Chapter 68 Dismissed!
Chapter 68 Dismissed!
JAXON'S POV:
“What's happening?” I barked in to the phone immediately the line clicked. Hadn't it been three good days already?
“My apologies sir, but VIXEN is unavailable!” Ryan said fighting to keep his voice polite and civil from the other end.
I ignored that and went straight to the point. “Why has she refused to take my calls or make any contact with me?”
“That I do not know Sir, maybe it is her personal decision to cut off contacts with you for the moment, if she wishes to speak with you anytime in the future, I'll be the first to let you know.”
“Now cut that crap!” I snapped, pushing off from my seat.
But before I could even follow through on my threat, Ryan continued like he had never been interrupted.
“Now look here, Mr. Fallon — we are trying our best to keep this situation under cover. If you keep up with your incessant harassment, I'll have no choice than to file a legal suit against you. In my client’s best interest, she does not and not love to have anything to do with you or the record label anymore and if try to force things, I'm afraid things would end up bad for you.”
My nostrils flared. “Are you threatening me or what Ryan?”
“I mean everything of what I just said Mr. Fallon. And if we'll, we don't have anything else to talk about— I might as well bid you goodbye.”
The line clicked, leaving the lingering end tone ringing in my ear, like someone had just flipped on a switch that set my whole body on full-scale panic.
I pushed from behind my office desk, suddenly feeling too hot to process things despite the AC system being on full blast.
“How could she even do this!”
Jesus Christ! Unbelievable!
I reached for the door in two quick strides
and jerked it open then stalled, eyes jerking wide with surprise.
“What are you doing here father?” I stuttered weakly, the anger seeping away from me as fast as it came.
“Jaxon, can I have a word with you?”
Damn it!
I swallowed hard, my stomach heavy with dread as I stepped out of the doorway for father to step in while acknowledging Reenes deeply sympathetic look.
As I turned to close the door, Reene hovered in the hallway. I couldn't imagine what she thought she could do to help, but I smiled gratefully at her nonetheless, before closing the door gently and turned to face father.
He was seated on my chair, eyes firmly trained on me. “How are you, Jaxon?”
“I'm well, thank you.” I said automatically, distractedly.
How was I going to get this meeting over with, seriously—
“Oh, how are you too father?” I remembered my manners just in time.
“I'm fine. Just fine, thank you.”
I swallowed, threw a good look at the wall clock behind him before meeting his gaze again. I hoped he really wasn't here to talk about my social life and the recent rumors gaining momentum all over the internet.
I sincerely hope, he wasn't.
“Sit down boy.” He said casually after a minute of terrifying silence. I lowered myself in to the armchair opposite him.
“Good, now we'll talk.” He nodded, I swallowed— shot another glance at the wall clock and then back at his face.
“It has come to my attention that you've been spending time in the company of what was her name again..” His voice trailed off, eyes trained on me— hinting at me to fill in the details.
I shifted uneasily in my chair— “You mean uh-h Laura j-Jacobs?”
“Yes.” He said, his gaze still steadily boring into mine, I tried to keep my expression neutral under the uncomfortable scrutiny.
“And you have garnered quite a bit of attention lately too.”
I swallowed. “Yes.”
Unsure of where the conversation was headed but certain of one thing, I wasn't going to easily get out of this one.
Father stood up from his seat, and walked over to me. “You kissed the girl?”
Another knot tightened in my throat. “Yes.”
“Fought with the brother?”
The color drained out of my face, Father sat on the desk in front of me — eyeing me curiously.
“Why did you do all that?” He suddenly asked and without giving me a chance to even think of an answer, he continued in the same perfectly controlled voice. “All the reputation I have built, everything— these corporation, I handed them all to you. What did you do?”
My ear tinged, I shifted my feet uneasily on the floor.
He continued still. “You go around, making reckless decisions and ruining everything I've built. Don't you know a Fallon prides itself on being rather less controversial and more productivity?”
I swallowed, face reddening every passing moment.
“Answer me boy!” He snapped, his tone losing every pretense or false cool.
“Yes father, I'm sorry father.” I muttered.
He balled his hands on the desk and eased off from the desk, adjusting his tie.
The clock chimed— the dread in my stomach expanding faster.
“I have maybe indulged you too much, Jaxon.” He said after a moment of silence, hands in both pocket, legs spread apart doggedly.
“Father, I'm sorry.” I pleaded, trying to meet his eyes. But he was staring ahead, at something behind me probably.
“I'm stripping you of all corporate power.” He said flatly.
My heart slammed against my chest and I gasped before I could stop it.
“Father you can't do that please.” I pleaded, standing up this time and stepping in his line of sight.
“The board no longer trusts you. We're losing investors at a very alarming rate— I can't have you running around anymore. I'm sending you to Africa.”
What!
“Father..”
It was not just my heart this time, my whole being shattered.
“The decision has been made already by your mother and I and you were also voted out in our last board meeting yesterday, your pleadings wouldn't change anything.”
He said coldly.
“But you could at least do something.” I pleaded searching his eyes.
“I just did.” He said flatly.
“But that's unfair.”
“You think so?” His eyes hardened on me, his nostrils flared.
Now my anger kicked in too.
“But I apologized sir.” I snapped.
Stupid! A mistake!
“And you think because you said I'm sorry that automatically cleans off the mess you made.” He said glaring at me, one hand flew out of his pocket and he poked a finger into my chest, enunciating his next words carefully, slowly.
“I'm sending you to Africa, and that's that. Reene will fill you on everything you need to know when I leave, it's high time you took some goddamned responsibility for your actions.”
“But..”
“No buts.” He snapped impatiently. “You have lived a life of sheer privilege and I don't simply care what it is you think you are further owed without sacrifice. You've studied under the best tutors, attended the best post secondary institution money can buy. Do you know how many people would sacrifice everything to switch places with you and take that trip to Africa?”
“Father..”
“This is not a negotiation, you're fired Jaxon!” He roared, his voice ripping through the office, through my heart— through my whole fucking being.
Every muscle in my face and neck was taut and so were he's too.
I turned around abruptly, without waiting to be told twice and walked out of the office leaving everything behind.