Chapter 204
Serena
Vincent's laugh cut her off. It was a genuine laugh, the kind that made his shoulders shake. "Really? Then why are your legs shaking?"
Vanessa's mouth snapped shut.
"Let me guess," Vincent continued, taking a leisurely sip of his tea. "Your father Marcus—his position as CEO isn't quite as secure as everyone pretends, is it? There have been some... unfortunate business decisions lately. And those uncles of yours, circling like sharks, just waiting for him to slip up."
Vanessa's face went from pale to gray. "How the fuck do you know about—"
"Oh, and there are those several deals your father is currently negotiating with Lance. Multi-million dollar contracts." Vincent examined his nails with theatrical disinterest. "Now, Lawson Capital doesn't need those deals. We're diversified enough that losing them would be... inconvenient at most. But for your father? For his position at Holland Media & Luxury Group?" He looked up at her with mock sympathy. "Those contracts might be the only thing keeping him in that corner office."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Vanessa's mouth worked soundlessly. When words finally came out, they were stuttered and desperate. "Vincent, I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean—earlier, I was just—could you maybe ask Lance to—"
"I don't have that kind of influence." Vincent's voice was pleasant but final. "Besides, you didn't offend me, Ms. Holland. You offended Ms. Vance."
All eyes turned to me.
Vanessa looked at me with an expression I'd never seen on her face before—genuine fear mixed with desperate rage. Her eyes were glassy, mouth trembling, but that core of hatred still burned through. It was almost funny, watching someone who'd spent three years looking down on me now on the verge of tears.
"I could accept your apology," I said slowly, savoring each word. "But Lance works very fast when he's motivated, so I'm not sure—"
Vanessa's phone exploded with sound.
She stared at the screen like it was a bomb about to detonate. Her hand shook so badly she nearly dropped it twice before managing to swipe to answer.
"Daddy, I—"
The voice that erupted from the speaker was loud enough that I heard every word. Every furious, devastating word.
"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!" Marcus Holland's roar made Vanessa physically recoil. "How—how could you be stupid enough to piss off Lance Lawson?! Every single deal I had with Lawson Capital just got canceled! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE!"
"Daddy, I didn't—I don't understand—"
"You don't understand? I'll tell you what I understand! Because of those sudden cancellations, the risk assessment team downgraded our credit rating! Do you know what that means? Do you have any fucking idea how much ammunition that gives Howard and the board?!"
There was a pause. I could hear muffled voices in the background, urgent and panicked.
"Oh God." Marcus's voice had gone from furious to hollow. "They're calling an emergency board meeting. Right now. And I'm—I'm on a fucking fishing boat in the middle of Long Island Sound!"
"Daddy, please, I can explain—"
Marcus's phone must have buzzed because he went silent. The silence stretched so long I thought the call had dropped.
When he spoke again, his voice was completely flat. Dead.
"They voted. The board just voted."
"Daddy?" Vanessa's voice was tiny now, childlike.
"They're removing me as CEO. Effective immediately. Howard will take over as interim."
"No—Daddy, no, we can fix this—"
"The biggest regret of my life," Marcus said with cold, terrible precision, "was the day you were born. I have no daughter. Do you understand me, Vanessa? I have no daughter."
The call ended.
Vanessa stood frozen, phone still pressed to her ear, as if she couldn't quite process that he'd hung up. That he'd just disowned her in front of God and everyone.
Then she started to shake.
It began in her hands, spread to her arms, her shoulders. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps. The phone slipped from her fingers and clattered onto the marble floor, the screen cracking in a spider web pattern.
"No," she whispered. "No, no, no—this isn't—"
Her legs gave out.