AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The proceeds?” Aidan sputters.
“It’s part of his development. It will work as an incentive.”
“You can’t be serious?” Aidan throws his arms wide. “What about the company?”
“Let’s vote on it, shall we?” Fin says, running a hand through his thick dark hair, a smirk on his face.
Aidan huffs. “I voteagainst.”
“I vote for,” my brother says with pouted lips.
“I vote for,” Dad adds.
All eyes land on me. The room seems to shrink, and I take a small step back. Aidan clears his throat. “That’s forty-five percent against forty-five percent. What’s your vote, Caitlin?”
“Caitlin,” Dad growls, low and threatening, his brows drawn.
I suck in a breath, my pulse pumping.
“I-I vote for,” I whisper.
“That’s fifty-five against forty-five,” my brother sing-songs.
Dad picks up his letter opener and taps it against his palm while pretending to look apologetic. “So it seems, Aidan. Majority rules.”
Aidan schools his features and turns to me while motioning to the door. “Caitlin, shall we?”
I can’t meet his gaze. I swallow thickly and shuffle out of the office.
5
Caitlin
“So… that went well.”
I whip around to face Aidan who is leaning against the office door, just like he did yesterday when I showed him my designs. The designs he called ‘doodles’ only minutes ago. There’s a strange smirk around his lips.
“How can you say that?” I ask.
“Very easily.”
“Nothing went well. I-I… Dad was going to give part of the company to Fin and…” I’m so angry and disappointed, I almost hyperventilate. “…and you got pressured into mentoring me and… and then the money…”
I’m so ashamed that I buckled under Dad’s pressure. Clearly, it’s not the right thing that proceeds go directly into Fin’s pocket – or mine – but I couldn’t go against my dad. I’m a good girl.
“Hm, that part could probably have gone better.” Aidan pushes off the door and comes towards me. “But as I said, it went well.Yougot part of the company that your dad hadn’t been prepared to give you.”
I go completely still as Aidan wipes a tear off my cheek that I hadn’t noticed falling, leaving a hot trail in its wake.
“Well, I suppose, but only by chance.”
“And I…” Soft, blue eyes track my face. “I get to mentor a very talented young designer, much more talented than Fin, right under your father’s ignorant nose.”
“Y-you don’t mean that.”
“Oh, I do. Your dad’s a dick.”
“Mr Byrne!” I gasp.
