Royal Bitch

"She's going to kill me isn't she?"

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

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Chapter 6

Fiore was having a meeting with her father's board of directors for one of the companies her father owned when the meeting was interrupted. It was Kenneth.

"Pardon the intrusion," he politely excused. "Miss Fiore, it's most urgent." Fiore's eyes held the question.

"Can it not wait?" she asked, an eyebrow raised. The men giving her an accusing look. This meeting already had to be rescheduled twice.

"It cannot. It's urgent and requires your immediate attention."

Fiore nodded. "Very well, can we move this to the video conferencing room? I will join in via Skype. I apologize for the inconvenience." Fiore excused herself pulling out her phone. "This isn't like you. What is it?"

"It's Juliet."

Fiore stopped and stared. "Well?  What is it?"

"She's having the twins, but there's a complication. Xavier phoned you and asked you to come."

Fiore nodded once. "Is the plane ready?"

"It's being prepared now, it will be ready by time we are at the tarmac."

"Do what you do best," Fiore followed Kenneth as she rejoined the meeting. Watching the screen on her phone until she boarded the plane where she switched to her tablet as soon as they took off. She listened to the boring details and paid close attention to the budget cuts. "Frank, run that by me again,"

"To meet budget requirements, we'll need to make about one hundred employees redundant."

"You each got a raise this year. You will not be cutting employees and increasing your own salary. Am I clear? You figure something else out or I will figure it out for you and you will not like my solution."

Their eyes showed their fear. Fiore was not afraid to replace the entire board. It wouldn't be the first time she decided to make such a choice. It wasn't a choice she enjoyed making, but she'd do it if the board members were no longer exemplifying the characteristics she demanded of her leaders. "I'll leave you to brainstorm amongst yourselves. I have another matter that demands my attention. Let's reconvene next week. I'll have Florence arrange it so it works for schedules." Fiore disconnected. She hated having to make threats, but she wasn't about to let her companies' employees suffer while the board enjoyed life in the lap of luxury.

With an irritated sigh she turned her attention to Kenneth. "Do we have any more details?"

Ken shook his head. "No, not yet."

"And there will be a car ready?"

"Yes, it should be on the tarmac running by the time we land."

"Good." Fiore nodded. She'd been trying to figure out what was going on since Kenneth had interrupted her. All she knew was that Juliet was having complications with her delivery.

Fiore was twisting her family ring on her left index finger. It was the closest thing to fidgiting that she allowed herself to do. She was nervously chewing on her bottom lip. When they landed Fiore rushed into the car and Kenneth was speeding towards the hospital. When Fiore arrived she rushed up to Juliet's room where Xavier was pacing nervously outside.

"Fiore," he sighed in relief.

"What is it? I came as soon as I heard something was wrong. What is it?"