RHYSAND'S POV
My jaw tightened as Bridgette walked away, reveling in the complement of the presentation that she had just done. "Mr. Rhysand," My secretary called, turning to me with her head still bowed down. "What is the matter?" I asked, glaring at her. “I came to tell you that the meeting you've scheduled with your father is in fifteen minutes, the car is ready, and..." "You're fired.” I coldly cut her words short. "S—sir?" She stuttered, her lips trembling at my words. "You heard me, you are fired." I repeated, walking away to the elevator. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Rhys, but..." "Rhysand." I corrected. "Yes, Mr. Rhysand, but you cannot fire me. I need this job.” She blurted out, her sharp heels striking the tiles brutally. God, I hate that sound. "Is that supposed to be a request or an order?" I said, turning back to her already pale face. "It—it is not what you think.” She shook her head repeatedly, her face blank. “ I'm just saying I'm the only daughter of my mother, and we...I just need this job, Mr. Rhys..." "Rhysand!" I yelled, shaking her to her core. "And I suggest that you leave as I demand or I'll make sure you never get a job in the corporate world again.” I clicked the buttons to the elevator and stepped in. "Why?” She choked. “I mean… I've made no mistakes. Apart from the message with Miss Bridgette’s team, there's nothing else. I made no more mistakes.” She argued and I looked back at her, watching as her lips trembled with excuses. "Your excuses are pointless, woman. You made me stand before my greatest enemy in the whole company due to your silly mistakes. You failed to carry out the tasks I assigned to you.” "It was a mistake, Mr. Rhysand. I promise I won't make any of that sort again." She pleaded, eyes brimming with tears they didn't move me a bit. "I don't give second chances, I made sure it reflected well enough on your appointment letter. Take your things and leave." I ordered, watching as the elevator door closed up, cutting the space between my assistant and I. The elevator turned silent, save for the sounds of its wheels lowering. The anger in my chest refused to ease as the elevator descended, each passing floor fueling the storm in my head. My secretary's pleading voice echoed in my mind, but I silenced it with a shake of my head. Weakness had no place in my world, and mistakes—no matter how small—were unacceptable. The doors slid open, and I stepped out, my polished shoes clicking against the marble floors as I made my way to the car waiting outside. The driver opened the door, and I slipped in, leaning back against the leather seat. The meeting with my father loomed ahead, God knows what he wanted to talk about that he seemed so serious over the phone. "I need to tell you something, Rhys." He said, his voice ladened with something akin to happiness. His voice had always been cold, lifeless, for as long as I could remember. And I couldn't bear to reject it, despite how stressed I was. I clicked my tongue, staring out at the city skyline as the car pulled into traffic. My father’s empire was vast, but I had carved my own path, and built my own success. And then there was Bridgette. The thought of her name alone ignited a mix of frustration, anger and something else I couldn’t quite place. She was a thorn in my side, constantly challenging me, and defying me at every turn. She was the only fucking person who had me on my toes, rejected and cornered my every word, board meetings? She had a question for every point I made. Yet, there was no denying her brilliance, her ability to command a room with her presence and I hated the fact that she was the perfection I so much wanted from other people. She didn’t fear me like others did. No, she stared at me like she was daring me to make her bend. I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to push the thoughts aside. She was just an employee—a brilliant but infuriating employee who had managed to crawl under my skin. The car slowed as we arrived at the building where my father was waiting. I stepped out, straightening my tie and squaring my shoulders. When I stepped off the elevator, the grandeur of the empty hallway hit me. Polished floors, soft lighting, and the faint scent of freshly brewed coffee—it was just like my father to reserve an entire floor for one conversation. “Rhysand,” he greeted, turning towards me with a warm, happy smile. That took me aback. I'd never seen him that happy, not even when the company hit milestones. “Father,” I replied, stepping inside. The room was set perfectly. A table of refreshments sat untouched—water, coffee, even a tray of pastries that neither of us would eat. His attention to detail was both infuriating and admirable. “Sit,” he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him. “I know you’re busy, so I won’t keep you long.” I sat down, keeping my posture as composed as his. “What’s this about? The company?" I asked. “No,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “This is personal.” "I wanted you to be the first person to know about it.” “Know what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. “I’m getting married,” he said casually, acting like he was just discussing the weather. The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. For a moment, I thought I’d misheard him. “You’re… what?” I asked, my voice sharper than intended. “Getting married.” He repeated, his tone even. “I’ve met someone, and I’ve decided it’s time to take that step again.” "Again.” I muttered, my mind scrambling to process his words. “To who?” I demanded, leaning forward in my chair. “When did this happen? And why now?” He raised a hand, a silent gesture for me to calm down. “Her name is Margaret, she's intelligent, kind, and someone I care deeply about. As for why, let’s just say life doesn’t wait for the perfect moment, Rhysand.” "And you think of all the things that you need to do now, getting married is one of them?"Bridgette "I should be asking you the same question." A strong Italian voice echoed. Never in a million years would I have thought I would find myself in such a position, sandwiched between two devilishly handsome men with high testosterone, playing knights in shining armor. I winced, shifting slightly to accommodate my burning ankle, which was currently bearing the brunt of being jostled around by these two men. Not that they had any idea of my pain, and I admit that was partly my fault. If only I hadn't rushed out of Rhysand's car in a fit of anger. Then I wouldn't have stumbled against a rock and almost fallen face-first into a puddle of murky water. Luckily I had been saved from that frightening ordeal, and it just happened to be by none other than Paul Varlesk, also known as Mr. P. A popular record label manager known for his rich videos looking into the lives of artists, which was mostly a nice way of saying he made fun of them. I'd been so shocked when he'd saved me that
RhysandThe car ride was silent. Bridget had taken my offer to drive to the party, while Thorne rode in front, guiding us to the venue.Despite the joy I had felt when she'd taken my offer to go together, I was beginning to feel a sense of loss. Bridget wouldn't speak to me. She refused to acknowledge my presence and gave me no chance to bring up our earlier discussion.Currently, she sat with her eyes fixed on her phone, scrolling mindlessly through social media. Whenever I tried to broach the subject, she would ignore me or answer me with one-word sentences, giving me no chance to clear the air.The closer we got to our destination, the more panicked I felt. I couldn't brush aside the feeling that she was slipping away from me before she could even be mine.The opportunity to talk soon came when Thorne slowed down and turned into the hotel's parking space. I closely followed, purposely taking my time to find a good spot. Despite the valet sign offering to park, I waved him aside and
BridgetteThe meeting began without any problems thanks to the detailed work done by the staff. I ran through the plans for the contract, our part to be played, and what was expected of Clarkson and Co if they saw fit to take the project. By the time I was done, an hour had passed."And that's all for the project. I believe a collaboration between two giants, such as ARW and Clarkson and Co, will make waves for ages to come," I ended, then walked towards my seat."Thank you, Ms. Hayes, for that wonderful presentation," Rhysand said, holding my gaze for a few seconds longer than necessary before he turned towards Mr. Thorne. "Are there any questions you'd like to have answered, or would that be all?"Thorne leaned into his chair in silence, his eyes closed as though contemplating."Mr. Thorne, is there a problem?" Rhysand asked again, a hint of annoyance in his tone. "Did you not get the full gist, or would you like more time to think about it?"I frowned in disapproval at Rhysand's to
RhysandThorne Clarkson stood before us looking every bit as cocky as I remembered him, dressed in a flamboyant Armani blue suit, a white dress shirt, and a hat of the same color. He looked like a miniature version of his father, though a less smart and more watered-down version."Is now a good time?" he asked with a cocky smile, his eyes fluttering between me and Bridget before resting on our joined hands. "I don't want to interrupt anything. I can always come back."I scowled, my lips parted, ready to tell him to fuck off, when Bridgette snatched her arm away from my grip, her tone steady."Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Thorne," she said with a professional smile. "There's nothing more important than speaking with you. To what do we owe the honor?""Is that so?" Thorne drawled, his eyes darting towards me before looking back at Bridgette."Why are you here, Thorne?" I spat, willing him to disappear as quickly as he had arrived.Like his name suggested, Thorne had been a prickly thorn in
RHYSAND"Ms. Hayes is the exception. Always," I said, my tone sharper than I intended, and Rosa flinched.I didn't bother to apologize, ignoring the flicker of fear that crossed her face as she twisted her fingers tightly."I'm sorry, Mr. Rhysand, I… I didn't know… I thought—""I'm not paying you to think so deeply," I cut through her excuse coldly, letting my disappointment darken my words. "I thought you were smarter than this, Rosa. It appears I was wrong."She flinched under my brutal words, and her eyes grew red and wet as though she was about to cry, but the moment didn't come as she quickly closed her eyes and exhaled.When she looked up at me, gone were her impending tears, replaced with a determined look. "You are right, Mr. Rhysand. I didn't think. I assure you it won't happen again."I shook my head, secretly impressed by this new Rosa. Gone was the overtly crybaby that always managed to annoy me, replaced by a much stronger version of herself. I liked it."I really didn't
RhysandEvery once in a while, I am left speechless by my actions. Just like today, I had overslept.I, Rhysand Warner, had overslept, and no one had woken me up. The first thing I saw was sunlight bleeding past my curtains.Shit. I reached for my phone, and another expletive escaped my mouth. Past 9 a.m.I hadn't intended to stay up so late, much less talk to my father for more than five minutes, but last night had been different.For once, we hadn't argued about work or expectations. We'd sat by the pool, sipping aged scotch and talking about trivial things.My childhood, his. Old songs, and even a few stories about how he struggled to take care of me. Then he'd switched to Margaret, his love for her and how amazing she was. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen my father so emotional, so soft, like his marriage to Margaret had been the salvation he needed all along.Strangely, I was happy for him. Margaret was good for him, and I didn't regret the conversation. Not even as I