Daddy James

7 : Losing Profit

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Chapter 7 : Losing Profit

Sarah sat in the solitude of her office, a tempest of confusion and desire raging within her. The echo of her own thoughts chastised her mercilessly. You're impossible, Sarah! To think he's been intimate with your mother for all these years, and yet, you found yourself ensnared by his charms, teetering on the edge of surrender. How could you entertain such thoughts for your step father?

With a heavy sigh that felt like it bore the weight of the world, Sarah tried to dismiss the invasive voice of her conscience. She discarded the file that had been commanding her attention onto the desk and reached for a glass of water, hoping its coolness would douse the internal flames James had ignited. But the cool liquid did little to extinguish the embers of memory that flickered within her—his touch, his scent, his breath against her skin—all of it haunted her, especially since the hint of his cologne lingered, a phantom caress on her body. Sarah knew their attraction was forbidden, yet her body yearned for his presence.

Determined to refocus her energies on the upcoming board meeting, Sarah rose from her chair, trying to anchor herself in the reality of her responsibilities. She inhaled deeply, attempting to clear the fog of desire with the air of professionalism. Yet, even as she meticulously reviewed the files Mr. Jeffery had provided, seeking any viable reason to dismiss James from his CEO position, she found herself ensnared by frustration—not just at the situation, but at herself for allowing James to penetrate her defenses so thoroughly.

Replacing the black file, Sarah's attention shifted to another document—one from the beverage factory. As she perused the report, her eyebrows lifted in intrigue. "Now this is something interesting," she murmured, a plan beginning to form, a chance to leverage this newfound information against James. The thought of stripping him of his arrogance, to see him vulnerable and at her mercy, sparked a fire of a different kind—a desire for retribution.

Her contemplations were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. "Come in," she called, her voice a mask of calm. The entrance of Emily, Jenna's personal secretary, was unexpected, igniting a different sort of irritation within Sarah. "I was expecting you the least, Ms. Emily," she admitted, her tone edged with disdain.

Emily's presence was unwelcome, a stark reminder of the preferential treatment she received from Jenna—attention that Sarah felt was undeservedly diverted from her own family. "I am here for a reason," Emily stated, her voice barely above a whisper, her gaze fixed on the intricate patterns of the carpet.

"What brings Jenna's personal secretary to my doorstep?" Sarah wondered aloud, her curiosity piqued despite her resentment. "And what might be in that envelope, Ms. Emily?" she inquired, her words dripping with skepticism as she eyed the white envelope in Emily's hand.

With a hesitant step forward, Emily placed the envelope on Sarah's desk. "That's my resignation letter, ma'am," she declared, her voice devoid of emotion, as if resigned to whatever fate awaited her.

Sarah leaned forward, a cold smirk forming on her lips as she accepted the resignation with a hint of triumph. "It's accepted, darling," she said, the words laced with venom. "I can imagine how difficult it must be for you to remain here without Jenna." It was clear that Sarah harbored deep-seated resentment towards Emily, believing her to be the root of her family's neglect by Jenna over the past eight years.

As much as Sarah loved her father, Christian Mount, and her brother, John, her disdain for Jenna, Emily, and James knew no bounds. Without a second thought, she discarded Emily's resignation letter into the trash bin, her actions deliberate and filled with contempt. "I said it's accepted," she reiterated, her voice stern, leaving no room for doubt. Emily stood, stunned, as Sarah's dismissal rang clear, a final severance of whatever ties had bound them.