince the board is bad business.
My father’s lips tighten, and his blue eyes sharpen like ice despite the fires of hell in their depths. “Never underestimate the king, my boy. I’ve been winning long before you started losing way too often.”
“You lose a whole lot more than the board knows. But I know, and that’s a problem for you, and them, if they stay by your side.” My gaze sideswipes Max with that message meant for him. “Red or black. Old or new. Choose wisely.” I rotate on my heels and walk toward the door.
It would appear to most I’ve won. Even me, if I wasn’t my father’s son. If I hadn’t seen what a caged man will do, it’s never pretty. And my father is a caged man. There’s an attack coming, and it’s going to be aimed at Alana. I need to prepare myself and her for what comes next.
Chapter twenty
Alana
The film set is an exact replica of the Blue Real Estate offices, which allows my parents to continue to operate their business while we film, at least a portion of the time. There are situations where we actually take over the offices for the full office effect, but those days are never as productive as those on set.
In a mere few hours, I film three client interviews, each of which will have their own episodes, and I’m now on number four. Which means four outfit changes. It’s an exhausting process, but still fun. I might not have ever thought I wanted to be a TV star, and still don’t love the spotlight, but my job is fun. Yes, there are reshoots, and retakes, and criticism, and I feel the pressure at times, but I’m blessed to do what I do for a living. My professional life is in order. It’s my personal life where I face challenges. A point driven home by the fact that I’m in the middle of the last interview before lunch when the assistant producer, Lana–yes, we joke about how much our names sound alike—interrupts the shoot.
“Alana, you have an urgent phone call,” she announces across the room.
At this point, I’m at a glass conference table, sitting across from an heir to a banking empire, Dierk Montgomery. To interrupt him when it was an act of God to get him to agree to the show—he only did it because his mother loves me—is not a smart idea. We need him back to film the rest of the segment. And for me, an urgent call most likely translates to a problem with my father.
I push to my feet, the teal blue designer dress I’m wearing falling just above my knees. “What’s wrong?” I ask as Lana, a tall brunette, halts in front of me. “What’s happening?” My voice is low, urgent.
“You just need to take this.” She shoves the phone at me.
Nervously, my hand trembles, and the entire crew is watching me. “Hello.”
“Alana.”
At the sound of Damion’s voice, I’m not sure if I should be even more scared to hear what’s going on or angry at him for doing this to me. “What are you doing?” I ask, turning away from the piercing attention of the room and offering them my back.