Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“Yet you don’t lack self-confidence,” The Old Man said, something close to admiration in his voice.
She stared at him, and drew in a shaky breath before speaking again. “I r-refuse to let this s-s-stupid impediment define who I am.”
He nodded thoughtfully, still watching at her intently.
Beth glanced around the room, seeking to get herself back under control.
“W-what’s going on here?”
“It’s a war room. Nox has just secured a billion-dollar construction contract with a very well-known hotel group. It wasn’t the best time to go on vacation. But since the CEO and owner of said group lives in the Cape, and we have the opportunity to meet with him next week, we’re strategizing.”
“What hotel group?”
“None of your business,” he retorted icily. “I called you in here to talk about my son.”
“Nope. I’m not going to discuss Gideon with you. If you want to know anything about your son, ask him yourself.”
“How long have you known him?”
She kept her mouth clamped shut.
“I didn’t approve of that tattoo business. And I responded harshly.”
She sucked in her lips. She was not going to be drawn into this.
“But when Kenny told me what he was doing for her patients, I couldn’t help but be proud of the lad.”
“You know about that?” Beth asked, and his eyes shone in triumph at her question.
“And so do you, it would seem. What else do you know about my son?”
“I know that he’s a good man, though I didn’t always feel this way about him. I thought he was arrogant, lazy, and a first-class leech who could barely pay the rent at his friend’s house. But he’s none of those things. He’s ambitious, hard-working, and when he decides on a particular course, he sticks with it because it’s hard for him to admit that it’s not working. That’s what happened with the tattoo parlor. He kept at it even though he hated it, purely because he can’t imagine not succeeding. I suppose he must get that from you.”
The soft disbelieving grunt from Nox brought a glower to her face.
“Do you have something to add, Nox?” she asked bad-temperedly.
“My father and Gideon are nothing alike. Gideon doesn’t know how to win, he’s the type of idiot who’d be happy with a participation trophy—”
“Gideon has been winning all along,” Beth interrupted him sharply, her stutter standing aside and allowing her this moment. “He certainly won the jackpot when he decided to do his own thing and not toe the family line. This atmosphere would have destroyed his creative spirit.”
She met The Old Man’s eyes head on, her voice was soft and yet it resonated throughout the room.
“As his father, how could you possibly have wished a fate like that on a man like Gideon? This might suit Nox and Niall, but you know Gideon would have hated it.
“How can you not be proud of his talent? Have you even properly looked at that graphic novel? I’ve never seen anything like it, he’s… he’s just phenomenal. He could have been a mediocre top-level company executive in a position that everybody would have known he got only because his name is on the building. Or he could be truly spectacular at something very, very few people can do well.”
“And yet… he’s neither of those things,” Nox sneered.
“He’s about to be one of those things. Thanks to that graphic novel.”
“What does that mean?” James Hawthorne asked, leaping onto the inadvertently revealing titbit. “Don’t go all shy and reticent now, Elizabeth Finch. Tell me what I want to know.”
“If you want to know then ask Gideon,” she said, irritation peppering her voice.
“I could break you, you know,” he murmured idly. Beth pushed to her feet and folded her arms over her chest. “Elizabeth Anne Finch, successful freelance technical writer. How long will you remain successful when the freelance work dries up? I could make it my personal mission to ensure you never work again.”
This was the real James Hawthorne, this cold, calculating bastard, who could toy with people’s livelihoods on a whim.
“Bottleneck Advertising, that’s your biggest client, aye? A successful advertising and marketing company owned and managed by Richard Palmer and Vuyo Mashego. Richard has just had his second child and Vuyo is getting married soon. They’re doing well, but with the right incentive from me, they could be quite easily influenced to replace you.”
“This is what you do with your power and wealth? Th-threaten puh-people? You’re a big man, aren’t you, Mr. Hawthorne? B-big and scary. I tuh-take b-back what I said earlier about Gideon and you b-being alike.” Beth fucking hated b’s. “We’ve had our differences, he and I, but I’ve never once found him as despicable as I do you right now. Gideon isn’t a m-monster. That’s the fundamental difference between you two.”
She uncrossed her arms and clenched her hands into fists while glaring down at him.