by Amy Hoxton
“I have no say in the matter, believe it or not. For what it’s worth, I opposed it,” I replied, rubbing my temple with my free hand.
He didn’t believe me, obviously. He had no reason to. “Save it. It saddens me to see your family’s honor followed your father to the grave.”
I hung up. There were so many things I could have said, but chose not to out of respect towards Lucy. He still had a point, however. The honor he took pride in having was just another failsafe mechanism that prevented his company from actually turning a profit. Reynolds didn’t push forward and instead chose to err on the old and reliable ways of the past. It just wasn’t feasible anymore.
I slumped in my chair and reveled in the brief moment of respite I got before another Reynolds — Lucy, naturally — decided to show up. This one I normally would be glad to have around despite everything, though she didn’t look amused in the slightest.
“When were you planning on telling me?” She asked, her eyes shooting wide open as her nostrils flared. Anger, a rare sight on Lucy’s face.
“I don’t know. I hoped it wouldn’t happen,” I declared. I had no reason to lie to her.
She rolled her eyes and craned her neck towards the window, avoiding my gaze. “Alex, please. I’ve heard you talk shit about my father’s company on a regular basis for months!”
“Yeah. But—” She interrupted me, turning around suddenly. Her eyes narrowed onto me as if she were sighting a rifle.
“But what? I may have issues with him but that doesn’t mean you can just —” Repaying her in kind, I interrupted her before she had the chance to go off on a tangent.
“Hear me out. I was just trying to protect you. The board of directors is in on it. Ours and his. They’ve known for a while, now,” I explained, standing up.
I took a step towards her and she didn’t seem to react. “So is it over then? My father’s company?” Her question sounded hollow. Lucy knew well enough how those things worked, after all.
I took a deep breath. “The problem here is your father,” I declared. Lucy’s eyes darted up to meet mine. “The only way to stop it would be a change of leadership.”
“My father would rather die than appoint someone else…” She admitted, finally starting to relax. The anger seemingly faded away from her visage, at least on the surface.
“Unless it stays in the family. Which is why I kept it from you. I know you loathe the idea of taking over, but…” I let it trail off. The short lived silence filled the air and spoke for both of us.
“But there’s no other way, is there? It would destroy him to see his life’s accomplishments go up in smoke!” Lucy exclaimed, rage bubbling up to the surface again even if just for a brief moment.
I nodded weakly.“For what it’s worth, I was against it.”
Lucy didn’t say anything, and just stared out of the window for a while. I was mad at myself for not being able to fix the situation before it blew up, though I couldn’t have done much even if I tried harder.
She left my office without saying a word. That morning left a bad taste in my mouth. Nothing a few drinks couldn’t wash away.
The rest of that day was a boring blur. Even the calls stopped, thankfully.
The monotony of my days made time appear faster than normal, and before I realized it, I found myself sitting in my car as James drove me home. Lucy had left an hour before me, and while I hadn’t seen her face since that morning, I could tell she wasn’t doing so great. We were on the same sinking boat, honestly.
The air felt heavy and cold. Nothing out of the ordinary for New York. It covered me like a heavy blanket and somehow felt oppressive. As if the air itself didn’t want to enter my lungs.
James hadn’t made any comment on it, and usually the weather was his first topic of choice when it came down to small talk. He noticed I wasn’t in the mood, and in truth I hadn’t been for quite some time. I both appreciated and loathed his silence. A boon and a curse.
Something had happened to me. Perhaps I let it or maybe it just snuck up on me, exploiting an unguarded weakness in the walls I raised long ago. I couldn’t tell, though it hardly even mattered. I needed to pick myself up again and push forward, consequences be damned.
The roadblock that prevented me from doing so had a name and a lovely face. I couldn’t simply — and metaphorically — run her over, though I feared I would have to. That conclusion saddened me more than I let on.
More than a million people lived in Manhattan alone. Why did it have to be her? Why and how, out of all people, did I end up getting so deeply involved with her? I knew deep down it would come around to bite me in the ass, and like clockwork, my predictions became true.
Perhaps shielding her from the news hadn’t been a great idea after all, even if I had good intentions. I couldn’t blame her for the way she reacted, God knows I would have done the same.
A few years ago I would have laughed at the mere idea of opposing a takeover — especially with Reynolds being the target. Lucy softened me, in a way. I would not have hesitated, even for a second. Burn everything, salt the earth. Fuck the consequences and fuck whoever was under my talons. Yet that was long ago. Looking back, I couldn’t recognize myself.
I stared out the window of the car as it slowly came to a stop at a red light. A never ending stream of people crowded the busy sidewalks, and even more populated the vast array of venues the city had to offer. And I picked her.
Reynolds senior’s words also made quite a few appearances in my thoughts that night. The honor I was expected to possess did in fact end up in a grave with my dear old father, exactly like plenty of other “unnecessary” things, as he put it.
I remember the notary office my sister and I were summoned to. A man like David Harris couldn’t leave a small testament, after all. It contained a few surprises.
The frail old man behind the desk I sat in front of wore thick glasses he kept adjusting while reading.
My sister stormed out of his office when she heard he wanted me to take over the company instead of her, instead of his beloved daughter who’d spent her entire life waiting for that very moment.
My father chose me. The man who never once expressed the desire to follow the family way. I guess that was part of the reason that drew me to Lucy in the first place. Her defiance, her will to forge her own path and walk it even if took her through hell. Deep down I just wanted her not to follow the same route I was forced to take.
The damage it could do was quite staggering. I used to be a completely different person. I despised alcohol, for starters. Funny how things change.
My sister should have been at the helm of the company, no questions asked. She resented me because of that. I couldn’t quite hold it against her, though after some time I stopped caring.
It was clear I wasn’t cut out for the job. I had to learn quick and improvise what I couldn’t learn. Things eventually started to click, and from then on it was all a game of appearance. The fundraisers came to mind, for example. Nobody wanted to be there, it was all a show. Everybody knew, and still played their part in that pathetic game.
I tried to steer away from that, but the claws of that dreadful world dragged me deeper into it than I would have wanted.
I couldn’t back away from it all despite wanting nothing more. I made my money, enough of it to be able to live like a king until my dying breath. But what good is a king without a queen?
Chapter Fifteen
Lucy
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Brianna’s question passed right through me as if I were a ghost. I stared off into nothingness, holding a pen, ready to sign my resignation letter.
“No. But I have to, Bree,” I confessed. Without me, Reynolds Industries would go up in smoke. All of my father’s life work destroyed by a bunch of greedy parasites.
“And what about Alex?” She asked. A pang of pain struck my heart as I heard his name.
I hesitated for a moment. Taking a deep breath
, I steeled myself and blurted out the answer I had been practicing in my mind. “He can’t stop it. And getting away from him will do me more good than harm, believe me.”
“If you say so,” She shrugged, avoiding the subject. Brianna knew me well enough to see right past that poorly constructed facade.
Throughout my life I both dreaded and longed for the day I would need to make serious decisions. The kind that had repercussions big enough to impact others aside from me. When the time finally came, I realized just how unprepared I was to deal with it all.
The crossroads before me split my path in two. Either let the ship sink or steer it away from the iceberg it would inevitably hit. It all seemed so easy in theory, but Alex complicated everything.
He’d known about the takeover for God knows how long. There could have been another way, one that wouldn’t involve going against everything I believed in. And yet that charming snake brought me into his lair and coiled up around me. Perhaps that had been his plan all along.
I needed to get Alex out of my system, whether I truly wanted it or not. Distance would help, and besides, I had my own issues to deal with.
A bright sun shone upon Manhattan, casting its warm blessing onto the unfortunate souls headed to work.
I sat on the dirty bus, headed over to Harris Electronics for the last time. Alex was already there. Always the first to arrive and among the last ones to leave. Shame his work ethic wasn’t as decent when it came down to other matters.
The quick walk that separated the bus stop from my actual destination stretched my legs and gave me time to focus. I couldn’t hide the nervousness. Regardless, I had to be strong. In and out, no interferences.
The elevator ride felt like torture, each floor I passed adding more weight on my frayed nerves. I kept telling myself I was making the right choice, hoping I would eventually convince myself.
I stepped out and closed my eyes, gathering my bearings and mustering up all the strength I would need. A few deep breaths later I calmly headed towards Alex’s office.
Much like any other day I found him sitting on his chair, staring at his computer screen while nursing a glass of God knows what. His gaze rose to meet mine first, and then darted to the envelope I carried. His faint smile told a tale I already knew the ending of.
“So you’re really doing it,” He commented, leaning back on his chair. His voice deprived of its usual edge sounded weary.
“I have to,” I shot back, placing the envelope on his desk.
Alex nodded, deep in thought. The bags under his eyes suggested he hadn’t been sleeping too well. He closed his eyes and exhaled sharply, possibly preparing to give a speech he’d come up with, in case I’d decide to leave.
Instead, all I got was a meager “Fine.” It stumped me at first, but he continued before I could say anything. “So be it.”
“Thought you’d try to stop me,” I confessed, scratching my neck to hide my frustration and the tinge of pain that hit me right in the stomach.
“I wanted to, but you’ve already made up your mind,” He replied, looking up at me.
“Then do it, Alex. Stop me,” I hissed, anger mounting up inside of me. “Show me it wasn’t just sex! Show me this meant something!”
Our nights had always been full of passion. But was it love or lust I saw burning behind his eyes?
Alex cocked his head to the side ever so slightly, a hint of pain flashing across his face. “Would that really help, Lucy?” He queried.
I shook my head, though I wasn’t all too sure. Just one kiss, that’s all it would take for my walls to crumble to dust. I wished he would push me against the wall and kiss me, ravage and ravish me like he used to, just to show me he actually cared enough to stop me from doing something I clearly hated.
Alex didn’t move an inch, even as I walked out of his office for what I thought would be the last time.
I felt completely numb.
The first part of that dreadful day was done with, at least. I promised myself I would take care of business first and then allow myself to react like a normal human being.
Alas, that would have to wait. I was well on my way to my father’s company when I called him to inform him I would stop by. He seemed surprised, relieved even. At least one of us was feeling good on that damned day.
The lobby looked exactly the same as it did the last time I was there, years before. The receptionist’s station stood near the entrance against one of the tall, marble lined walls. Everything about hat place screamed “tradition” rather than “innovation”, which I assumed to be among the issues that ultimately brought me there.
My father’s company was a direct competitor to Alex’s, though even at face value they were completely different. Harris Electronics was a monster of modern brutalist architecture, whereas Reynolds Industries had an antique chandelier hanging above the lobby. It certainly looked pretty, as did the rest of the building — a post war behemoth with strong European influences. Regardless, appearances can only get so far.
The elevators were a mix of gold plated metal and mahogany. Impeccably clean and slow as molasses, they climbed the sixty floors in what felt like eons as opposed to what I was used to. Still, I had to forget all about Alex.
Much like the lobby, my father’s office didn’t change either. The same carpet muffled the otherwise noisy footsteps I took. The same old paintings judged my every move just as they did years before. He was a man of tradition, after all.
I’ll freely admit my father didn’t look too fresh. His advancing age and declining health were at fault, obviously. Nothing to do about the former, though it angered me to know he wasn’t doing much about the latter, either.
Francis Reynolds, a man set in his own ways. Stubborn as a mule, too, which didn’t help. It made that conversation all the more surprising, given how it went.
He stood up, groaning, and took a few steps towards me. We both faked happiness, and it was far too easy to tell.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, dear?” He greeted me warmly.
“Dad, come on. You know the reason,” I replied as I sat on his desk. Just like I used to when I was little, the few times I visited him.
He sighed and erupted in a fit of coughing. It was worrying to see him like that, even if I still hadn’t forgiven him for using me as a chip in a poker game. He was still my father, after all.
“These damn vultures,” He croaked, wiping his mouth with the handkerchief he always kept in his breast pocket. “They’ll be the death of me, I swear!”
“I’ll take care of them,” I reassured him, hoping it would comfort me too. “Isn’t that what you always wanted?”
He scoffed. “I just want to leave this company in good hands, dear. You’re the only one I trust,” He declared, sitting back down with another loud groan. Perhaps my agitation was rubbing off on him too.
“Oh I’m very well aware of that.” It had been his main selling point for years. I just thought it would never work, and yet there I was.
“I knew you’d come around, Lucy! You’ve made your father proud,”He declared, a wide smile shining on his somewhat flustered face. The violent coughs always left him as red as a tomato.
I shook away the urge to slap him and forced myself to nod in agreement, albeit begrudgingly. Anyone would have been able to tell I wasn’t okay with any of that, but my father simply went along with it. His hands moved towards the intercom to call his assistant, ordering him to start making calls to summon all the people he’d need to pass on the torch to me. He didn’t care about the fact that I hated every single second I spent in that place, or that I dreaded the prospects my possibly miserable future held.
Francis Reynolds was a man set in his own ways.
Perhaps there was something wrong with me, given how most of the men in my life didn’t quite seem to care all that much about me.
Everybody had their eyes fixated on their own end goal, and barreled towards the finish line. I wasn’t sure I had even started the
damn race to begin with.
My father was far too old fashioned to connect with his daughter, especially after my mom died. I turned out fine, or so I liked to believe. I had an army of nannies raise me and replace her for most of my life, and my father had his job to take care of. I resented him for that, but loved him still. It was part of why I wanted to stay away from the family business.
And then there was Alex. My soon-to-be sworn rival and former “partner”. I seemed to gravitate around broken men, and my inner self wanted nothing more than to make them whole.
I remember trying to help Alex time and time again, but to no avail. All things considered, I should have stopped trying to be the hero in someone else’s story and focus on being the protagonist of mine.
Being at the helm of my family’s company would be the first step, and hopefully the rest of the pieces would fall into place as I walked the same path I swore I would never take.
Chapter Sixteen
Alexander
A month passed ever since that day.
I still hadn’t opened the resignation letter Lucy left on my desk the last time I saw her. It went straight to the shredder, no questions asked.
The intercom buzzed, and my new secretary informed me of an upcoming meeting I would need to attend. Just hearing her old, croaky voice had me questioning why we even bothered having a Human Resources department if they only managed to find resources that were about to be depleted.
I thanked her and promptly went back to ignoring the world outside of my office. It could wait, I would catch up with it eventually.
The glass of scotch on my desk sat petrified with fear as my hand reached to grab it. I had been terrorizing my mini bar as of late, so much so that I would have expected an uprising at any given moment.