"I love you too, Aiden. Now, get upstairs."
I get the computer set up so that I can stand in front of it, rather than sitting down. Grandpa said it will make me look stronger. More dominant.
Part of me wants to laugh. I mean, I'm freaking seventeen and I'm taking over a company? I might be as nuts as Vincent.
I watch the scene in the boardroom start to play out on my computer.
The board members are gathered in the room, greeting each other and chatting.
When Vincent walks in, they all take their seats. I can tell by the way he narrows his eyes that he's noticed a new face in the room, but he doesn't comment, just takes his spot at the head of the table.
Once everyone is seated, the vice-chairman of the board, who happens to be the investor who sold us his stock yesterday, stands up.
"Mr. Chairman," he says, addressing Vincent. "We need to discuss the new ownership of this company."
Vincent looks confused. "What the hell are you talking about, Mac?"
"Why don't I direct your attention to the screen at the back of the room. I'll let the new owner speak for herself."
This is my cue. I press record on the remote in my hand and stand up straight and proud.
Time to roll the dice.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Keatyn Douglas and I'm the new majority owner of A Breath Behind You Films."
I glance at the computer screen, which is showing me Vincent's reaction. Right now, he doesn't look pissed. He's looking at me curiously. His head tilted slightly. His eyes focused. He really just looks intrigued.
So I continue. "The board of directors met in executive session last night and determined that it's time for a change in leadership. They named me the chairman of the board. Effective immediately."
"What the fuck?" Vincent says, looking around. "Is this a joke? You bring in Abby Johnston's daughter as some little prank?"
The vice-chairman shakes his head. "I'm afraid not, Vincent. We've had a good run, but . . ."
I keep going, "My first order of business is to introduce the new CEO and president of the firm, Chance O'Daniels. Many of you know him as the former CEO of Douglas Oil and Gas."
Vincent stands up. "You can't fire me. This is my company. My company, do you understand me?"
"It was until you decided to leverage everything to make the movie you have become obsessed with, Vincent," one of the board members who didn't sell to us says. "You left us wide open for a takeover. And now we have a teenager running the company?"
"I may be young, but I'm saving this company from its downward spiral, one which would have taken your investments with it. I didn't just buy it on whim. I'm very serious about building this company for the future. For my future. And although Mr. O'Daniels doesn't know the business yet, he does know what makes a company successful. Please welcome him."
"This is bullshit. Preposterous. I won't stand for it," Vincent says loudly. "I'll fight this." He turns to the Vice Chairman. "When did you sell? Right after our lunch yesterday? Where you promised to stay on my team?" He gets in the man's face. "You backstabbing son of a bitch."
"You better back off, Vincent," the man replies. "Or we'll have security escort you out."
"Escort me out of my own building?"
"It's not your building anymore, Vincent," I say, causing him to walk up to the screen and stare directly at me.
"You think you're so smart," he says to her. "This will all blow up in your face. Trust me." He may have just completely spoiled the ending of the new script, but he doesn't care. If he loses the company, he loses the rights to the film.
She gives him a smile that is an exact replica of her whore mother's. "Oh, there's no need for threats, Vincey. I'm going to honor what you started and make the movie you're so passionate about. The company has too much invested not to." She blows him a kiss, but it doesn't have the effect it usually does on him. He's too mad at her. She's standing in his way. She's going to pay. "What do you think of me starring in it myself? I mean, that's what you wanted, right? That's why you were doing the nationwide search for me. Well, I'm here now."
"You're playing a very dangerous game, Miss Douglas," he says, choosing his words carefully. "Our worlds were always going to collide, but now there's no avoiding it. We're on a collision course. One you can't change," he says, his voice stone cold.
It sends chills up my spine.
"You're just mad because I've written a better script than you. And in my script, Vince will die at the end. Just like in the original."
"You little fucking bitch!" he screams at me. "No one you love is safe, do you understand me? No one!"
Chance O'Daniels comes back on screen with two policemen. "Please escort Mr. Sharpe from the building. We will pack up his personal effects and forward them to his home address."
Vincent gives me a fiery, wild-eyed look. One that leaves me knowing I've succeeded in pushing him over the edge.
But then his face becomes a mask of calmness.
And calm Vincent scares me way more than out-of-control Vincent.
Vincent turns away from the screen. That's not his Lacy up there. She would never do this to him. This is some kind of game. Some role.
Although he didn't expect it to go down this way, it is irrelevant at this point.
And doesn't change his plans in the least.
Other than he needs to get back into his office to get the key to the safe room that's lying on his desk.
"No escort is necessary," he tells the men calmly. "I will leave of my own accord. But if you would be so kind, I'd like you to accompany me to my office first so I can retrieve some personal belongings."
He gets a nod from the policemen and leads them out of the boardroom.
"Well, that went better than I expected," the vice-chairman says. "Let's get on with our meeting."
I listen to the new CEO lay out his plan for restructuring the company and then adjourn the meeting.
The second it's over, my new cell phone rings.
"Well, Hotshot, what'd ya think?" Grandpa asks. "By the way, Garrett Smith and your Cooper are conferenced in on this call."
"I thought it went well," I lie. "What's your take on it, Garrett?"
"He reacted as we suspected he would. Was royally pissed off. Cooper, do you feel that your location is still safe, given all that's been going on this week?"
"Yes," Cooper replies. "We've been very careful. And I've made Keatyn start wearing her tracking necklace at all times, just in case."
"I'm more worried about my family, Garrett. You have to make sure they stay safe."
"We're doing everything we can."
"And you're still following him?"
"Yes."
"Do the people who follow him have to send you reports?"
"Yes."
"May I get copies of those reports? I need to know what he's up to. Where he is at all times."
"I'll have my assistant email you the reports," Garrett agrees.
"Sounds good," I say cheerfully. "Anything else we need to discuss?"
"I don't think so," Garrett says. "We'll take it from here. What he does in the next forty-eight hours should give us a good indication of what's to come."
When he ends the call, I turn around to find Aiden, who pulls me into a hug.
"I shouldn't have done it, Aiden," I confess. "I shouldn't have done it."
"Why do you say that? You said you wanted to push him. To make him mad. It looked to me like you accomplished that."
"I wanted him out of control," I reply as Cooper, Damian, and Peyton join us in the dining room.
"He yelled at you. I thought he was going to punch that guy," Damian says. "Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right," I lie. "It went well. I'm just worn out. Not thinking straight."
"Why don't we let Cooper and Keatyn talk?" Peyton suggests, herding Damian and Aiden back upstairs.
Cooper sits down and motions for me to do the same. "He wasn't out of control, was he?"
"Nope."
"The way he was able to go from pissed beyond belief to completely in control was interesting to watch."
"Did Garrett not notice it?"
"I'm sure he did. He's good at what he does."
"So, why didn't he say anything?"
Cooper's cell rings. He looks at it and says, "I think he's about to."
After his conversation with Garrett, he says to me. "He definitely noticed. And he's worried. He's got the house in France on lockdown, which takes care of your mom, sisters, and grandparents. They talked Tommy's mom into staying for a while too."
"That's good."
"Tommy will have another man with him full-time, starting tomorrow."
"Okay."
"That leaves you."
"What does he suggest I do?"
"He wants you to stay here. He would prefer you not leave the loft at all."
"You know that's not part of my plan, Cooper. And I promised B that I'd go to Malibu tomorrow. I know the timing sucks, but we're going to have to do it. Quick. In and out. Just like those nights we visited the club. We'll come back here so I can say goodbye to Aiden before he goes back to school, and then we're going to live on the move. Tomorrow won't be our only trip back home."
"Vincent is right. You're playing a dangerous game."
Vincent gets the key and some other personal items, puts them in a box, and leaves the company he built from the ground up. Most men would consider this a low point in their lives. Some men would feel like a failure, but he's feeling just the opposite.
Without being encumbered by his job, he's now free to focus on what's important to him. To focus on the movie. It doesn't matter if she owns the rights to it. They will film together. He will force her to sign the rights over to him. A gesture of good will.
Maybe if she does, he won't have to kill everyone she loves.
I go upstairs and tell Aiden, Peyton, and Damian goodbye.
"Where are you going?" Aiden asks, following me down the stairs. "I thought we were going bowling?"
"You are going. I can't. I just took over his company. I have to be seen out and about. I'm meeting Knox for lunch, going shopping, and then having dinner with Tommy."
"But . . ."
Aiden doesn't look happy with me. I probably shouldn't have just sprung this on him. But, honestly, it's starting to get hard to remember who I've told what to. And as much as I will miss him, I'm glad he has to go back to school. I need to be able to move around quickly. That's hard to do with a group of people. Now, I just need to figure out what I'm going to do with Damian.
"Damian is coming to Connecticut to say goodbye to Peyton. I sort of thought you'd come too."
"He is? How long is he staying?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. He said something about needing to go to Miami. I think he leaves Saturday afternoon, maybe."
"I don't think I will be able to come, Aiden. I wish I could, but I have to keep going. And I'll be honest, I'd rather have you back at Eastbrooke."
"I want to be with you."
"I know you do, but it has to be this way. I'm sorry."
"What if I refuse to go back to school without you?"
"You promised to do what I asked regarding your safety, remember?"
He pushes me against the wall and kisses me hard. It's the kind of kiss that would normally make me do whatever he asked.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," he says, keeping me pinned with his chest.
"Aiden, please don't make this harder on me than it already is," I beg. "I really can't take much more today."