Chapter 40
Abigall
For a moment, I stared at Roxy as if she had just told me the sky was green. A chest went tight as my thoughts started to fly in a thousand different directions. Was this because of Conrad? Had he pulled some strings to sabotage me? I couldn’t put it past him after the cruel side of him I had seen today.
I couldn’t lose my job in the company. It had given me something I desperately needed: normalcy. I needed to feel like my life wasn’t completely falling apart.”
“Abigail?” Roxy’s voice softened, her brows knitting together in concern. “You okay?”
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My thoughts had tangled into an incoherent knot. The moment Roxy had said something about it being better for me not to come into work right now, my mind latched onto the worst possible explanation: Conrad had gotten me suspended. Or worse, fired.
“I’m fine,” I finally ground out. “What do you mean I shouldn’t come to work?”
“I don’t mean forever,” she said quickly. “Just for a little while. Until things settle down.”
“What things, Roxy?” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I couldn’t help it. “What are you talking about?”
“Abigail, breathe,” Roxy said, stepping closer, her hands raised in a gesture of reassurance. “Look, if you’re thinking you’ve been fired, don’t worry you haven’t. When I told you your apartment and your job were safe, I meant it. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that.”
I blinked at her, relief flooding through me, but it was quickly replaced by a prickle of suspicion. “Then what’s this about? Why are you telling me not to come in?”
Roxy glanced around, as though worried someone might overhear us, despite the wide–open space of the park.” It’s not about you,” she said, her voice low. “It’s about the company. There’s a lot of…tension right now. A lot of infighting
“Infighting?” I repeated, my brow furrowing. “What are you talking about?”
Roxy sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Let’s sit first. My legs are killing me after chasing those little devils around all day.”
I followed her to a shaded bench beneath an old oak tree, the air cooler in the shade. We sat, and Roxy stretched her legs out with a groan, leaning back against the bench. She closed her eyes for a moment, catching her breath.
After a long pause, she opened her eyes and turned to me. “It’s Alexander,” she said finally.
That caught me off guard. “Alexander? What about him?”
Roxy hesitated, her lips pursing as though she were choosing her words carefully. “Ever since he came back, there’s been tension in the company. It’s always been there under the surface, but it’s gotten a lot worse recently.”
“Why?” I asked, leaning forward. Conrad had never told me about this. It had always seemed so clear to me,
and everyone else, that Alexander wasn’t just the heir of the Remington company, he was also the heir of the group of companies.
She exhaled slowly. “Because Alexander is the rightful heir to the company, but there are people–shareholders, board members who don’t want him in charge anymore. And now that he’s…” She trailed off, biting her lip.
“Now that he’s in a wheelchair,” I finished for her, my voice flat.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 40
Roxy winced but nodded. “Yeah. The moment I saw those official photos from his return, I knew this would happen. Some people are already trying to use his disability against him. It’s disgusting, honestly.”
I stared at her, my stomach twisting with a mix of disbelief and anger. “That’s all it took? Him not being able to walk anymore?”
“It’s not just that,” Roxy said, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees. “There have always been people in Conrad’s corner, but they were outnumbered by Alexander’s supporters. Now those people see an opening. They think they can turn the tide while they have the advantage.
I shook my head, trying to process what she was saying, “se they’re just…what? Plotting to overthrow Alexander? He’s Conrad’s brother for God’s sake.”
Roxy snorted. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t seem to matter to some of them. And Conrad-” She stopped herself, looking at me warily.
“What about Conrad?” I pressed, my voice sharp.
Roxy sighed again, rubbing her temples. “There are rumors that he has a significant number of company shares under his name. Shares that aren’t officially disclosed. If it game down to a vote, he could potentially use those shares to oust Alexander out and take control of the company.”
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I felt like the ground beneath me had shifted, leaving me unsteady. “You think Conrad would actually do that?”
Roxy gave me a pointed look. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
I looked away as I leaned back against the bench. She was right, Conrad had sides to him that could do anything. but still. He had always been ambitious, but this… This was something else entirely. “And Alexander?” I asked. ” What’s he doing about all this?”
“He’s trying to keep things under control,” Roxy said. “But it’s not easy. The board is divided, and some of the shareholders are starting to get restless. The fact that Alexander hasn’t made any public statements about the company’s future isn’t helping either. It’s like blood in the water, and the sharks are circling.”
I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of everything. “And you’re telling me all of this because…?” “Because I don’t want you caught in the crossfire,” Roxy said firmly. “Things are messy right now, and until they calm down, it’s better if you stay out of it. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s safe to come back to work, I promise.”
I opened my eyes and looked at her, my emotions a tangled mess. Gratitude, frustration and a lingering sense of anger all warred within me. “You’re sure this isn’t about Conrad?” I asked quietly.
Roxy shook her head. “This isn’t about him trying to get rid of you, Abby. I swear. And even if he was trying to get you out of the company, you can be damn sure it wouldn’t be through me. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t up to something. Just…be careful, okay?”
I nodded slowly, though my mind was still spinning. “Okay,” I said finally.
Roxy smiled faintly, reaching out to squeeze my hand. “You’ll get through this.”
I tried to return her smile, but it felt hollow. As we sat there under the shade of the tree, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.
+2.5 BONUS
Chapter 41
