Page 78 of Insufferable Boss

"You're here peacefully, so go ahead."

"It's about my brother," she said, and I nodded.

Though I was disappointed because I had expected it would be about something personal or the other between us, but it wasn't.

Usually, I would continue with whatever work I had to get through, even when she or anyone else, for that matter, was present, but this time around, I didn't want to. She was seated... and I dropped everything else and gave her my full attention. She watched me, and I couldn't help but notice just how softened she looked. It had very little to do with what she was wearing and instead concerned more about her demeanor before me, and it surprised me. Yet, I found out that I wasn't on guard. I just simply and truly enjoyed that she was seated before me.

"Is my brother's offer something that you're considering, or have you truly completely rejected it?"

At her words, I thought of the right response to give. Then I decided to just tell her the truth.

"You want me to take it?" I asked, and she nodded.

"Of course," she said. "I don't know why you didn't. I mean, he's just going to take it somewhere else that I'm pretty sure neither of us wants it to go. No offense."

I smiled at her words.

"None taken," I responded, unsure of how much of this I wanted to share with her. Before I could speak, however, she rose to her feet.

"I'll tell you," I said, and she stopped.

"I'd like that," she replied. "I just didn't want to force your hand in case you didn't want to."

"Well, I want to," I said and rose to my feet. I rounded the desk and went one step closer to her. I didn't go too close, but it was just close enough that I could smell her and see her.

"I guess... at first, I was just angry that he was trying to shirk his responsibilities and run off again, which I was immediately reminded shouldn't have been any of my concern, so I was sure that wasn't the main reason. But then, after he left, I thought a bit more. And I guess that I was just angry. I didn't pay much attention to this, but even though your father did a great job building this company, it grew more than 300% after I came in. I was so desperate to protect myself that I worked harder than anyone else here, and in a lot of ways, I contributed significantly to what this company has become."

Her gaze softened even more.

"You care," she said.

"Immensely. And with the way things have been going, it felt as though everyone was taking it for a joke. A place they could waltz in and take whatever they wanted... something they weren't entitled to. I didn't even see the equity gift to him as his, so when he came in asking me to buy it, I snapped. Because it was mine in the first place, or at least I believed it was mine. And he came here acting like he was about to sell something that he owned. All of this is from the emotional perspective rather than the logical one, but I was trying to make sense of my actions as well because him going to my sister rather than me wasn't a sound move. I was just quite rash, and... anyway I'll find a way to fix it."

She stared at me, and then she nodded.

"I understand, and I know you know exactly what to do. But he's not just trying to sell to get the money and blow it up. He truly has no interest in the operations here, and I don't think he's wrong for not wanting to spend the next two years of his life proving otherwise."

"I understand," I said. "I've spoken to my lawyer, and I'll find a way to resolve it, but..."

"But what?" she asked.

"I want you to take control of the equity from him."

At my words, she went silent.

"You do?"

"Yeah," I replied. "Our fathers were partners, and I thought it befitting that 50% of the company belonged to both of them. So rather than hand it over to me, I'd rather leave it to you. I can navigate my own way with Kate."

She started to speak, but I stopped her.

“Mull it over. I know you have your father's assets and ways to make the sale and transfer, but in case you don't want to go that route, then I'm willing to support you whatever way you need, okay?”

After this, I turned and returned to my desk. However, to my surprise, she didn't move.

'Why would you want to support me that way?' she asked.

At first, I was unclear about her question or what she even meant by it.