“Jesus Christ,” Declan says with a sigh. “Do you even hear yourself, Janet?”
“All I’m saying is that families like ours are used to a certain way of things. We’re used to our way of life, and our way of life includes attention in the press. That attention helps keep families like ours moving forward.”
“And you threatened me and my shares to get that press aimed at me and my love life. You got what you wanted.”
“It’s not just Janet’s daughter,” Henry butts in. “I just announced that I’m running for lieutenant governor with Senator Sanders, who’s now running for governor, and we didn’t get the coverage we needed, either. Our announcement fell flat, and all mentions of me as one of the board members of Langford Holdings fell by the wayside in favor of speaking about Asher Langford and his pendant ceremony.”
“Again, that’s not my fucking problem.”
“It’s a problem that you’re the only one attracting press,” Henry seethes.
I can’t help it, and I laugh again. “You’re a bunch of fourteen-year-old girls who are pissed that the popular girl is getting all the attention. You want press? Be more interesting.Be more attractive. Be richer—I don’t fucking know. I don’t ask for the press; it follows me. Literally. Ella didn’t ask for the press; you forced her to go after it. We aren’t doing anything to purposefullyoutshineall of you. We’re making our pre-determined public appearances that you all decided upon, and the press follows. I can’t help that. If that hurts your delicate feelings, get the fuck over yourselves. The millions of extra dollars in revenue that Ella and I have generated for you should be enough to soothe your fragile fucking egos.”
“Well, I for one am wondering if this arrangement has served its purpose and run its course,” Janet says. “We clearly don’t need to drag this on for months. I think we should end it now.”
“Yes, the longer we drag it out, the bigger the fallout will be over your breakup,” Henry says in agreement. “It’s probably better to do it early, before people continue to get attached. We can make this easy or we can make this hurt.” His words strike me, and I inhale sharply. Something about them makes me uneasy.
“What did you say?”
“I said, we can make this easy or we can make this hurt. The longer you drag it out, the more it will hurt, and the more upset people will be. It’s better to end it now.”
His words still bother me, and not because of the situation at hand. Yet I can’t put my finger on why. I shake away the thought as murmurs break out among the other board members. It’s clear most of them don’t agree with Janet and Henry. Money talks, and Ella and I are creating a lot more of it lately.
“That’s not happening,” I say with forced calm.
“Why not?” Henry demands. “You didn’t want to enter into this arrangement; you made that clear from the beginning. We’re letting you off the hook. Why don’t you take the win?”
Now the murmurs break into full dissent. Voices rise aseveryone starts to argue about whether Ella and I should continue dating.
“Enough!” my father shouts, surprising me. He rarely yells. But everyone quiets, still used to acquiescing to my father since he was CEO for twenty-five years. “You have all said enough on the matter. Janet and Henry, your arguments are absurd. You all wanted a flurry of positive press surrounding Asher and Langford Holdings, and you got it. And you’ve all made substantially more money this quarter because of it. So take thatwin,” he glares at Henry, “and get over yourselves. Ella may have been contracted into this, but she has come to mean much to our family, and I won’t see her treated like a bartering chip you all can use or toss aside on a whim.”
“Surely the fondness you all show toward her is for the cameras,” Janet hisses in disbelief. “You can’t mean that you actually like the little social climber.”
The last of my patience snaps. I shove up from my seat and slam my hands on the table. All eyes dart to me as I lean over the table and slowly take in every board member one at a time, biting my tongue and searching for patience. After a moment of loaded silence, I stand to my full height and let out a long breath. “I will take you up on the offer to shred the contract between Ella and me.”
Declan’s head whips in my direction, and Sterling’s eyes narrow on the TV monitor feed of him on the other side of the room.
I motion to Matthew, and he hurries out of the room.
Everyone is silent again, waiting for what I have to say next. But I won’t speak until Matthew is back with the contract. I’ve had enough of the board’s bullshit. They don’t deserve my explanations, and they’ll take what I give them. Henry is right about one thing—the opportunity to get out of the contract has been dropped in my lap, and I’d be a fool not to take the offer.
I’ve been meaning to discuss it with Ella, anyway. I want tomove forward with her, and I don’t know if we fully can with a contract standing between us. What we feel for one another has nothing to do with the contract anymore, and I think it will be in our best interest to have it gone.
My future with her is everything to me.
Matthew returns, plopping the contract down on the desk in front of me. Everyone’s eyes fall to it and watch in disbelief as I sign the conclusion article of the contract, effectively ending the arrangement. When I’m done, I set my pen down with a little too much force, and hand the contract back to Matthew.
“Once Ella signs this, she will be free of its obligation,” I say to everyone seated around the table. Henry and Janet perk up, and it’s clear they’re both wondering how they managed to weasel what they wanted out of me so easily. I smirk at them. “But if you think this will make Ella disappear, you’re wrong. Our relationship will very much continue, regardless of the contract. And not only that, but it’s bound to garner evenmoreattention. Because no, my affection for her is not for the cameras. And if you think the pendant ceremony got a lot of attention, just wait until the proposal and the wedding and the children that follow it.”
Janet rears back like she’s been slapped. Henry scowls. Everyone else stares at me in shock.
“And, Janet, if you ever insult my future wife again, I’ll ruin you.”
28
ELLA
“Oh my god, let’s see it!” Heather says as I walk into the conference room office space.
