Chapter Fifty

Posy stared at the numbers on the projector, eyes narrowed in confusion as to what was going on. Her palm was a bit sweaty but she wiped them off with a small towel, tossing the cloth on her table as her eyes flickered back to the screen, restless.

She had a cake appointment in a few minutes and she wanted this done and over either!

Her assistant, Clara, stood before her, a grim expression on her face as she pointed to figures on a projected spreadsheet.

"Miss Posy, this is the final projection for the 'Visionary Ventures' contract," Clara explained, voice laced with concern. How could she not be? So much was wrong and it was all thanks to Posy!

"As you can see, the projected returns, the red lines, are... negative. Very negative. This deal, as it stands, will not only fail to generate profit, but it will also run Balmero Industries into significant debt. The clauses you signed off on are highly unfavorable to us." Clara adds, trying her best to sound as polite as she possibly could.

Her eyes flickered to Posy who stared at the projector, clearly with no clue what was being said or shown.

Clara had tried to warn Posy about the deal and how shady it was but when their supposed partner offered Posy an expensive and rare necklace as a ‘gift’ she accepted it! And she signed off on the contract without informing Clara!

Posy glanced at Clara with a frown. “What do you mean by debt?! The lines are pink, not red…”

Clara, eyes filled with conclusion, glanced back at the board as to what Posy was talking about. It was slightly pink but how is that the major problem right now?

“I'm not sure I understand your concerns, Ms Posy..” Clara asked.

“The lines are pink and you said they were red. Can't you tell colours apart anymore?”

Clara's grip on the tablet tightened as she struggled to maintain a calm and collected composure in front of her supposed boss.

Is this brat being serious right now?! How the hell is that the problem?! Can't she see that the Balmero company is going to g0 bankrupt because of her terrible decisions and love for shiny objects?

“I can't believe I have to teach you your job, Clara! Is this how incompetent you were when Thea was here? No wonder you made no progress together!” Posy snapped.

Clara tried her best not to scoff, the audacity of this bird brain to call her incompetent! Ms Thea was able to pull the family business into the top ten in less than a year of working with the company and it's been a joyride ever since!

The moment Posy took over, she fired everyone who worked with Ms Thea, the competent ones, and replaced them with quacks and her fellow nitwits!

Goodness, Clara has never seen an epidemic of elite girls being so…careless in her life! Everyday she misses Thea more and prayed she was doing okay wherever she is. Posy was a clueless nutjob and it grated her nerves daily.

“I'm afraid that is not the bone of contention right now. We are losing money and this is very detrimental for the business..”

Posy slams her hand on the table, glaring at Clara. “Our company?! Is my father your father, you low life peasant?!”

Clara bows her head, her fingers trembling slightly. Posy might not be the brightest person in the room but she was violent. Clara was yet to recover from the hot coffee she had tossed on her chest yesterday, out of anger..

“I can't believe this! I should have fired you so you can join your jobless boss wherever in hell she is!” Posy sneered.

Just then, the heavy boardroom door swung open without a knock, and Runes stormed in. His face was as cold as ever as he walked deeper into the room, his eyes blazing. He barely spared Clara a glance, his entire focus on Posy.

Clara could see how Posy turned from a furious witch to the sweetest person in the room as soon as her eyes landed on Runes.

Not only did she steal Thea's position, she stole her man too! That shameless witch!

"Clara, leave us," Rune ordered.

He didn't have to tell her twice! She was done here! Clara quickly gathered her papers and hurried out before the door clicked shut behind her.

Posy smiled as she got out of her seat, covering the distance between them.

"Babe. You didn't tell me you were coming…”

"I told you to send me Thea's number!" Rune cut her off in a furious growl.

He walked closer, until he was looming over her, he wasn't here to exchange pleasantries. "Wby didn't you send it?"

Posy swallowed hard, of course she didn't! H0w could she? He could still have feelings for her, she couldn't just hand him Thea's number like that..

"I... I'm still trying to find it. She's changed her number, and she hasn't been answering anyone's calls." She stammered.

That was the best excuse she had. Maybe if she stalled just a bit longer, he would run out of patience and give up.

He got closer, eyes fixed on Posy like he intended to break her into two if she told him one more lie.

“You don't want to give it to me, do you?”

“No…that's not the case. Look, I can just deliver the message for you but I really don't have her number…”

Rune's eyes narrowed. He glanced around the empty boardroom, making sure they were truly alone. Then, he grabbed her by the wrist, his fingers digging into her skin.

"I know you're trying to hide something. You didn't send it because you didn't want to. You want Thea out of the picture, don't you? So you can have me all to yourself!"

Posy winced, trying to pull away, but his grip was like iron.

"No! That's not it! I just... I haven't been able to get it! Let go …it hurts.." She managed.

"This is all her fault!" Rune spat, his voice laced with venom. "All these damn posts on Wetalk! People calling me a liar! My name is being dragged through the mud! And she's the one who started it, with her ridiculous story about her 'husband'!"

“Why are you so bothered? Who cares what people say about Thea's so-called husband? Unless... unless you still want her, even after she cheated on you?"

Rune's eyes, already wild with rage, snapped to pure fury.

"I still want her?!" he snarled, his grip on her arm tightening painfully. "Is that what you think?! That I'm somehow pining for that disloyal bitch after she made a fool of me?!"

His hand shot up, clamping around her throat, cutting off her breath. Posy gasped, her eyes widening in terror, her hands clawing weakly at his wrist.

His fingers pressed, not hard enough to kill, but hard enough to choke her.

"Let me make this perfectly clear, Posy," Rune growled, his face contorted with dark emotion.

"My reputation is on the line. And if you don't give me that number, you will regret it. Do you understand? Your little place in this family, your future... it all depends on my goodwill."

Posy whimpered, nodding frantically, tears streaming down her face as she struggled for air.

Rune loosened his grip just enough for her to gasp.

"Do you have the number, or not?"

"Yes! Yes! I'll... I'll get it!" Posy choked out, rubbing her bruised throat. "It's in my personal contacts... I'll send it now!"

She scrambled for her phone, her fingers trembling. She quickly found it and sent it to him, her hands shaking so badly she almost dropped the phone.

Rune snatched his phone, seeing the message pop up. He stared at her, his expression still full of fury.

"You should have done that earlier.” He said calmly. He moves closer but Posy takes a fearful step back. He smirks and pats her head gently.

“If you keep being a good fiancee , we will have no reason to disagree, am I right?”

Posy nodded, her eyes fixed to the ground as her breathing continued, ragged.

Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the boardroom, leaving Posy gasping for breath and her throat aching.

She sank into a chair, rubbing her bruised neck, tears silently flowing. Thea always seemed to find her way back into their lives, like a ghost!

Not even the videos stayed up long enough to humiliate her and all her calls to Vance went strict to voice mail.

Posy's eyes darkened, she needed to get rid of Thea. For good!