Don't take this from me

THEA

“Did you hear about the meeting yesterday?” The first lady asks.

“Of course, he fired another three people.” The second lady replies, rummaging through her bag.

The first lady slaps her shoulder. “I'm telling you. It's like a sport to him. And notice how it's mostly women?”

My ears perk up, curiosity setting in. 

My gaze flickers towards them as I walk closer and plaster on a smile. “Who are you talking about?” 

One of them glances at me hesitantly but she doesn't look like she recognises me. They must be new. Then she answers, “Ezra Harrington. The new CEO.” 

I frown. “New CEO?”

“You didn't know?” The second woman sounds surprised.

“She must be new.” The first woman says.

“Mr Dominic resigned. I heard the new Ezra Harrington is his niece so he took his place yesterday.”

Ezra Harrington. Sacks people like sport.

“And apparently, he's a misogynist. Doesn't care who you are, he fires people left and right but mostly women.”

The elevator dings. The door slides open. 

I stayed rooted to the ground as the two women hurried out of the elevator. 

I raise my shaky hand and input the executive floor number. 

This wasn't how today was supposed to start. I was supposed to walk into my new office, acquaint myself with it and bury myself in work, pretending that the world hadn't crumbled at my feet.

Instead, I'm walking into a company I thought I knew only to find a stranger at its helm.

A stranger with the power to take away the only thing I have left. 

No.

I tilt my chin up and square my shoulders as the elevator dings. Then, with my chin up, I step out of the elevator and into the executive floor.

Office three. I repeat in my head as I make my way towards the third door down the hall. 

And just like I'd hoped, my name is written on it. But the name at the end brings back the ache I'd managed to bury.

Thea Calloway.

I make a mental note to tell them to change it back to Carlisle before placing my thumb on the knob. 

The door clicks and I'm about to turn the knob when the elevator down the hall dings and a slim woman who I recognised too well steps out of it and rushes towards me, her heels clicking against the floor. Nora.

“Thea, oh my gosh. Where have you been?” She chimes as she stops beside me, trying to catch her breath.

I've been fighting for my life, I want to say but I say nothing instead.

She inhales deeply, finally catching her breath as I turn the knob of my office and step in. She follows after me.

I glance at her over my shoulders. “Well, how can I help you?”

“There's a board meeting going on. Mr Harrington wants you there. You were not present yesterday.” 

“Yes, I—”

“Don't explain.” She says, interrupting me as she rushes towards my new table.

She picks a document on the table and flips it open. Then, she holds it up as I drop my bag on the table.

“This is the latest update of the stocks as of yesterday. Take.” She stretches it towards me. “Be updated. We have two minutes.”

My mouth parts but I hurriedly take the file from her and flip it open. My eyes rake the content of the file before I slam it on the table.

“It's too sudden.” I say in panic.

She nods, her lips pulled up in a mocking pout as she walks toward the door. “Follow me. But don't say I didn't warn you.” 

Oh god.

I inhale deeply and follow her out of the office. I lock it behind us and try to keep up with her steps as she hurries towards the elevator and punches in the second to the last accessible floor. Harrington & Vale has 44 floors. 

The elevator dings at the 43rd floor and she steps out. She didn't wait for me and started walking calmly towards the double doors down the hallway; the boardroom.

When she reaches the door, she dusts her skirt and pats her hair. 

“Have they started?” I whisper.

She only spares me a short glance over her shoulders before she slowly pushes open the door and slips in. 

I inhale a shuddering breath and slip after her, afraid to make a noise.

As soon as we step in, the twenty two pairs of eyes or so sitting by the long oval table of the boardroom swivel to us.

Shit.

I hurriedly bow in embarrassment.

Nora rushes to the man sitting at the end of the oval table and I see her whisper something to him.

I stand frozen by the door, wishing the ground could just open up and swallow me. 

Oh god.

And then–

He stands.

Tall. Imposing. And dressed in a sharp suit that fits his frame too well. 

Ezra Harrington.

The man who supposedly fires women like sport.

The man now looking at me like he's deciding whether I'm worth keeping.

No. Please no.

Don't… take this… from me.