Chapter 7 #2
‘Great, thanks!’ She casts the words back to me over her shoulder then returns her attention to the barista.
I make my way to the next free server, depositing a banana and a bag of almonds on the counter, and ask for a skinny latte.
Amanda has perched herself on a stool in the window with coffee and a bacon and egg bagel. She chuckles when I take up the stool next to her, munching rapidly with hamster cheeks.
‘I feel like taking a picture of my breakfast and tweeting it to Kamal,’ she says through a half-eaten, nasty blend of egg and bread.
I laugh at the thought of his face. ‘For the record, what’s going on in your mouth is disgusting,’ I say when I’m able to speak. ‘You should think about taking smaller bites.’
She responds by wrapping her mouth around as much bagel as she can manage and taking a mammoth bite with a completely satisfied moan.
After checking my emails, I lock my computer screen and resolve to focus on the Shangzen Tek joint venture paper.
I switch my phone to silent and divert my calls to Margaret.
I really don’t have time for wayward thoughts and distractions today and I really would like to cling to my healthy, post-yoga zen as long as possible.
It’s almost twelve when I look up from my document for the first time.
I’ve scribbled an outline which Margaret can type up and drafted a short list of colleagues in other departments who I need to ask for input.
I unlock my screen to find, unsurprisingly, my email count has risen by double figures.
The last three emails are from Margaret with subject lines reading:
Mr Ryans of GJR Enterprises has called, please return his call
Mr Ryans has called again and asked that you return his call as soon as possible
Mr Ryans has called a third time – said it is urgent.
The two emails before Margaret’s are from Gregory, both asking me to call him. There are countless missed calls and a text on my phone.
Please call. I need you.
There’s a sharp knock on my office door then Margaret appears wearing a rather harassed expression. ‘I’m sorry, Scarlett, I know you don’t want to be disturbed but—’
‘Mr Ryans?’
‘Yes. He’s called again and he sounds very agitated. I really think you need to call him.’
‘Thanks, Margaret.’
She leaves the office, closing the door behind her, and I quickly scroll to Gregory’s number in my phone.
‘Gregory, what’s wrong?’
He sighs, whether in relief or exasperation, I’ve no idea. ‘I need you.’
His words, just like his text, pull on strings in my stomach.
Oh God, they’re going to charge him.
‘I’ve been given notice of an emergency Board meeting. Three of my directors are trying to get rid of me.’
My heart rate calms. ‘Okay.’ I try to shift my brain from the blind panic of Gregory being charged for murder and think about company law. ‘I’m guessing when you say directors, you don’t mean Williams and Lawrence?’
‘No. Nick Henshaw, Tim Marshall and Jean-Paul Gaville – they’re directors of a European-focussed subsidiary.
It’s not big, mostly research and development for gaming software, but I won’t be pushed aside, Scarlett, not from any of my companies.
I need you to fix this before I fly to Paris and fix it the wrong way. ’
‘Gregory, calm down. Now’s not a good time for you to be losing your temper with people. Okay? Gregory, tell me you’ve heard me.’
‘Okay.’
‘Now, tell me the name of the company.’
‘Constant Sources.’
‘Suffix?’
‘Limited. It’s a private company.’
‘It’s incorporated in England?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good, that makes things a little easier.’
‘Scarlett, they know about Saturday.’
‘That’s why they want rid of you,’ I say, stating the obvious.
‘It’s their excuse. I acquired the company a couple of years ago.
Retaining Nick, Tim and Jean-Paul was part of the deal.
They’ve been looking for a way out for a long time, especially Nick.
He used to have most control in the company and never really wanted the deal but the company was struggling before I acquired it. ’
‘Are you at your office?’
‘Yes.’
‘Stay put and stay calm. I need to get some documents from Companies House then I’ll head straight to you.’
‘I’ll send Kenneth.’
‘Okay,’ I say, having no desire to challenge him. ‘You mentioned Paris; are all three directors based in France?’
‘Tim and Jean-Paul are in Paris. They’re flying in. Nick lives in London.’
‘I’ll be with you as soon as I can.’
Shit! Shit! Shit! The incessant headache that I thought I’d escaped today is working its way back with a vengeance.
Dropping my head into my hands, I roll my fingers over my temples.
I knew it was a matter of time until someone outside our circle found out but how did they?
Shit! If more people find out, Gregory could be ruined, his companies could really suffer and there’ll be more than three directors calling for him to be out.
I can’t let him lose his companies. The truth can save him and I need to make him realise that.
‘Okay, Scarlett, pull yourself together.’ I tap my cheeks too hard. ‘He needs you.’
I dart from my office to Margaret’s desk. ‘Margaret, I need you to get me the Articles of Association and information on the directors and shareholders of Constant Sources Limited and I need them now, please. Can you clear anything that’s in my diary for this afternoon too?’
‘Of course.’
After quickly throwing things into my bag, I pull on my coat and set my out-of-office reply before closing down my computer.
‘Margaret, do you have tho—’
‘Here you go.’
Kenneth is waiting when I burst out of the revolving glass door.
I bundle myself into the back of the Mercedes and start scouring the constitutional documents of Constant Sources.
To my relief, Gregory isn’t outnumbered in directorships.
Nick, Jean-Paul and Tim will have to take on Gregory, Williams and Lawrence.
Then I run through the list of shareholders but before I see the percentage holdings – in other words, the power they each hold to make decisions on behalf of the company – Kenneth opens the door for me.
I make quick time into the office block, not sure whether I just think to say thank you or actually say it.
The lift doors open to GJR Enterprises and I head straight for Gregory’s office, passing the dropped jaw of Francesca.
She immediately picks up the phone at the front desk, I suspect to tell Mr Ryans that there’s nothing she could do to stop the mad woman on a mission.
His office is silent but for the sniffles of a woman who’s sitting in a leather chair on one side of Gregory’s large glass and chrome desk.
He faces her, resting on the edge of his desk, his hands either side of his hips, his fingers hooked over the rim.
All eyes in the room turn to me. Williams and Lawrence offer a swift, ‘Hello,’ which I return without moving my focus from the scene in front of me.
‘Are you going to fire me?’ the woman croaks through a sob.
‘How to deal with you is not the top of my priorities, Sydney,’ Gregory says through a tight jaw.
Sydney, his PR manager. I don’t know what’s going on but I feel for her. It’s an almost impossible feat to keep this whole mess quiet; too many people are interested in the thirty-year-old CEO who’s already made it to The Times Rich List.
‘Go and clean yourself up but don’t go anywhere. This conversation isn’t over.’
Sydney nods, another sob escaping her, and scuttles past me, no doubt desperate to be free from the room. I can’t believe Gregory has made a woman cry but my anger disappears as soon as I see my CEO sag in defeat. It’s unprofessional but my legs carry me to him and my hand reaches out for his.
‘Hey, it’s going to be fine.’
His eyes lift to mine, wide, surprised, I think, then he casts a look to Williams and Lawrence, who are subtly feigning conversation. I drop his hand and force some objectivity back into my voice.
‘Tell me what happened.’ I cast my coat on the leather sofa and open my laptop on the coffee table.
Gregory runs his eyes the length of my body greedily before he finally pushes himself from his desk and joins me on the sofa, Williams and Lawrence taking up position on the sofa opposite. ‘Nick found out about Saturday.’
‘You’ve told me that much. How did he find out?’
‘Does it matter?’ Gregory snaps.
I’m taken aback by his reaction but I don’t let it show. I’ll let that one go on grounds of stress. ‘I guess not but I’d like to know if the situation is about to become common knowledge.’
‘Sydney told him,’ Lawrence offers.
‘She what? Why?’
Gregory glares at Lawrence. ‘It won’t happen again.’
‘That’s all well and good, Gregory, but now someone who clearly has it in for you knows something that, for very good reasons, you were trying to keep secret.’
Gregory thumps a hand on the arm of the sofa. ‘Damn it, Scarlett! Just tell me how to deal with the directorship.’ He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his usual confidence and poise broken. I’ve done this to him. ‘I’m sorry,’ he mutters.
‘Gregory, I know you don’t want to hear it but there’s an easy way out of this.’
He eyes me nervously.
‘Tell them the truth.’
His hands are back in his hair. ‘Scarlett, we’ve been through this. We can’t.’
‘That’s not what I mean.’
He casts cautious eyes to the confused faces of Williams and Lawrence then turns to me. ‘Then what do you mean?’
‘Tell them why. If you told them about your father, who he is, what he did, anyone with a heart would have sympathy.’
Gregory stands so abruptly, it makes me jerk backwards. ‘Sympathy. Do you think I want their fucking sympathy, Scarlett?’ His words are a roar that shock me into silence. He charges to the window and stands with his back to me, his arms folded.