Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
And just like every other person who stood before me, she shrank.
Her shoulders, which had been pushed back defiantly, were now rounded in front of her. The hands that had been crossed in some type of power pose were now gripping her sides, trying to protect herself.
And her eyes that had boldly met mine were now firmly on the floor.
“I—” Her voice cracked.
“No. You come into my office, barge in here without so much as knocking, like you own my fucking house or are in the least bit entitled to my time, and then yell at me? I don’t think so. We are going to have a conversation right now that more clearly defines our roles so you better understand your place in the world, and what is and isn’t appropriate behavior.”
“I—” she tried speaking again, but I wasn’t having any of it.
“Sit down now.” I pointed to the chair in front of my desk and stared her down until she finally moved.
She sat in the chair, curling her arms around herself, trying to make her body as small as possible.
When she was seated, her eyes still on the floor, I took my seat.
“Apologize,” I demanded.
“What?” She looked up at me, fresh tears gathering in her eyes, making them shiny and bright.
“You barged into my office, interrupting my workday. You did not knock, and you did not make an appointment. The days of you acting like a spoiled little bitch are over. Apologize, and we will go over the new arrangement.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Have the marks from our first lesson faded so quickly? Though I probably should tell you, next time will not end so pleasantly for you.” I sat back in my chair to have a more civilized conversation. “As soon as you apologize, then we can go over the arrangements, and you can get your new cards.”
She stared at the floor for another few moments, watching as she kicked her legs under the chair, her chest moving up and down with deep breaths. She was trying to work up the nerve, going over and over it in her head and trying to figure out how she’d gotten into this situation.
She could sit there and think about it all she wanted. It wasn’t going to change a damn thing.
“I’m sorry.” Her words were whispered, barely audible even in my silent office.
“You’re going to need to speak louder.”
She huffed out another breath, then sat up in her chair and tried to make eye contact again. “I’m sorry that I came into your office without knocking or an appointment, sir.”
“Good girl. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Being intentionally condescending may have made me an asshole, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t fun.
Her cheeks turned a darker red, and her little hands rolled into tight fists. “No, sir,” she said between clenched teeth.
“Good, so let’s go over your new arrangements. I’ve spent the last several days going through your family’s estate and seeing what has been coming in and out. I’m afraid your father was not as financially savvy as he let his investors believe. Really, he’s barely a step above a Ponzi scheme at this point,” I lied.
“No, that can’t be—”
“I’m afraid living in hotel suites is just not financially responsible given your current situation. Thankfully for you, I have generously agreed to let you stay here rent-free. This will give me some time to rearrange the estate and put you back into a positive cash flow. In the meantime, I do understand that you are used to a certain level of lifestyle, although I’m afraid that will have to be reduced greatly. I will be putting you on a monthly allowance of two hundred dollars.”
“You mean two hundred thousand?”
“No, I do not. I will also be selling your family’s estate. I’m afraid that’s the only way to pay off the debts that your family has left you.”
“That can’t be—”
“But it is. It’s all here in black and white, if you want to look it over.” I opened my drawer and pulled out a file folder with her father’s name on it, handing her falsified documents showing exactly what I wanted her to see and nothing more.
“So, you’re saying I’m—”
“I’m saying you’re extremely lucky that I have decided to take you in. I will be going over everything with my financial planners and seeing if I can turn this situation around at least enough to find you a proper husband.”
“I don’t believe you. My father would have never left me in financial straits. Not to mention my mother’s net worth was in the hundreds of millions, and my father never touched that money.”
“That you know of.”
“I do know this isn’t right. You can’t—”
“No, the court says I can do whatever I deem appropriate. I am the trustee of your estate, such as it is. I am the one that controls everything you own, and I have decided the appropriate thing to do with you is to keep you here under my roof and give you a generous allowance of two hundred a month.”