2 - Nathan

2 - Nathan

“I really need you to stop throwing me at every woman with a nice pair of legs, Grandfather.” I say huffing my annoyance.  

I kept myself off-screen for the duration of the meeting on purpose. This is my grandfather’s way of scoping out the merchandise before we arrive and getting a game plan together for how to proceed with negotiations but I had a good view of the women in the room and my grandfather did notice my attention being taken by the young woman off to the side of the room. She kept herself off camera for most of our time and I only had a partial view when she couldn’t avoid being on camera. No doubt she is part of the actual brains behind this merger. The way Lady Corleone kept looking her way to confirm information was a huge tell.  It was very sly, I have to hand it to them.  Lady Corleone has a way with words and it appeared as though she was giving direction to the woman, but if you paid attention to the subtleties, it was, in fact, the reverse. 

I have always found it more enlightening to watch the assistants and staff who attend meetings with their superiors.  I get a much better read of the company as a whole watching them than listening to the bullsh*t the CEO’s spout. This was no different. Lady Corleone, who carries the title for no reason that I have found relevant, knows her way around a boardroom and does better than most, but it’s always the lackeys that are kept close who hold the keys.

Then there was Mallory.  That gold-digging slut.  She’ll f*ck anything to make it possible to maintain her status in society. As hard as her mother tried to include her in the conversation, Mallory’s nothing but eye candy, and everyone in our circle knows it.  

The older men take advantage of that fact and keep her satisfied with expensive things and she keeps them satisfied in their darkest desires.  I think she’s hoping, one day, one of them will marry her and fund her lifestyle permanently.  What she doesn’t know is all of these men have wives they present to the world and mistresses they can throw around in the sack, she’s a mistress, not a wife.  One day her prospects will dry up and she’ll be tossed away like the trash.  Her mother at least has the intelligence to back up her promiscuous nature and can fend for herself.  Mallory did not get that intelligence.

“I really need you to find a wife, and keep her.” He snaps back.  I roll my eyes, already tired of this never-ending conversation. I’m done with women, like Mallory, who want a title and status, but don’t bring anything to the relationship.  My ex-fiance made my life a living hell.  I have no intention of going through that again.

“Keanna left me for a bigger payout and less time to wait to become a widow.” I huff back at him. It’s been a year and he still manages to bring it up almost daily. “Besides, I don’t think it's a good idea to marry a socialite girl anyway.  They all already come with baggage and it’s a PR nightmare.  Just dating them is a pain in the ass.”

“You’re right, I have been thinking along those lines too.  When we get back to the city, I have a proposition for you.” I blow air out of my nose showing my annoyance and glare at him. “Don’t look at me like that, you know the stipulation as well as I do and we have found no way around it.  You are 35, we’ve done it your way for far too long. Now it’s time to take drastic measures. You will be married in the next six months and you will have a legitimate son before your 40th birthday. We will discuss this more when we get back. Let’s just enjoy our week here in the tropics.

“You have your fun with the Corleone ladies. I have an acquisition to go over.  Charlotte Corleone seems to think that she is taking on our business, and that she will be an equal partner, she said it at least three times.  I want to make sure our contracts are perfectly clear with no room for interpretation on their part.”

“They have a good image that will add diversification to Westfield Enterprises, don’t go digging up nonexistent problems before they have even signed.” Copyright ©️ 2025 Miss L Writes and Ember Mantel Productions

“You mean before you get your dick wet by one or both of them.” I roll my eyes. “Charlotte will be a pain in the ass at the best of times, but can at least bring in a profit.  Mallory is the wild card.  I want to know more about her habits before we bring on that packaged deal.” I stand and go to my room before he can argue.  He knows I am right, but he will still argue with me as if he has a say in what happens with our company.  

He is the COO and the face of our brand, but the board gave me the title of CEO and full control of the company two years ago. It was a soft transfer, even my then fiance didn’t know of the transition of power. There is always so much upheaval during a change over and I didn’t want to deal with that.  He enjoys the spotlight, so he can have it.  I do spend a fair amount of time muzzling him though. He wants to make deals and promises that he can’t back up, regularly forgetting his place.

My only other stressor is the looming timeline for my great-great grandfather’s will. Each Westfield male heir is given an inheritance that will set them up for life. The old man knew what he was doing too.  The money is not accessible until we turn fifty. Meaning we have spent a good amount of time building up the business and contributing to the future of our lineage before the payout. I have done all of those things, the only requirement I can’t seem to make happen is getting married and producing the next male heir. To get paid I have to have a son. My grandfather almost missed out, having seven girls before he was gifted with my father.

My parents only stuck around long enough for their payout, then they moved to Europe. My father did alright in the cutthroat business world, but he is more of a hippie artist at heart. I can’t blame him for taking his money and running. I talk to them maybe once a year when they are near civilization.

I don’t need the money. Business is something I am good at, but the pressure is on from my grandfather. I rip my tie off and throw it on the desk. I need a shower and some time away from the old man. I’m sure after dinner tonight he will have some new scheme that involves dating one of the Corleone women.  I really want a drink, but that is a bad idea.  I need my head on straight.

On second thought, I’ll have one now and avoid drinking with Charlotte and Mallory.  Knowing them, any drink they serve me will have a roofie in it.