Dread curdled in my stomach as the room felt like it was closing in around me. I shook my head slightly, unsure if I had heard him correctly. This was a joke. A cruel joke. It had to be. I didn’t know if I was going to pass out or throw up. I reached for thetable and gripped it tightly, trying to steady myself as the room erupted in applause.
I watched as Chandler stood from his seat and took a little bow, going to shake the hands of the men enthusiastically congratulating him. My world felt like it had been knocked of its axis, and my anchor, my father, was drifting away to shake the enemy’s hand. I couldn’t stand up. I knew I should, but I didn’t know if my legs could hold me. So I remained seated, my embarrassment creeping up to heat my cheeks. Tears pricking my eyes again. But this time they weren’t out of sentiment, but out of hurt.
What felt like an hour of applause and firm handshakes and Chandler’s wide grin finally ended and my father sat back down at the table, the others following suit. My father quickly glanced in my direction, a tinge of sympathy in his eyes. He patted my hand, and it felt so condescending, before turning back to everyone else. Heknewwhat I was expecting. I felt like such a damn fool.
“Now, Chandler will obviously need time to adjust and learn the ropes of how we do things here,” said my father. “Which is why I’ve entrusted Gabriella to guide him. Be his ‘handler,’ if you will.” My father chuckled.
I looked sharply at him, hoping he wasn’t serious. He hadn’t discussed this with me at all. I felt anger rising in my throat. My father clearly didn’t think I could handle the role of CEO, yet he thought I couldteachsomeone else to fill the role. It didn’t make sense. Why hire someone new when I was right here? When I had put in the work.
Chandler looked over at me, raising his brows suggestively. It seemed like he liked the idea of us working together, when I couldn’t even stomach it. There was no way I was going to teach this asshole anything. He was rude, entitled, stubborn. It wasn’t going to work.
I started to wonder if staying at this company was the right move. I clearly wasn’t valued. But I had never seen myself working anywhere else. Once I started here, I quickly fell in love with it. I couldn’t leave that behind. I would have to stick it out.
What made it hurt even more was that it was my own father who didn’t see what I had to offer. Why had he encouraged me to work here? Why had he made that promise to me all those years ago? I had so many questions. I wanted to scream.
Instead, I held my composure, drowning out the rest of the meeting until the board members clear out, Chandler following close behind. My father sat at the head of the table as if he was waiting for me to say something. When I was sure we were alone and I heard the click of the glass door, I turned to him. I swallowed hard before I spoke, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked.
“Doing what?” he asked with an innocent shrug.
“Youknowwhat,” I said sharply.
He sighed. “I knew you were expecting a different outcome today,” he started.
“You could say that again.”
“But Chandler is an ideal candidate…”
“He doesn’t evenworkhere! He’s an outsider!” My voice rose.
“Calm down, Gabriella,” he said reaching for my hand.
I pulled it away quickly.
“How can I calm down? You just gave your company to a man you hardly know, when you’ve been grooming me for CEO since I was practically five years old.”
“I made the best decision for the company. You’ll see that.”
“Doubtful,” I muttered, sinking back into my seat.
He went to say something else, but his assistant knocked and poked her head in the door to remind him of his next meeting. I wanted him to cancel it. I wanted him to put me first, so we could hash this out. I wanted to yell. I wanted to argue. I wanted to change his mind. I wanted to have a better explanation for him choosing someone else over me.
But my father stood up and gave me a sad look before walking out the door, leaving me to stew in my disappointment by myself.
Chapter 6
Chandler
Since Mr. Harold announced me as his successor at this morning’s meeting, it felt like I had a perma-grin plastered across my face. I wasn’t trying to be boastful. Maybe I was. But I earned this. I had finally worked my way up to be one of the biggest CEOs in the country, and all by the age of forty. I couldn’t wait to tell my family. I wanted them to hear it from me before the press caught wind of it.
I spent the rest of the day being shown around the office and making introductions with the higher-up employees. Mr. Harold’s assistant was the one taking me around, though I thought it was Gabriella’s job. I was slightly disappointed when I saw the elderly woman come and find me, and not the younger one with the amazing breasts.
If I thought Gabriella had looked pissed off before, I was surprised how much her anger could grow after her father madehis announcement. I swore it looked like she was about to faint in the way her face had drained of color. I didn’t have time to try and figure her out before being overwhelmed with slaps on the back and hands jutting out for me to shake. Not surprisingly, she wasn’t one of them.
I assumed it had something to do with her and her father, so I joined the other board members and left the room, giving them their privacy. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to work with me. I was just as surprised as she was when her father had announced she would be my “handler.” It was amusing that he thought anyone could “handle” me, especially a woman. Not one had succeeded yet. Though I was eager to watch her try.
The day went by quickly, though Bernice was quite slow in her tour. I was going to need someone a little more fast-paced to keep up with me. I thanked her for her time and said my goodbyes to Mr. Harold before heading home just after five. I had gone the whole day without seeing Gabriella again. She had either left or was an expert at avoiding people. I wondered why it nagged at me so much, but I pushed it aside as I made the drive home with the windows down and classic rock blasting through the speakers. It felt like the world was mine for the taking.
