Chapter 3

Blake walked into my office as soon as I was about leaving the office

This time he was alone, I prayed no attention to him as I continued parking my stuffs to leave

“ Where are you going to Clarissa, we still have a lot of documents to complete, you can’t leave until it is complete”

He said looking at me like I had gone mad

“ I have somewhere important to be, anything can be sorted out once I get here tomorrow” I carefully put

“Where could be more important than this, you need to finish this files, they are very important, you can’t leave here until you’re done with them” he said expecting me to get back to work.

I ignored him totally, still packing my bags, I finished up and was about leaving the office when he pulled me back so fast I almost fell.

“You’re pissing me off Clarissa, I don’t know what you’re trying to prove,and trust me I don’t care, but you’re going to finish this project, before I get home today.” He said before finally releasing me and storming out of the office building.

My phone buzzed

Unknown number.

I answered.

“It’s done,” the adviser said. “ you can start selling in phases, he won’t notice until it’s too late”

“Good,” I said. I’ll start the sourcing soon, for now let him think I’m still under his control”

I ended the call

Outside the sun was setting, Blake thought I was coming home, he was in for the shock of his life.

I drove straight to my father’s company

The building rose into the sky, glass and steel sharp and clean, HART HOLDINGS, my name still carried weight here. Always had, in my past life I had avoided this place like it burned, I never told Blake about my family background, because I didn’t want him to feel less of a man, didnt want to make him feel insecure, but now I know better.

I walked in confidently, the security guard at the entrance straightened when he saw me, his eyes lingered for half a second, then widened in recognition

“Ms. hart” he said already stepping aside.

“Welcome back.”

I nodded once and walked in, my heels clicking against the marble floor. People turned. Heads lifted, conversations stalled.

This wasn’t TRUST GROUPS, where I was the “Blake’s lapdog”. This was my family’s empire, and no matter how long I’ve been gone, they still knew my name.

I didn’t waste time.

I went straight to the executive floor.

The elevator doors slid open to a familiar hallway, where my father’s office was, the air smelled expensive and powerful.

I took three steps before a woman ran towards me, tablet clutched to her chest.

“Clarissa?” She asked looking at me with a surprised look on her face.

“Hi, Megan,” i said. “I’ll go in.”

She hesitated.Then nodded

The boardroom doors opened to silence

Every head turned

My father sat at his usual position, at the head of the table, glasses perched low on his nose

For one terrifying moment he just stared

Then he stood

The scrapes of his chair echoed through the room

“Meeting adjourned,” he said calmly “now”

No one argued, they gathered their files and filed out quickly, curiosity burning in their eyes, Finally the doors closed and it was just two of us

I crossed the room and engulfed him in a hug

I’m coming back to the company

He searched my face, really loooked at me, like he was trying to find any doubt, finally he hugged me back

“Welcome back sweetheart” he said hoarsely, I always knew he would come back

I swallowed hard. “I need your help dad”

That made him pull away.

“Tell me.”

I took a breath and told him everything

“I want to take everything I invested into him, every dime I invested in that company, I want the satisfaction of seeing back at square one where he started”

My father’s jaw tightened

Silence stretched between us

Then he smiled, not warm, not kind.

Proud

“Good we start today.”