chapter ten

"I tried to stop him, heather." Anziano stuttered, as we went down the stairs. beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "But....he outsmarted us. He tricked me."

"Take deep breaths," Kim calmed the old man. "what happened?"

"Your father, he went outside to meet the press."

"He fucking did what?" I didn't care I raised my voice. My eyes, wide in amusement. "Call the security right now and go stop him." I ordered him.

"We can't do that."

"Why not?

"Because he'd shut the door from the outside." Kim chipped in. He clung to the remote, staring puzzled at my dad on the TV, unsure to say something.

"Go, find any security man around." I ordered. "Tell them to open the door, now!"

I watched as Anziano scurried away.

"You!" I turned to Kim. "You set me up! You knew Georgio was okay, yet you made me come here."

"You know how he is heather. Anziano called me, it sounded really urgent. I'm had no choice." He confessed.

"I believed you. You have no idea what being here costed me." I turned away, completely agitated by Kim.

"Look, I know you hate the old man. But for once, could you try to understand him. Give him a chance, heather."

"You know what, you don't have to keep acting like you know what's best for me. Just stop it! Georgio isn't-"

The noise on the the TV became so Intense. I watched as the reporters flooded around him, not caring if they stumbled eachother. It wasn't even like we ran the biggest firm in town. But nothing was far more entertaining than watching someone with a high social status fall to shambles.

Georgio on the other hand has never looked so unbothered. He just walked slowly, a bottle of wine secured in his hands. Even the gate security had a hard time keeping them at bay.

"Mr Martins, is it true you've been diagnosed with a terminal illness?" A male reporter shouted.

"How do you plan on running your company now?" Another one chipped in, not caring if he was listening or not.

"Reports says your daughter hasn't been much productive at all ever since you stepped down. So could this be the fall of your media house?" Another one asked.

"That would be a shame. You've assisted in so many big productions over the years." A female reporter added.

"Intels says she's purposely neglecting it due to an unsettled feud. Is this true?"

"So does that mean you'll sell it?"

I watched Georgio look unfazed as they kept bombarding him with questions.

"Please answer us sir," another one shouted.

"Of course.... Of course...." Georgio responded calmly. I watched the whole crowd drop silent. I could swear at this point, I could hear him speak from the outside.

"As you all know, my health is hanging on a thread." He continued, faking a mild cough. "And my daughter hasn't been much of a helping hand. One could even say she has little or no Interest in my work."

I balled my fists. Anger, swelling up my chest.

Georgio turned looking at the mansion, obviously trying to get under my skin. He spoke up, "You’ve spent your whole life acting like you don’t need me, like this family means nothing to you. Fine. Prove it. Run this company for a year—make it successful—without my help, without Joshua's help. If you do, I’ll walk away. Away from your life heather. You’ll never have to see me again. But if you fail, I sell it, and you’ll have no say in what happens next."

He smirked. The reporters stood quietly for seconds. To me, they were the longest thirty seconds of my life. What was this whole thing to him, some kind of sick game? Why do I have to prove myself to him to get what's rightfully mine. It's only a matter of time and it will be mine, everything.

I picked the landline. "Somebody get that man from the fucking press. What the actual fuck!"

"We're doing the best we can." The man answered nervously before hanging up.

I stared at Kim, who looked at me in awe.

"I swear heather, I had nothing to do with this," Kim spoke plainly as if reading my mind.

I watched as the security conered Georgio, alongside Anziano. The press was uproar trying to still ask more questions.

"-do you think she'll be able to do that much within 12months."

"- do you have any potential competitors willing to buy your firm?"

I watched the security shove them aside, and I didn't care. "Get them out of here. All of them, I want them out."

The door suddenly opened. I watched as Anziano supported Georgio to the couch.

"Aren't you a drama queen old man?" I rushed at Georgio. "Did you really think you can scare me? 12 months? Really?"

Georgio grinned, wider than ever. "Why so pissed daughter. Don't you think you can pull it off? After all I pitied you, 12 months it's a bit too far don't you think?."

I stared at him in disgust.

"I swear I'll be damned if I let you sell everything I've worked so hard for."

Georgio laughed before pointing a finger at me. "You're just a pain in my old ass woman. If you fail and I'm probably dead, I'll have all my properties liquidated and buried with me."

"You're sick. In fact, you think you're ten steps ahead. But don't you forget, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?"

"Well you're free to live your life young woman. As you please, but not with my earnings. You only get 12 months heather. Spend it wisely. At least, you have Kim to keep you company. He would make sure you're not completely lost."

"You know what?" i blurted. "I don't have to prove anything to you. You're pathetic."

Georgio sucked his teeth. "I'm intrigued, heather. I heard you're trying to bag the sterlings deal." He scoffed. "Good luck trying to get them... You'll need it."

- - - - -

* * *

"How did Georgio get to know about the fucking Sterlings deal?" I snarled, looking inquisitively at Kim as he shove a spoon fool of ice-cream in his mouth.

"Don't you give me that look babe, you know I'm innocent." He scooped another one.

"What do I know? It seems there a lot of things you've been keeping from me recently Kim," i rolled my eyes.

"Don't tell me you're still mad about earlier." Kim whined. "Okay, I'm sorry. Anziano said your dad really wanted to see you. I didn't know the press would be involved like that."

"Obviously." I took a seat. "Who are these sterlings anyways, and why's everyone so worked up. I'll just wing it, like I always do."

Kim was getting fed up -but with me. "I don't think it's that easy heather."

"What?" I stared at Kim in confusion. "What about them?... Huh."

He looked at me, annoyance written all over his face. Like I just asked why water was wet or something.

“THE Sterlings, babe." Kim spoke up. "The multi-billionaire empire. You could sell your soul and still not afford a fraction of their power. Bagging a deal with them would save us from everything. But it’s not that simple. Just getting them to listen to a pitch is already like trying to book Beyoncé for a backyard wedding.”

I frowned crossing my arms, “So they’re arrogant?"

“Arrogant? Honey, proud doesn’t even begin to cover it. They don’t just work with anyone. They partner with legacy. Bloodlines. Powerhouses. Not us.”

"so I should be scared?" I asked, raising a brow

he looked at me dramatically. "you should be petrified."

"If the Sterlings are so fancy, then why are they even interested in meeting us?”

I felt kim pause. “That’s the real mystery. Who knows, maybe someone up there actually has a soft spot for underdogs.”

I flopped on the bed. "I'm so loosing everything I worked so hard for."

"Don't say that heathy, were going to deal with this, one step at a time. For now we need to get rid of that blackmail."

I jumped to my feet. My date with him. I had totally forgotten about it. I've been so caught up with Georgio's nonsense that I didn't have time to think.

"You sure you don't want me to go with you," Kim called after me.

"I'll be okay... Just keep your phone close," i assured him before leaving.