Page 72 of Once Upon a Prince

Cheryl’s voice rose in shock with each statement. I could see her saying those same things to a reporter or a board member. It was like she had perfected her speech and outrage. I was sure she had.

I put my hands on the table and glared at her. “It’s a lie and we both know it. The board won’t believe it.”

“They will because I’ll make sure everyone sees it. If the news breaks during the meeting, or even right before, it wouldn’t take much to get everyone all fired up, and for your poor lover to be out of a job.”

“What do you want?” I asked softly.

“Oh dear. It’s okay. It’s hard to know that you’ve been beaten. I’m sorry it had to come to this. I really thought you would just come home. It was Chantel who came up with this idea. Chloe wanted to get rid of you. It took me a bit of time to realize she meant to kill you. And while I did contemplate it, you’re too good of a worker to just let you off that easily.”

“Killing me would be the easy way?” I asked.

“When your father died, I fed you, clothed you, made sure you had a good education, took care of your stocks and the company. I did all of that out of the kindness of my heart. All that I asked in return was a little gratitude and service. It was the least you could do after everything I had done for you. You convinced me to let you come up here, but it isn’t working for me. You need to come home and you’re going to or your lover will never get what he wants.”

“You worked me to the bone; I only went to school because it was required by law. The clothes you gave me barely fit and were hand-me-downs from your daughters. The food you so generously gave me was only there because I cooked it.” I patted my chest in frustration.

“And you can have all of that again. You will do all of that again if you want to save your precious lover.”

I knew she had a plan, I figured it was going to tell me the company needed me or that she was going to sell my shares if I didn’t come back. I never thought she would threaten Dax. She wouldn’t say she was unless she had the proof. I just didn’t know what it was. I needed her to keep talking so I could find out.

“Don’t try and talk your way out of this. You have two choices, stay with your lover, and watch his world burn to the ground, or come back with me and know that you saved him. The choice is yours.”

“Let me see the pictures,” I said.

“They are quite racy and leave little doubt that there’s something going on between the two of them,” Cheryl walked over and handed me her phone.

It was as she had said, there were four pictures of Chantel and Dax standing next to each other. The first one was of Dax smiling at her. The second was of Chantel putting her hand on his chest and smiling up at him. I couldn’t see his face but she was looking at him as if he was the sexiest man in the world. The third had her with her head back laughing at what looked to be something he said. The last one was of her with her hand on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. She was giving him a look as if they had a secret and she couldn’t wait to share it.

“This isn’t real. You staged this.” I knew the pictures were fake or doctored to make it look worse than it was. But just because I knew it didn’t mean anyone else would.

“Chantel is very photogenic and quite the actress. I think she could have a career on Broadway. She’s thinking of moving up here. She said she and Dax had a lovely moment, maybe with you gone it could turn into something more.”

“Dax doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. These pictures prove nothing.”

“No one cares if they are true or not. All that matters is that people believe that they are.”

“You can’t do this. You won’t get away with it.”

“I might not, but by the time everyone figures out it’s a lie your lover will be out of a job. There will be no turning back for him.” Cheryl reached over and snatched her phone out of my hands. “Quit stalling. What’s it going to be? Are you coming back with me? Or does Dax lose his company?”

Cheryl smiled at me like she had won. I didn’t say anything for a few minutes. It made me so angry that she thought even for a second that she had beat me, but I needed her to think that. I took a deep breath and through clinched teeth I said, “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Chapter 42

Dax

“I told you it would go well,” my father said to me as we hugged.

We slapped each other affectionately on the back, as my sisters approached. “Never doubted you for a minute, bro,” she said.

I hugged her and then looked around the conference room. The meeting had gone as I had hoped, everyone had voted to have me as the new CEO, effective immediately. It was wonderful to have the title, to know that the company would be secure in my hands and my father could work on transitioning to retirement. I was happy that everything had worked out but I kept wondering about Ella and how her meeting had gone.

There wasn’t time to dwell on it as the board members came up and congratulated me, some giving me suggestions on what I could and should do going forward. I listened as best I could and commented where I thought was appropriate but my mind and heart were not in the conversation. Luckily, no one noticed and soon the conference room was empty and I left. As I did, I found a woman standing in the back.

“Can I help you?” I asked as I approached her.

“Actually, it’s me who can help you. We have a mutual relationship that I think needs to be addressed,”

“Mutual relationship?” I pretended to be confused. I knew exactly who the woman was.