The shock wave was beginning to unfold around Daniel. One of the company's senior partners decided to pull out and, with him, his shares, prompting at least four other junior partners to do the same.
The meeting was getting increasingly heated in the boardroom. Daniel was enduring the complaints of the board members with a steely attitude and in silence. Beverly was watching him out of the corner of her eye and knew what he was thinking: if it were up to him the whole company could go on fire.
Harry was watching him too, watching as he stood the wrath of the rest of those present unfazed. Not a single one of them was silent, they all had something to say.
Leonard Reed had given the order in the shadows, tightened a few loose screws and threatened left and right so that, little by little, the most important members would begin to withdraw. If they continued, there wouldn't be much left to salvage.
- This is Leonard's work, Daniel... -
- Tell me something I don't know, Harry... -
- You know why this is happening... it's because of your wife - Beverly told him, accusing him.
- Deanna has nothing to do with this -
- Of course she does! This is a trick of Reed's to get to her... You know it, Daniel, stop ignoring it! -
- And what do you want me to do?! I give my wife to Reed to get my shareholders back?! Screw them all if they want to! -
- He'll destroy the company to destroy you! Can't you see?! This stupid game between you "alpha machos" is going too far... -
- Calm down, both of you! - Harry said.
- Calm down? Don't tell me you don't see it either, Harry? Crusher Com. is going to disappear because your brother is disputing Deanna with Reed... The old man must be upset because he can't see her anymore in the theater and surely you went to confront him, right Daniel? -
- It never ceases to amaze me how you know about everything, Beverly... -
- That's because everyone knows, Daniel! They know what happened at the school, every single one of Alice's words, shall I repeat them? -
- That's enough, Beverly, we won't achieve anything by arguing with each other... -
- Harry's right...
- You're both idiots! I didn't come into this company to leave by the back door because Reed is going to tear it to pieces to put his mark on your wife... -
Daniel slammed his open palm on the desk, making the photographs move.
-You can leave whenever you want, no one's stopping you," Daniel told him in his icy voice.
- I don't lose a battle, Daniel Crusher... You will do something about it! The company has been in your family for decades, are you going to throw it away for a woman? -
- I'm not going to discuss this matter with you anymore... With anyone! -
Daniel ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Leonard was pushing him to break him, he wanted to finish him. If he couldn't see Deanna at the Ambassador, if he couldn't make her come to him of her own free will, then he would destroy everything about Daniel to make her run away.
Everyone around him would start pressuring him too: the shareholder board members, his colleagues, his family. He would corner him into letting her go. Reed's power felt heavy in the business, conglomerating two large companies and many smaller ones. He could decide the future of anyone he wanted.
Beverly left the company furious and upset. If Crusher Com. fell for Deanna, she would lose her chance at a government position. Daniel's last name would be worthless. She walked to her car and when she got in she called Leonard.
- Are you out of your mind, Leonard?! What the hell are you doing?! -
- Calm down, babe... I'm making my moves. Why are you getting upset?! When I'm done with Daniel you can keep him... No one else is going to want him -
- That's enough! You can't destroy the company for that woman! -
- You're overreacting, Beverly... It's just a little scare, I wouldn't do that to Charles. Now play your role well, go tell Deanna what's happening because of "her" -
- What? And arouse Daniel's anger? What good does that do me? -
- Look, honey, if you're afraid of Crusher, you won't get what you want. Either you bet hard and get out of the way... Don't go telling me you intend to take your share without getting your hands in the mud because then you're not ready for it... -
- You're planning something else -
- You're sharp... There's going to be a series of "tidbits" unwrapped around them... I started it, now go and play. Bring your own -
She didn't like to move "in the dark", but the situation was getting out of hand. Leonard was going for everything.
She went all the way to Daniel's house, then she would see how to deal with his anger.
- Deanna, I need to talk to you -
- Sure... come on in...
What was she doing there? It was strange, she had never come in while she was there before.
-I'm sorry, but I have to tell you. I don't care if you tell Daniel later that I came to talk to you... This is going too far... -
- What's going on? –
- Leonard... Reed wants to destroy Daniel and the company. He's pulling his strings against him, his influences and deploying his power to eat him alive... And he's doing it for you -
- I don't understand...
- Come on, Deanna... What is it that you don't understand? -
- Nothing, because I don't know what's going on -
- This morning one of the most important partners pulled out of the company, followed by several others... At this rate, we'll end up going bankrupt. Leonard is using his influence to ruin Daniel, he gave orders and they are carrying them out. And he's doing it for you, do you understand that now? -
- Because of me? -
- Don't play the innocent! You know what I'm talking about. The guy wants to get his claws into you, he's been in the theater with you all this time, do you think it's because he loves opera? I told Daniel, I told him several times... You're going to destroy him -
Deanna was silent. Why was everyone saying the same thing?
-Everybody knows what happened with Alice at school... Do you know what he did to her in retaliation? He sent her to foreign countries because of the scandal she made with you... He took her away from him like an old piece of furniture, if he does that to his own wife what do you think he'll do with Daniel? All because of you! Since you came to this house you just cause one disaster after the other... -
"You'll make everyone talk about my son behind his back."
"You'd better stay away, my dear, you're ruining Daniel's reputation."
"You just showed up to fracture my family, I hope he divorces you soon."
"You just want his money."
Camilla's and Alice's words echoed in her head, and now Beverly's too. Was she the one who was wrong finally?
-I'm pleading you please, Deanna, leave him. Leave. Leonard won't stop; the company has been running for decades... Charles will have a heart attack. And the kids... the kids will be next... Think of Harry and Laura and their baby... -.
"I'm here for Emma," Deanna thought.
-You can tell him I came, I don't care. I'm willing to put up with anything to keep him on his feet ... What will you do, Deanna? -
How could it be that she, a young girl raised in a restaurant and a herb garden, was the ruin of a multinational empire? She just wanted to sing, spend her life with Daniel and watch the children grow up ... Why was it so hard? What did she do wrong?