Conflicting Desires

Chapter Eight

Scarlett

"What fuck Scar, what are you trying to pull?!"

Ryan's voice startles me, so I instinctively pull the phone away from my ear. I put the phone on loudspeaker. 

"Don't call me up cussing," I warn in a low tone.

"Having meetings with Jeremy, what's that?!" He still maintains his tone.

"Exactly what you think it is," I say, not trying to explain myself. He should know when he comes with that tone, he's not getting anything from me.

"Poaching our clients for your company, that's really low."

"I am not pouching any clients that I didn't initially bring into that company, accounts that I didn't personally oversee. I'm just taking what's mine."

"What's yours is our family's company which will die if you keep doing what you are doing."

"That company isn't ours, it's mum's. She made it abundantly clear when she gave that position to a stranger. She wanted to prove to me that she was in charge and I got it. Message received."

"Oh, don't be a hypocrite. We both know one way or another, you are still doing this to get her approval."

I laugh bitterly. "Says the guy who's playing the role of her puppet,"

"You know they don't fucking know your worth there. Bailey just gave you the job to piss mum off. So yeah I am the puppet but you are the pawn."

"Oh, fuck off!"

"You fuck off," he cusses.

We both go quiet. This is something we usually do when we know our fight is about to escalate. The one good thing our dad thought us growing up.

"You don't want to go down this road with Mum and you know this. She can get -brutal, So please stop this and come home." Ryan finally speaks in a much lower tone.

"Come stay with me. I didn't buy that big house to live alone." I counteroffer.

He doesn't say anything for a while. I can feel hope rising in my chest just at the thought that he's considering it.

"I can't stay in New York, it doesn't fit my aesthetics." He finally says.

I sigh in defeat. "Do whatever you want. And by the way, tell mum the next time she wants to threaten me, she should do it herself." I hang up.

My eyes move to the window, making me realize we have stopped in front of the building of company for a while now.

I look up at the tall building, which is one among the hundreds of other tall buildings that contribute to the city's beautiful architecture. But this tall building is different, it has her in it.

The thought of her already lightens my mood which Ryan tried to spoil.

Audrey, a name that has gotten stuck in my head since the first day I heard it. I want to know her, really know her.

I unlock my phone and after a few clicks, I begin to make a phone call before I can stop myself.

"Hello madam?" I hear her soft voice, which sends a nervous wave through my body.

Madam? I don't like that. I want to hear my name in that angelic voice. It will sound like pure sin to me.

But then I need to maintain professionalism because, at the end of the day, I am her boss.

Earlier this week, I wanted to blur that line when I saw her in that small black dress. I had to maintain my cool, which I did by being distant and focusing on work.