I tried to calm myself, flicking an invisible piece of lint off my shoulder. “When it comes to business, I have no friends. I sure as hell don’t need him and his daddy getting into our affairs.”

With a flick of his wrist, an employee was at his side, bringing him an ashtray and glass of liquor. “Tell me more about the sabotage, then. As I’m aware, this family of theirs seems to be tearing at the seams, grasping at straws. The investigation seems to have spooked some amongst the top of the food chain. Whistleblowers are willing to come out and speak about things they’ve witnessed, and I worry the Wilder family cannot keep up with their end of the bargain to silence them.”

Tapping my foot impatiently, I chose my words carefully. “Which is exactly why the Montgomery heir needs to be...reigned in a direction. Quickly.”

His eyes flashed something dangerous before taking another puff of his cigar, smoke curling around him. “Does she show signs of not wanting to deal as her mother did?”

The question threw me off guard. Did she? What was she going to do? Was she briefed properly by her company? Was I fucking things up? Rubbing the back of my head to compose myself, feigning a yawn, I replied, “As far as I can tell, no. If she keeps being pursued by Alexander...”

He held his hand up. “I got it. Don’t worry about him. I also have your next assignment of employees to deal with. Don’t come back until it’s finished. Dismissed.”

His employee handed me an envelope and ushered me out of my grandfather’s office. Another round of employee management meetings to go.

I couldn’t wait to take my anger out on some of them.

​Chapter 30

Fallon

School was awkward.

Evans demanded heavier security measures after I alerted him about Alexander attacking me at the fall festival and trying to push himself onto me. I could still taste his disgusting spit no matter how much I brushed my teeth or washed my mouth.

He also told me about how that family is a nightmare of brutalities and to steer clear of Alexander if I could help it. The whispers through the grapevine have been not so great. Someone’s family has been working to destroy anyone trying to blow the whistle on business plans with the investigation going on.

I only assumed it was Sloane’s or Alexander’s since they were the top contenders for wanting more power for themselves. Alexander wanted ties to my family–merging an international luxury real estate business with the most powerful attorneys in the country was a surefire way to stay on top. Sloane’s family wanted ties with the biggest, most powerful conglomerate ever known to man–the benefits were endless for anyone who hitched themselves to their train.