I sat up. My countenance plummet almost immediately, my brows furrowed. This was too much for me to bear... Why now? I was just starting to get on father's good side and now this. I just stared at phone screen, knowing fully well that I had messed up badly. Right at that moment, Robin sent another text to check up on me but I couldn't even think of anything to respond to him, I just watched the notification disappear. The reports of the news echoed in my head even after I had turned it off to dress up.
I was fully aware that mistakes like that had consequences, I just prayed it wasn't one that would cost me everything I had worked so hard for. I walked up to the liquor cabinet in my room to pour myself a shot of tequila before calmly turning on the disk player. I placed the glass back on the cabinet before walking straight into my bathroom. I pulled off my clothes then tossed them into the room. When I went under the shower, my thoughts came crashing back. It wasn't as if I was pretending to be unbothered before, I was just too stressed out to freak out. If my world was about to go up on flames, the least I could do was to enjoy before it happened. Moreover, this might just pass over me like breeze.
I left my house around nine, got into my car and drove straight to the company. My phone repeatedly buzzed as countless texts kept coming in. At one point, I was forced to put it on do not disturb because my dad wouldn't stop calling me while I drove round the hill to get back into town.
When my car appeared from afar, several reporters swarmed to the road, their camera flashing as my car slowly approached, each news channel wanting to capture the moment I arrived. I wasn't expecting them to be making such a big fuzz over a minor situation. I understood Berkscorp's policy forbade staffs from having an affair to prevent fraud or mismanagement but these people didn't know that. Why then were they there before I arrived? Why was the public making a kiss something massive? It was almost as if someone had paid them to.
I pulled over in front of the building but before I could step out, they spread around the car like a swarm of bees, camera flashes blared in my face. Jonathan and the other guard at the door hurried to the side of my car to escort me out of the vehicle. It wasn't easy for them to get the reporters to step back, one of them even jumped onto my car's hood, pressing the camera against the glass to capture what was inside. Jonathan shielded the door with himself, creating a space between the car and the reporters, and I finally managed to step out. They flooded me with questions, some wanting to know if I was having an affair with Isla, and others just curious about what my punishment would be for going against the company's policy, but I didn't utter a single response. I tightened my suit before starting to walk towards the front door. Two other guards joined in to escort me in, but the reporters didn't back off, they just kept rushing up to me. At one point, I caught a glimpse of one of the reporters, blonde and fair. I didn't look twice, but that image got imprinted in my memory as I stepped into the building.
My father was already at the last floor, looking down on me with great disappointment. I couldn't shake off the feeling I was getting that he might never trust me with anything else since I haven't particularly been a symbol of strength to him but he often forgot I was who he raised me to be.
I cracked my neck before stepping into the elevator. Before the cart could go up, one board member prompted me to stop the elevator and he got in with me. When I stepped out on the last floor, my eyes glazed over Isla who had been trying to walk up to me and I immediately stepped into the meeting room with my dad. He was seriously pissed that he didn't say anything for about a minute that i had settled down. Right the next minute, he turned, his finger pointing at me as he screamed at the top of his voice. I remained quiet, I could see Isla outside through the glass but because of the way the room was built, she couldn't hear anything. All she could see was my dad venting, slamming his palm on the table, and uttering words I couldn't believe he would ever say about Isla.
"All I've ever done is to ensure you don't know what it feels like to be poor. To be on the street without hope. I gave you a life of luxury and instead of gratitude, you chose to be my shame. I gave you everything," he hesitated for a bit before pointing at my face again. "Freaking everything and you let a woman play you? Why?"
"Play me?" I was slightly offended. "Isla didn't play me, I kissed her."
"Of course she seduced you," he screamed again.
"She didn't seduce me. You don't know what you are saying."
He fidgeted a bit, his eyes fixed on Isla outside the glass. "You don't know how long that wolf has been waiting to steal your warmth. Fucking bitch, always obedient like a dog but barks at the slightest touch. I know you lay with her, but I want it to end right this minute."
I was completely stunned. I couldn't properly form words, it was almost as if I had forgotten how to speak but in reality, I knew if I spoke immediately, I might cuss my father out, so I hesitated for a bit. "Dad, she served you for almost eleven years. Eleven years that I was away," I replied to him calmly.
"That she freaking got paid for," he went around the desk to stand in front of me. He leaned close, "she got paid for every service she rendered but messy golddigger she was that she was expecting me to reward her with the CEO seat... The seat I worked so hard for. When she didn't get it, she gave in to bitterness and chose to seduce you to get what she wanted."
"You are a terrible person," I said bluntly.
"Terrible? I am. I would do everything to ensure it isn't a Maddie's all over again. I won't let you forfeit your throne. The board wants you removed."
My eyes lit up. "Then it's time Isla becomes the CEO like you promised her."
He scoffed. "CEO my arse," he walked slowly towards the door. "My secretary will hand you the speech, you're having a meeting with the press. If you were me, I would go with everything that's on there."
"What if I don't?"
"You might as well face the consequence. There are consequences to actions, Asher. Even for a Barney," he replied before stepping out of the room.
I smiled softly as my hand rubbed over my beards in disbelief.
Later that day, I stepped out to address the reporters who had been waiting outside. While I stood in front of them, my father's secretary walked up to me and handed me the speech note. Surprisingly, he was going to make Isla take the fall... He wanted me to blame her for everything. At that point I realized that if there was a definition for evil, my father was an example. There was no way I was going to let Isla take a fall for me... She didn't even consent to the kiss. Maybe I went overboard, but I didn't regret doing it.
I glanced at her where she stood along side my dad and other staffs of Berkscorp by the stairs handrail, watching from afar as I made my speech. I looked at the note once, then immediately tossed it away which shocked my father as I could already see the disappointment is his eyes.
"Good morning, I am Asher Barney," I began. "Regarding the ongoing commotion in our administration tied to the recent headline I made, it is of great regret that I tender my sincere apologies. My public display of love to miss Isla Reyes was unprofessional and transgressed the very policy of Berkscorp. Miss Isla is in no way responsible for anything, I made the approach and it was against her consent that I kissed her. For this reason, it is my personal decision to step down from the position of CEO with immediate action and the next person in line; Miss Reyes should take over from where I left off pending the board's investigation into this matter. I know this is a difficult moment for me and everyone involved, but it is certainly for the best. Thank you," I concluded, stepping off the podium immediately.
Camera lights flashed like a sequence of lightning as the reporters blocked my way, trying to ask questions, all to which I responded with "no comment." I walked up to the stairs where my father was, my eyes quickly met with Isla's but I immediately shifted them from her. My father stepped closer, his eyes weary of my presence.
"You are a disappointment," I heard him say. "My disgrace... The evidence of my failure."
I didn't say anything to him, I didn't want to offend him even more so I just turned and left the place. With this formal job out of my way, I can go back to my previous lifestyle but I was still worried about a lot of things. I was about to take the elevator down when I suddenly heard Isla behind me. She walked up slowly, her expression cold and sad.
"Why'd you do that?" She asked.
"Do what? I simply did what was necessary."
"Your father would have made me take the fall. I live to serve the Barney's household, and I stand by that oath," she replied promptly.
She knew. About the plan. About everything.
I gently tucked my hands into my pocket and feigned a smile. "You've worked hard enough for that seat, I can't use a single error to steal that from you. You are the CEO now, when you are in my shoes, make the better choice too."
She calmly reached for my hand. "You didn't make a mistake, I didn't oblige when you made an advance."
I calmly took my hand from her, not wanting to let her keep her feelings for me.
"Where do you go from here?" She then asked me.
"No comment," I replied.
She smiled.
The elevator beeped and the door slide open. I walked in without hesitating then before the door got shut, I said;
"Take care of Robin."
Down in the company's parking lot, I walked out of the elevator, head held high. I strolled casually to my car, whistling then I heard footsteps behind me, and to my surprise, it was the reporter whom my eyes had caught earlier that day. My smile widened.
"Mr. Asher, I would like to have a word," she said.
I completely turned to face her, my body leaned on my left leg as my head dropped to the right. "I believe I'm not the only one with a name, am I?"
"Dorothy... Dorothy Starmer," she reached out her hand for a hand shake, her eyes dazzling with beauty. Her composure calm, and her tone flirty. "Webster News," she added.
I suddenly leaned closer as my eyes slowly darted to her chest. "There is a more interesting ways to scream out a name," I licked my lips.
One minute we were there, the next we squeezed our way in through my home's back door that was halfway opened, aggressively kissing. I pulled off her trench coat, tossing it straight to the couch as we walked backwardly towards the kitchen. We leaned backwards on the countertop, pushing off most of the things there. The spoons scattered on the floor, clanking really hard.
My hand went under her shirt, slowly over her boobs as I pressed down gently. We walked over the spoons on the floor, towards my bedroom. Her back pressed against the light switch, forcing the lights to flicker. I spun her, laying her back on my bed. I pulled off her shirt, all the way over her head before spreading her legs wide. I ran my hand over her stomach, and her body hardened, her stomach raised up slightly as my fingers went over her abdomen towards her pants. I pulled down the zip to her right jeans, pulling off her trousers completely. She stretched her legs to make it easier. I calmly took off my clothes before climbing onto the bed with her. My lips slowly met with hers, wet and moist, then I licked her down to her chest, fondling and sucking her breast. She moaned loudly, her hand squeezing tight my hair. I went further down, pulling the strings by the side of her panties to remove it. My mouth dug into her cunt, tongue wiggling in-between her thighs. Her mouth opened, her eyes rolled out to the white, her nails dragged on the sheet, towards the side of my back. I pulled up, flipping her over, making her lay on her chest.
"Alexa, play call out my name," I said.
:. Playing call out my name by the Weeknd.
Alexa responded.
The song started slowly as I reached for my drawer by the bed for condoms. My left hand pressed down on her lower back, and my right held the condom's sachet in my teeth as I ripped off the top. I wore it over my cap before sliding my cock in-between her thighs, straight into her cunt. I folded her arms over her back, as I went in and out slowly, following the rhythm of the music.
At one point, I pulled out, flipping over as she climbed onto me in cowgirl style. She went up and down, my dick sliding in and out, slippery and wet. She moaned, leaning forward to kiss my lips. Her screams like the cry of a child, her back bent and reverting as she jumped up and down with intense energy. My legs tightened, and my eyes widened. I cummed, then she fell straight onto my chest, breathing heavily before dropping to my side.