Chapter 2. #2
That's when Constance stepped forward, her presence a silent, calming force.
"Mr. Thomson will answer a few questions now," she said, her voice not the soft, loving one he had grown to know, but a voice of authority, a voice that commanded respect.
"But please remember, this is all new to him.
Be respectful, or this question session will be over.
" The crowd quieted down instantly, the reporters recognizing her tone and knowing she meant business.
The New York Times reporter: "Mr. Thomson, what is your business background?
Your name isn't in any of the financial journals.
Can you tell us about your experience?" He asked…
"My experience is in hard work. I'm a factory worker, and I've been one my whole life.
I know what it means to work for a living.
I know what it's like to build something from the ground up. " Brian answered.
The Washington Post reporter: "What will be the first change you make to the company, Mr. Thomson?
" The young woman asked… "I will take the time to learn the company from the inside out, from the ground up.
I believe a good leader knows every part of his company, from the factory floor to the CEO's office. " Brian answered with a smile.
The Associated Press reporter: "There have been rumors of a private selection process.
Can you confirm or deny that?" An older man asked…
"I can tell you that the process was set in place to find a candidate with the integrity and character Mr. Dranning valued most. I was fortunate enough to be chosen, but the real test was not about business; it was about values.
" Brian said. Anita smiled behind him and nodded.
The Wall Street Journal reporter: "The two gentlemen who were dismissed earlier stated that they were treated unfairly. Do you have a comment on that?" He asked… "They chose not to follow the rules of the competition. It was their choice to leave." Brian said.
The Los Angeles Times reporter: "What is your relationship with Mrs. Dranning and the other members of the Dranning family?
" The woman asked… "I've had the pleasure of meeting them, and I've been shown nothing but respect.
Mrs. Dranning and I are now business partners, and I look forward to working with her. " He said as a matter of fact.
The Daily Mail reporter: "Mr. Thomson, a source close to the Dranning family stated that you were given a 'taste' of what a life of power would be like, and that you indulged in a private, sexual act. Can you confirm or deny these accusations?" A young man said with a smirk on his face.
Brian's face went pale. The question was a low blow, an invasion of privacy that was both offensive and malicious. He opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Constance stepped forward, her voice a sharp, cutting edge.
"That is enough. This question session is over. The next reporter who asks an inappropriate question will be removed from the building." Constance said… Her eyes, two emeralds of cold fury, swept over the crowd. "Mr. Thomson will be taking his leave now. Thank you for your time."
She turned and gestured to the side, and a few security guards moved to the front of the stage, creating a human wall.
Constance took Brian's arm and led him off the stage, leaving the media in a shocked silence.
His new life had begun, and it was going to be an adventure of a different sort, full of secrets, power, and a woman who would always have his back.
---
Brian stood in the elevator, a world of noise and flashing lights having just been replaced by a small, quiet, moving box of polished steel and soft light.
He took a deep breath, and his breathing slowly began to calm.
The question about his private life, the one from the reporter, had been a violation, an arrow shot straight at his new reality.
He looked at Constance, at the calm authority in her face, and his mind worked through the possibilities.
"The only one that could have given that information," he said, his voice low and hard, "was the driver. "
She nodded, a cold, ruthless confirmation.
She was already texting someone, her thumbs flying across the screen of a phone that had more processing power than his entire apartment.
He didn’t have to ask what she was doing; he knew.
The man was being fired. In a world of such immense power, there was no room for leaks, no room for mistakes.
"Privacy is at the utmost forefront of this business," she said, her voice a low murmur, a counterpoint to the quiet hum of the elevator.
"We need to know we can trust the people we have working for us.
He was a new driver." Brian nodded, a silent understanding passing between them.
He realized how much of a luxury his old life had been, a life where his privacy was an unspoken right.
Here, it was a commodity that had to be fiercely protected.
"You need to remember that when you hire your own personal driver," she said, her tone a mix of advice and command.
She stepped over to him, her body pressing against his.
"I suggest you hire a woman… and one you fuck.
If you fuck her, she will be a part of your personal privacy; she does not want to share her own personal life.
" She whispered against his lips, the scent of her perfume intoxicating.
The words, so shocking in their raw intimacy, were a logical conclusion in this new world.
Brian smirked, a genuine, amused expression spreading across his face. "Just how many women do you want me to fuck?" he whispered back, his voice a playful challenge.
She smiled, a slow, sensual curve of her lips.
"That, boss, is entirely up to you." Her hand, warm and confident, glided over the fabric of his suit pants, settling across his hardening cock.
"Completely up to you." The words were a soft, seductive promise.
She leaned in, her lips soft and wet as she kissed him again, a long, deep kiss that left him breathless.
When she pulled away, she used her finger to remove the lipstick, a ritual that was becoming a habit, a sign of her possessiveness, her claim.
"I just hope I am one of them," she said, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of desire and a little bit of playful mischief.
The elevator dinged, and the door opened, but he was frozen. Before he could answer, there in the lobby of the ninety-ninth floor stood Holly Mann, the blonde receptionist. She smiled, a radiant, knowing expression on her face. "Good evening, boss," she said, her voice a soft, melodic purr.
Brian smiled back. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, a vision in a sleek, tailored outfit. "I hope Constance has informed you of my position here," she said, her voice holding a hint of playful authority.
Constance smiled and kissed her on the cheek, a gesture of sisterhood and shared purpose. "Every little detail," Constance whispered, the words a silent confirmation of their partnership.
Holly smirked and looked at Brian, her blue eyes sparkling.
"Well, we'll have to explore that later.
Mrs. Dranning is waiting for you in the dining room, sir.
" She handed him a new phone, even sleeker than the one Constance had given him, and a stack of crisp business cards.
"This is your work phone," she explained, her voice all business now.
"All as of now necessary numbers you need have been added to the phone.
On the business cards, you will notice there are two phone numbers…
that is mine and Constance's numbers. Your number is not on any cards.
All calls will be vetted by either myself or Constance. "
Brian nodded, impressed by their efficiency and their foresight.
They were taking care of everything, from his private life to his professional one, and he realized he was just now beginning to understand the depth of their commitment to him.
"I know you want to be dealing with a lot of this yourself," she added, as if reading his thoughts, "and you will do a lot of that.
But for now, we will handle it while you are learning. "
Then, she stepped forward, her lips on his, a soft, sensual, and confident kiss.
"Welcome, boss," she whispered, her voice a low murmur against his mouth.
She smiled as she wiped the lipstick off his lips with a finger, a final, intimate touch.
She then guided him toward the dining room, a silent queen leading her king to his throne, toward the woman who was waiting for him, and a life he had never dreamed possible.
Stepping into the dining room, Brian stopped, the sheer scale of the space taking his breath away.
The table was impossibly long, an expanse of dark, polished wood that seemed to stretch into the next county.
There were fifteen chairs on either side and a single chair at the far end, the head of the table. A throne.
Anita stood up and smiled, her elegance a stark contrast to the imposing room.
"Please," she said, gesturing to the empty chair at the head of the table.
He moved slowly forward, his shoes silent on the plush carpet.
The room was bathed in a soft, golden light from a chandelier that hung like a star from the ceiling.
"I know it's large," she said, her voice a soft, melodic sound. "But Ty loved it that way. He often would have great dinners with his staff here, many of the women he enjoyed the company of."