I almost punched him, even though I knew he had nothing to do with it. It was just the realization that her father had done some pretty fucked-up shit.

I allowed Nick to ramble on about his company and bring on presentations and reports while my thoughts were busy with Addi and the work she was doing, but now my patience was shot.

“I hope all this shows how glad I am that you decided to join us. We’ve been waiting for an opportunity to⁠—”

“Cut the bullshit,” I said and looked up at him. I was annoyed that I had to play this polite game in the first place. But for the sake of everyone’s reputation, I couldn’t just come charging in, yelling up a storm.

It wasn’t my style, and quite frankly, it would be embarrassing.

Men who needed to yell were no men at all. They were weak-willed cowards who used the fear loud anger pulled from those below them.

His smile dropped.

“You know why I’m here. You haven’t changed your ways. Rumor has it you’re abusing staff. Again.”

I had known that even before I invested. It was why I had invested when no one else would.

I hated people like him. Loved to see them suffer when I swept in and pulled out the rug from under them. They walked around thinking they were the shit. Not caring at all about the people whose lives they were ruining.

Greed. All they saw were the zeros at the end of their bank statement and not the blood pouring out of their victims’ wounds.

Fortunately for me, after so many years of doing this exact thing, it wasn’t hard. I had resources to make it work. Had the ability to be either the only or the biggest shareholder. One with enough power to demand change, and when it wasn’t working, take it into my own hands.

Unfortunately for them, most of their companies had a good chance at succeeding.

As long as I got rid of the weak link.

Doing it was healing. I wish I could have done it sooner. Would have saved everyone a lot of pain. Father would still be here. Alec would still be here.

And his daughter wouldn’t have had to sell her body to the likes of me to keep a roof over her head.

“Warren, I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, holding my gaze.

He’s always been a good bullshitter. He had that going for him at least. He used his looks and charming attitude to get people’s guard down before he pounced.

I got up and walked toward the glass walls that separated us from the rest of the office. It would seem everyone was looking at us except Addi, who was still focused on her work.