“Book him a haircut too, just in case. That’s all.”
Andi nodded as she took notes, “Any particular color I should pick out for the suit?”
I contemplated the question for a moment, “Whatever matches the dress you picked out. I don’t have a preference either way.”
I had submitted my acceptance for the invite to the charity gala coming up this weekend. When I had brought up the idea of going to the event to Rome, he didn’t care one way or another. He was simply willing to go along with whatever plan I decided on. Luckily, Rome was free, though he had admitted that he didn’t have much of a personal life.
I had donated a hefty check as well. These galas had almost nothing to do with raising money, but rather with upholding appearances. I would have donated whether I had attended or not.
A heavy knock sounded on my office door. I motioned for Andi to open it, and when she did, I wished I hadn’t.
“Rebecca.” My dad’s voice was sharp as he waltzed into the office like he owned it.
I held back a sigh and stood, “What can I do for you?”
He took a seat and motioned for Andi to leave, who listened quickly, closing the door softly behind her. She was terrified of him, and justifiably so.
Unfortunately for me, this meant I was left trapped alone with him. He wouldn’t do anything except maybe yell and throw something if he got heated enough, but there were too many witnesses around for him to show his true colors.
I couldn’t fathom how my mom ended up with him. She had been head over heels in love with him for years before she claimed that the money and power corrupted him with time. However, I had yet to see proof that he had ever been good.
My dad pointed over his shoulder towards the door. “Why do you keep that little thing around, anyway? There’s no backbone in sight. You need someone strong and competent for the job. She could be swayed by a gust of wind.”
I rolled my eyes and retook my seat. “Shehas a name, and she’s excellent at her job. I assume you’re here for a reason besides just harassing my staff?”
He raised a brow, “Your staff?”
“Yes,” I answered resolutely. “You retired. I’m in charge now. They’remystaff, not yours. What do you need, Dad? I’m busy and don’t have time for whatever this is.”
“I’m here about this boyfriend of yours,” he finally explained with a raised brow.
I should have expected this. Any moves I, my mom, or my brother made in life, my dad did his best to insert himself. While my mom and brother managed to keep him away, my involvement with the family company had always kept him in closer proximity to my life. “What about him?”
“He isn’t up to the standards set for our family’s reputation.”
This time, I did roll my eyes, “He’s perfectly fine. A highly-decorated Army veteran, first-generation American, and extremely competent at his job as well.” I couldn’t believe I was defending Rome. I was usually the first to point out his flaws, but I wouldn’t let my dad disrespect him.
My dad sighed, “First your brother and now you? Why couldn’t either of you choose someone within our standing?”
“You haven’t even met Jackie,” I argued, “and everyone in our standing is a stuck-up prick. I would rather avoid them, not willingly associate with them.”
“You're so much like your mother,” he complained.
“I take that as a compliment,” I retorted. “Now, do you have anything important to say?”
My dad glared at me with eyes that matched my own. Both my brother and I were copies of our father with our steel blue eyes and dark hair—though my dad's hair had begun turning white years ago—but that was where the resemblance stopped.Everything good about us, everything that mattered, came from our mom and her resilience to stand against him.
“We need to discuss the board’s reservations regarding your performance,” he stated.
Of course he did. My dad was my most significant opposition in maintaining my position as CEO. If I could just get through the first year, I could systematically replace the board with competent individuals. My dad seemed hell-bent on keeping me from reaching that point, which was strange, seeing as he had given me the position in the first place.
I had a theory that he wanted me to fail. To crash and burn miserably, thus forcing my brother to come back and save both the company and me. My dad knew our weaknesses well, and my brother’s was me.
“I have turned record profits in the first two quarters that I’ve held this position, and it’s expected this will continue for the remainder of the fiscal year,” I stated, keeping my voice steady and calm.
My dad’s eyes turned scrutinizing. He was trying to find a chink in my armor. Little did he recall that he had raised me to ensure I wouldn’t have one.
“Your position is unstable,” he finally said. It seemed he didn’t actually have an issue with my stellar performance.
