Chapter 20
20
ELLA
I t’s interesting how life works sometimes.
Two months ago, I was looking at my bank account dreading the day that all bills would hit and the money that I had in there would dwindle. I needed to look for a better job with better hours and was hoping that I would find away to pay for my sister’s school.
Now cut to today, and everything is taken care of. And it’s all thanks to a certain billionaire that I now share a last name with.
Two months ago, I didn’t have a whole lot of food in my fridge to last two days and needed to call the super to come and fix a few things around our dingy apartment. Now I wake up in damn mansion, and don’t have to worry about food being in a fridge or not because someone else takes care of it.
It’s a little mind blowing.
And something that I’m still very much getting used even a week in. I have a feeling that even with the two years that this arrangement is going to last, I still won’t be able to wrap my head around it.
Another thing that I won’t be able to wrap my head around is how easily Bennett moves money around.
Within two days of us saying our vows, the money that he promised me I would get landed in my bank account. How he got my bank account information is beyond me, but he did and sent one million dollars to me without having met my obligation yet.
When I brought it up to him, he brushed it off and acted like it wasn’t that big of a deal.
It was very much a big deal.
This was one million dollars, but even when I threaten to send it back or to not even touch it until two years from now, he just rolled his eyes and walked away.
So now, I’m staring at my bank account as it shows more zeroes than I know what to do with, debating on whether it should stay in my bank account for the next two years or if I should just use it for what I need it for now.
The logical decision would be the latter, that way I can walk away from everything that terrifies me, but if I send the money all in one shot, its going to seem suspicions. To the person in the receiving end, it’s going to seem like I either came into money or I have more money to give, and they could come and ask for more.
I know I could send the money the same way I’ve been sending it for the last five years, and just continue until I reach the designated amount, but I want to be done with this. I want both Charlie and I to be safe and have this swinging over my head.
Sending the money all together is the way to go. I just have to find the courage to do it. This is a lot of money to be playing with.
My finger hoovers over the transfer button for a solid minute, trying to talk myself into making the transfer, but no matter what pep talk I give myself, I can’t seem to push it.
“Just do it.” I out loud, but even voicing the words isn’t help.
“What are you trying to talk yourself into doing this time?” The question rings out, and much like the first time I hear the voice, I jump and let out a yelp.
With my hand on my chest, I turn to find Bennett standing in the doorway that separates the closet and my bedroom.
In the the week that we’ve been married, this has start to become a thing. I’ll get ready for the day and forget to close the closet door behind me, which prompts Bennett to check in on me every morning as he is tying his tie or sliding on his belt.
Who am I kidding? I don’t forget to close the door. After the I left it open the morning after our wedding and caught a glimpse of a shirtless Bennett, I’ve kept the door open every morning.
Today, though, today I should have closed it if didn’t want him to ask questions.
“Stop doing that.” I let out after catching my breath.
A lazy smile forms on his face. That smile might have made its way to the top of my list.
“Sorry. You just looked a little stressed.” He slides his belt through the last loop and for a second I loose my train of thought.
I quickly regain it, though and shut my laptop before he comes over here and see what I was doing.
“I-I was just checking your schedule and making sure that everything is in line for today.” I stutter a few of my words, but I’m able to get the rest out without problem.
But still, Bennett notices. “You’re checking my schedule before we even get in the car.”
Another habit that has sprung this week, us getting ready for our day at the office on our drive to work.
“It’s an important day, I wanted to make sure that everything was in line.”
I feel a bead of sweat forming at my temple and threatening to fall. Lying to your husband makes it feel like you’re in the hot spot.
At the very least, I’m not complexity lying through my teeth. Today is an important day, since the board is voting on whether to name Bennett CEO or not, so checking the schedule makes sense.
“Right.” Bennett says, his eyebrows bunching up in the process. He still doesn’t believe me, but he takes it nonetheless.
When he turns to walk away, I let out a sigh of relief. I know that shouldn’t be lying to Bennett and that I should tell him what I would be using the money gave me for, but I’m not completely ready for that. Maybe one day I will be but not today.
“Elizabeth,” Bennett calls out, bringing my attention back to him.
“Yes?”
He takes a second before he says anything. “If anything was wrong, you’d tell me. Right?”
His words take me by surprise. Since the wedding we’ve both have been mostly keeping to ourselves. Not really acting like a couple while we are home unless Drake or a house worker is in the room. The moments that we have acted like a couple have been far and few. I didn’t think that were at a place yet where Bennett would ask me a question like this or me ask of him. At work, sure. But at home, I didn’t even think it was a possibility. Not yet.
I answer him truthfully though. “Yes. I’d tell you.”
And I would. There are certain things I can’t keep from Bennett, at least not for long, so if they every arise, I will tell him. That much I know.
I get a nod from my husband and he goes back to his room to finish up getting ready.
When he is out of sight, I open my laptop back up again and finish what I was doing.
Send the transfer.
I put in the information and as soon as I click the button the money is gone and my debt is paid.
I did it.
Charlie is not going anywhere.
And if anything trouble comes up, I would do what I promised Bennett that I would do.
Tell him if anything was wrong.
…
The atmosphere in the conference room is a lot different than it was two weeks ago.
During the last meeting, the room was filled with joy and people smiling, today almost everyone looks like they have a stick so far up its effecting their faces. Nobody is talking at full volume, just mumble here and there as if they are keeping secrets an want nobody else to hear.
The more I look around the room, the more I notice that there is a divide. On one side of the conference room, there are the people that stand with Mr. Goldman and his choice of replacement. On the other, are the people that are against it, with Peter Hill front and center.
Seeing him today, and the way there is cockiness all over his face, puts a sour feeling in my stomach that I do not like. I don’t have to speak to the guy to know that he thinks that everything and everyone is on his side. And from the looks of things, they just might be.
Bennett had told me that he needed ten total votes to be able to be named CEO. Counting the heads in the room, and where everyone is standing, he might have lost one to Peter.
The sourness in my stomach intensifies.
As I look around the room, my eyes catch Bennett’s and I send a small wave and smile his way. He had gone to lunch with a possibly client, and only got back to the office about five minutes before walking into the conference room, so we didn’t walk in here together.
Something may have caught his eyes and he starts walking over where I am by the floor to ceiling everywhere.
“You okay?” He asks, looking down at me with concern in his eyes.
I give him a nod. “Yeah, I was just taking everything in.”
Tell him about the head count.
“This will be a lot quicker than last time an after we’re done we can go to dinner or something to celebrate.”
I try to ignore the fact that my husband slash boss just asked me to dinner and stay on topic.
“I don’t think that dinner is going to be celebratory one.” I whisper, my eyes dancing around the room.
“What?” Bennett asks, coming closer to me.
Our bodies are basically pressed together as I tell what I noticed. “It looks like Mr. Hill gained a vote and you lost one.”
Bennett turns away from me and does what I did earlier and count heads. His jaw ticks as he finishes up and his body goes ridged.
He knows it and I know it.
He’s going to lose CEO and the wedding was for nothing.
When Bennett turns back to me, his face doesn’t as much anger swimming through it as I expected.
“It’s fine.”
“Fine? You lost the vote that you needed to get CEO. It’s not fine.” If he doesn’t get this, will he ask for the money back? My palms start to sweat thinking about the fact that the money is no longer in my account.
A piece of hair falls in front of my face, and I stop breathing when Bennett reaches out and tucks the strand behind my ear. Since the wedding, I’ve experienced small touches from him, here and there, but nothing as intimate as this.
Well expect for the kiss on our wedding day that I swear I can still feel every night as I go to sleep.
Our eyes catch as his thumb glides down my cheek, and the way his eyes gleam makes me feel like my knees are going to buckle under me.
It only last a few seconds but to me it last a life time.
When he finally pulls away, I can’t help but to smile when I catch sight of his wedding ring.
I didn’t think that he was going to wear, yet he is. It’s only been a week but I haven’t seen him without it.
“Everything is going to work out. I promise.”
I want to believe him but I have my doubt, but that doesn’t stop me from giving him a nod.
With one more smile in my direction, he walks away and go back to my place by the window as Gerald enters the room and everyone takes their place at the large conference table.
“Alright. We know what we are all here for. There is no deed to make this longer than it needs to be. We will get a head count and then move on with the vote. Does that sound good to everyone?”
Everyone in the room nods to Gerald’s words and from there one of his assistance doesn’t waste any time taking a head count of all the board members.
I don’t have to follow the assistants counts to already know that all twenty members of the board are all accounted for. Bennett made sure of it, even stopping Elliot from going back to Europe.
“Twenty members are present.” Gerald’s assistant tells her boss before sitting back down a few chairs away from me.
Gerald nods and turns back to the conference table.
“Let the vote to appoint Bennett Lane as CEO start. A reminder that Bennett and I cannot vote, so the vote will come down to eighteen of you.” He announces and turns to the individual on his right.
The man in a navy suit stands from his seat and address the conference table. “I vote yes.”
I let out a breath. One vote down, hopefully nine more to go.
As soon as the man sits, the pattern continues with the person next to him standing and giving his vote.
No.
It’s crazy how hearing two letters together like that can make your eye twitch.
The vote continues around the table. When it gets to Elliot, it’s at seven yeses a nine nos.
Elliot stands up with a cocky smirk on his face and looks at Peter as he speaks.
“I vote yes.”
Peter lets out a scoff as Elliot sits and Henry stands.
“I vote yes as well.”
My fingers wrap around my phone so tightly that I feel like I’m going to break it. The vote is officially tied. Bennett was so sure that he was going to get the vote that he didn’t tell me what to expect if he didn’t or if it ended up like this.
What now?
Do we all go home and then vote again in two week, while we keep our fingers crossed that someone flips back to Bennett’s side?
“Well, it looks like we have a tie,” Gerald lets out, looking a bit disgruntled, all the while Peter looks happy as a fucking clam.
“We should reconvene in two week and have another. Surely by then, we are able to make a decision.” Peter stands from his chair, buttoning his suit jacket, like he owns the damn place.
“We don’t need to reconvene.” Bennett announces, sounding almost board.
Is he rethinking all of this?
Peter looks angry when he responds. “And why the hell not?”
For a few seconds it feels like everyone is at the edge of their seats waiting for a response from Bennett.
“Because not everyone voted.”
What the hell is he talking about? Everyone that was supposed to vote, did. Am I missing something.
“Son, I think you need to go back to school and take a math class. Nobody is missing.”
Bennett is facing me, so I see the smirk spread on his face as he gets up from his seat.
“But there is.”
I look around and find Gerald, Henry and Elliot all wearing the same smirk that Bennett has, which tells me I should be terrified with whatever these four have planned.
“How? Everyone was accounted for.”
Bennet’s smirk deepens. “Before Thomas and Cathrine Lane died, they both were voting members. When they passed those two seats went to the person that was stated in their will. Since my brother and I already had our seats accounted for, those two seats went to others.”
“Who?” Peter spits out, getting desperate.
“As per their will, my father’s seat went to Henry Bamford and my mother’s seat went to her son’s wife. Since there is no evidence that her eldest son of ever getting married, that seat falls to the wife of her youngest son.”
My eyes go wide. Is he saying what I think he is saying?
There’s no way…. is there?
My eyes stay with Bennett the whole time as he reaches into his suit jacket and pulls out some paperwork.
“As of last Saturday, Catherine Lane’s seat was filled by Elizabeth Vincent.”
Papers land on the table and Peter doesn’t even hesitate in reaching for them.
As the asswipe reads them over, I look over at Bennett who’s already looking over at me.
One look at him and I know. He knew about this. He knew that once we got married, his mother’s seat will be mine. That’s why he told me that everything would work out, because he had this up his sleeve.
The papers that Peter was holding, slam back onto the table taking away my attention from my husband.
“So you met a clause with a clause, big fucking deal. Your wife isn’t here and isn’t able to give her vote. So we have to reconvene.”
Bennett’s eyes move back to mine, causing a shiver runs down my spine.
“Oh but she is here.”
All the eyes in the room look over to me and all I want to do is sink into my chair and get away from the scrutiny.
But I don’t cower. I don’t sink into my chair and let embarrassment take over.
No, I school my facial expression and square my shoulder as if I’m about to prepare for battle.
And in a way I am, given the expression that Peter is throwing in my direction.
“Your assistant.You married your fucking assistant?” The man in question throws out through clenched teeth, saying the word assistant as if it disgust him.
Bennett slams his hands against the conference table and looks Peter straight in the eye. His face looking almost malicious.
“I married the woman I love who happens to be my assistant. If I were you, I would watch what comes out of your damn mouth, because if you disrespect my wife, I would do everything in my power to end you.”
My body lets out a shiver at Bennett calling me his wife. It’s been official for almost a week but it’s the first time I have heard him say those words.
The affect that his words have on my body is nearly forgotten when I realize that the silence that fills the room is bone shaking.
Nobody wants to move or even say the wrong thing.
Peter just looks at Bennett like he want to jump over the chairs that are between them and murder him.
Gerald is actually the one to break the silence.
“Mrs. Lane, would please cast your vote?” He says over to me, giving me a nod.
Another hand slams against the table, this time is from Peter. “This is absolute bullshit.”
“But it’s not, Mr. Hill,” Gerald starts, looking over at the disgruntled man. “It’s takes in the paperwork that you just read that Catherine Lane voting seat is to go to her first daughter-in-law. And that title is owned by Elizabeth. She is here, she is present, and she has a right to give her vote. Now do us all a favor and sit the fuck down.”
In my time working for Gerald, I’ve never seen him talk to someone the way that he just spoke to Peter. It’s quite impressive.
I get a nod from the current CEO to proceed, and after taking a deep breath, I do what every one else did before me.
I stand from my chair by the window, and give my vote.
“I vote yes.”
Ten votes.
It’s official.
Gerald loud voice fills the room. “Congratulations Mr. Lane. You are officially the new CEO of Lane Enterprises.”