Chapter 14
14
BENNETT
I knew it.
I fucking knew Hill was going to pull something to stop me from getting what I want. I knew something was coming, but this far from what I thought would come.
A marriage clause? That’s one of the stupidest pieces of shit that I have ever heard.
Anger rolls through my body as I look the grin on Peter’s face spread wider. The fucker is enjoying this. From the looks of it, I’m not the only one that is pissed off, Gerald is too.
“What the fuck are you on, Pete? I’ve read the company guidelines top to bottom, there is not a single thing about a fucking marriage clause.”
Sure I read them years ago, but I’m positive I would have remembered something that fucking absurd.
Without even thinking, I search for Ella. She was by the window when Gerald was speaking but when I look over, she’s not there. Instead, she is standing a few feet away from me, looking up at me with a single question in her eyes.
Not even a month working together and we already know how to have silent conversations and know what the other wants.
I send a nod her way and right away she starts typing on her phone, trying to find this damn clause.
Peter moves away from the table and goes to stand at the head of the table next to Gerald. From the looks of it, Gerald doesn’t look all that happy with Mr. Hill either.
“Looks like you didn’t read deep enough, because it’s there and it specifically states that in order to hold the title of CEO the candidate must meet all requirements, one of them be married at the time that the title is handed over.”
I try to think back to when I read the guidelines. So much pops into my head, expect for that. Did I skip over it? Did I miss it completely. Why the fuck can’t I remember that damn clause?
I’m not the only one that can’t remember either, because Henry read those guidelines for times than I did. And if there was something in there regarding a damn marriage clause, he would have pointed out.
My plan to get this company into my hands was meticulous, I did everything that I had to from the second I turned thirty and if I had to get married to get what the fuck I wanted, I would have done it way before Gerald told me he was going to retire.
“This fucker is pulling shit out of his ass,” Elliot spews out, narrowing his eyes toward Peter.
“I would watch your mouth kid. You’re only here because of your daddy. You deserve to hold a seat on this board.”
I don’t have to look over at my nephew to know that there is anger in his eyes and that I need to place a hand on his shoulder to stop him from storming across the room and beating the ever living shit out of Peter.
“Calm down.” I mutter into Elliot’s ear.
Peter is already causing a scene, we don’t need to to create another one.
Or worse, one of us landing in jail.
Everyone in the room starts inserting themselves into the conversation. The majority of them saying that we should just hold the vote and forget about the clause while others start siding with Peter and saying that Gerald needs to pick someone else to be his replacement.
As everyone starts to argue about what we should or shouldn’t do, I look for Ella. Right away, she looks over at me, as if she sensed that I was looking for her. Looking at her, I don’t even have to ask her what she found. Her facial expression tells me everything that I need to know.
There is in fact a marriage clause.
I was so close to becoming CEO and in a matter of seconds it was fucking gone.
Fucking hell.
“Everyone quiet down.” Gerald yells out, bringing the arguing to an end. “Has anyone checked? Is there indeed a damn clause that prevents Bennett from taking my place.”
Ella lets out a sigh and her shoulder drop as she answers his questions.
“Yes, sir.”
“When was it dated, Ms. Vincent?” Henry asks, because there is no way either him or I missed that piece of information.
Ella looks like she is about to cry, as she answers him. “Three years ago, sir.”
Three years ago.
Before I started putting my plan into fruition to convince Gerald to retire.
A year before my parent’s will said I was able to become CEO.
And a year before Elliot earned his seat on the board.
This was planned. It had to be. The guidelines have been the same for the past fifty years, there was no reason to change them, unless there was someone you wanted to keep out of the office on the top floor.
“I don’t remember ever voting on something like that.” I state through clenched teeth. When it comes to changes to the guidelines it has to be voted on, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have said yes to something like this. More so because it affects me.
“Neither do I.” Henry states from next to me.
Peter’s smirk gets deeper. “Interesting. It might have been during a meeting the both of you were out of town, and had a proxy vote.”
Motherfucker.
He knew.
This fucker knew that I would be vying for Gerald’s seat from the second I turned thirty. He fucking knew and decided to interfere years before it happened.
I knew this fucker had something up his sleeve, I just didn’t think that it would be this.
“Well,” Peter claps, gathering everyone’s attention. “Since Gerald’s choice of CEO doesn’t meet the requirements to hold the title, should we reconvening in two weeks, to hear who is Gerald’s second choice for a replacement?”
Every one around the room, and without thinking, a plan comes to my head and before I know it, words are flowing out of my mouth.
“There is no reason to reconvene. The vote will happen tonight.” I announce, stopping everyone in their track as they start leaving the room.
“You don’t meant the requirements Mr. Lane to become the head of this company. There is no reason to hold a vote.” Peter snarls out, frustration written all over his face.
“I may not met the requirements now, but I will next week.” The words flow so easily out of my mouth that even I believe them.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that I’m getting married next Saturday.” Gasps ring through out the conference room.
I don’t take my eyes off Peter as I say the words, but from my peripheral I see both Elliot and Henry stiffen up at my proclamation. And I’m sure more than a few people in the room have their mouths popped open in shock.
“Like hell you are.”
I throw him a shrug, trying to remain as emotionless as I possibly can. “I’ll be sure to send you a copy of our marriage license.”
Peter goes red, but I can’t really tell if it’s from anger or embarrassment.
“Who the fuck are you marrying? The last time I checked you were single.” I will bet a good million that Peter here stalks social media and all the news outlets to find out personal information on me.
“Given who I am, I didn’t let this piece information slip. I wanted to protect her privacy. But if you must now, I’ve been with my girlfriend for over a year and I proposed in January. This wedding has been planned for months, but if I had know you were going to pull this shit, I would have walked down the aisle sooner.
I’m a bit shocked at how easy the lies flow out of me, and how believe they sound.
As I look away from Peter and take everyone in, I can see that everyone in this room is believing me. Including Ella.
“I don’t fucking believe you.” Peter snarls, drawing my eyes away from my shocked assistant and back to him.
“Then don’t. But it’s true. If you want, we can hold off the vote until then. I’ll bring the proof that I’m indeed married and then we get let the board deicide if I should be CEO. How does that sound?”
There’s a cockiness to my voice that shouldn’t be there. Especially when all I’m doing is spewing lies and there isn’t even a woman in my life that would be willing to help me with something like this.
How the actual fuck am I going to pull this off.
The vein in Peter’s neck looks like it’s going to explode with all the anger rolling through him. More so when I just stand here like I didn’t create a mess for myself and created a web of lies that I can’t come back from.
I did say that I would do anything to get Gerald’s title, I just didn’t think that I would go this far, what with my stance on marriage and all of that.
Gerald lets out a sigh before throwing a nod in my direction.
“We will hold off on voting for two weeks. Give you time to settle down from the craziness an catch you before you go on your honeymoon.”
Peter lets out a scoff and rolls his eyes before addressing the man that is still technically his boss. “You seriously can’t be believing this bullshit.”
Now Gerald is the one getting angry and it’s the most glorious thing ever. “I do believe it, want to know why? Because I was one of the few people that knew that the man was engaged, and knew that he would be married before the title landed on his head which would have made the clause void.”
Holy shit.
I don’t know what has shocked me the most. The fact that the lie about an impending marriage came out so easily, or the fact that Gerald is going along with it.
Why would he do that?
I can only think of one reason.
He truly believes that I would be a good replacement and he will stop at nothing to get me there. Including letting Peter know that he will never be getting that title.
Damn. I miss judged Gerald. The old bastard has a few tricks up his sleeve. My respect for the man has definitely gone up.
“Does anyone else want to challenge my decisions?” Nobody dares to answer his questions, there is just a bunch of mumbles. “Great. Now, be here two weeks from now for the vote. I’m leaving this company in a month and there will be a CEO to replace me.”
With that people starts to disperse out of the room, some angrier than others, until it’s only Gerald, Henry, Elliot, Ella and me left in the room.
The calmness after the storm is full of tension.
Elliot is the one to break it.
“Damn. If I knew board meetings were going to be this entertaining, I would attend them more often.”
The comment earns him a slap on the back of the head from Henry.
Ignoring my nephew, I turn to Gerald.
“I’m guessing this marriage clause took you by surprise as well.” Given how pissed off he looked and the way he lied, he couldn’t have known about this change.
“Yes. I remember Hill suggesting that we make changes to the guidelines, but never signing off on them.”
I let out a snort. There is no doubt in my head that Mr. Hill probably forged Gerald’s signature to get what he wanted. The asshole did something that I would have never done.
“But why marriage? Out of all the clauses you can add, why the hell would you add a marriage clause. Bennett might not have been in a relationship three years ago, but things could have changed.” Elliot looks around the room for an answer.
My mind goes to an interview I did a few years back. One where I was asked when I was going to settle down. My answer? Never.
Hill probably saw it and put shit into motion.
“Because it’s the one thing he knew I would never do. So he used it to his advantage.”
Gerald lets out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, kid. I hope you are able to go through with that idea of yours because I truly don’t want to give this role to Peter.”
With a nod in our direction, Gerald leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
“So what now? We’re in the mail-order bride business now?”
I roll my eyes, but my mind can’t help to go in that direction.
This damn clause is putting me in a bind, and it’s causing my mind to spiral.
“There will not be such thing. There are other options.” Henry states, trying to be optimistic.
“There isn’t.” I bow my head, in defeat. “It’s either get married, or give up the chance of being CEO. There’s no in between.”
Elliot comes up next to me, and for a second I know what Ella was saying this morning. He does look like me. “So I’ll ask again. What now?”
What now. I don’t know, but I do know one thing.
“I’m not going to give up becoming CEO.” I’ve worked this hard to get this title, I’m not going to give up so easily just because of a stupid clause.
“So you’re going to hire a random chick off the street and pay her to marry you?”
A noise from the other side of the room, take my attention away from Elliot and goes straight to Ella.
She let out a scoff as if she can’t believe that what Elliot just said was even a suggestion, but right now it’s all that we have.
What if that wasn’t the only choice though? What if there was someone else that I approach with a proposition that will give us both what we want. What we need.
Someone like Ella?
Someone exactly like Ella.
She isn’t a stranger, and I already have an attraction to her that I’m not able to explain. The kiss that we shared earlier this week still replays in my head at all times.
It wouldn’t be unheard of for someone to marry their assistant.
The woman in question looks up and meets my gaze.
A small blush crawling up to her face as words leave her plush mouth. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because you’re the answer to all of this.”