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2026-03-31 22:35:12
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DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG 68
I hated that I had to remind them of that to get their respect. It felt like I'd been coercing them into doing my bidding, and I was sure that if Victor was here, he'd have advised me to try another way. But it was also necessary. Everyone needed a little reminder once in a while. “If I don't at least get a right to speak concerning a decision that'd limit my position in the company, then what's the point of owning so many shares?” I asked no one in particular. And no one answered. “Let the decision be made again. This time, we cast votes now that everyone is present,” I went on. “And whatever the results are, I'll respect it.”It took a moment before the re room erupted in murmurs once again. “Ms. Lancaster. You need to understand that we've already settled this,” Donald spoke first, and the others followed his beat. It was almost like he had more control than Dean. “This is unnecessary—”“Reopening the vote sets a bad precedent. Obviously—”“It’s a waste of time—”Their voice
DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG 067
By the time I got there, they had already started.Of course, they had.The receptionist barely had time to look up before I walked past her, my heels cutting clean, deliberate sounds against the polished floor. The closer I got to the boardroom, the clearer the muffled voices became—low, tense, controlled. A room full of men and a few women, convincing themselves they were doing something smart. I wondered when they were going to learn they'd just been wasting their time. I didn’t slow down.I pushed the door open without knocking and stepped in.One by one, voices cut off mid-sentence, heads turning, expressions shifting from focus, to confusion, to surprise.Good.Dean was the last to look at me.He stood at the head of the table, one hand braced against the surface, the other holding a file he no longer seemed interested in.For a brief second—just one—his composure slipped, but then it was gone.I didn’t acknowledge it. I didn’t acknowledge any of them.Shoulders squared and c
DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG 066
~~Joan~~The email came in at 7:12 a.m.I saw it the moment my phone lit up on the bedside table, the subject line bold and insistent.It was a reminder about a meeting that was supposed to be held at Dean's company in six hours. I stared at it for a few seconds longer than necessary, then I flipped the phone over.I ignored it.For once, I didn’t feel the urgency. Didn’t feel the pull to jump into work mode, to calculate, to prepare, to dominate whatever room I was walking into.Because when I stepped out into the hallway minutes later, I was reminded exactly why.Victor was already awake.He sat in the living room, dressed, composed—almost like nothing had changed. But that illusion shattered the moment I looked closer.His skin looked paler, his movements slower.Even the way he held his teacup carried a faint tremor he wasn’t bothering to hide anymore.My chest tightened.“Good morning,” I said, softer than usual.He glanced up at me, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “You’re u
DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG 065
~~Joan~~The house was quiet. Not the kind of quiet that felt empty or lonely, but the kind that pressed against your skin, heavy and intimate. Kai was finally asleep, sprawled across his little bed with blankets tangled around him. Even in rest, he looked like a tiny storm contained within sheets, a storm that had demanded every ounce of our energy tonight.Victor was resting in his chair, reclined, his breathing slow and steady. The soft hum of the heater and the faint ticking of the clock were the only sounds accompanying the occasional creak of the old floorboards. I leaned against the doorway, my bag of papers forgotten on the table, and just watched. The evening had gone better than expected—Kai had laughed, Brandon had been patient, and even Victor… though still stern, still distant… hadn’t been impossible.Brandon was in the kitchen, loading dishes into the sink with calm precision, moving in a rhythm that seemed effortless. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words s
DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG 064
The drive back was quiet, but it wasn’t peaceful. Victor sat in the passenger seat, stiff and immovable, his hands folded over his stomach like he was bracing for impact. Joan was beside me, pale and tense, her fingers drumming lightly on her knee. I kept my eyes on the road, letting them both stew in their thoughts for a while.“You realize this isn’t optional, right?” I said finally, breaking the silence.Victor’s eyes flicked to me, sharp, appraising. “I don’t need anyone watching me, Brandon. I’ve survived longer than most.”“I don’t care how long you’ve survived,” I replied evenly. “You’re not leaving that hospital without someone who actually knows what to do if something goes wrong. You fainted today. That’s not some casual hiccup.”He let out a low hum, half-grumble, half-laugh, but I didn’t miss the tension in his jaw. He was used to controlling everything, everyone, but he wasn’t used to anyone calling his bluff.Joan finally spoke, voice soft but firm. “Victor… please. Just
DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG 063
BrandonThe second we got on the road, I realized Joan was quiet. Too quiet. Her hands gripped the steering wheel like her life depended on it, though I knew she wasn’t driving. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, rapid bursts, her gaze fixed on nothing at all.“Joan?” I asked softly, reaching over to place my hand lightly on hers.Her fingers twitched beneath mine. “I… I just—” Her voice cracked. She swallowed, sharp and jagged, and I knew immediately what was happening. Panic. Pure, unfiltered panic, blooming inside her like a storm cloud she couldn’t control.“Okay,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, calm, the anchor she clearly needed. “We’re going to pull over for a second. Breathe with me.”She barely nodded, and I guided the car toward the roadside. The tires crunched over gravel, and I parked. Engine off, silence pressing in around us except for the faint hum of passing cars.“Look at me,” I said gently. She flinched at the sound of my voice but obeyed. “Breathe with me.
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