Page 42 of Until We Burn
Shock blisters through me. He can’t possibly believe I had anything to do with this.
“I didn’t do it, bàba.I swear.” Suddenly, I feel like a little girl again, trying to convince him I wasn’t the one who broke the china teacups.“I didn’t even know Gregory was seeing someone!”
“You can stop with your lies,” he spat. “We searched every room and found these in your drawer.” Bàba holds up one of my document keepers with DH embossed on the front. “There are copies of photos, emails, and text messages between Sasha and Gregory that make him look like a lecherous playboy! Instead of keeping quiet, you shared this with the media, knowing it would slander your brother’s name.”
“You threatened to take something away from me the night of the dinner party, and now you finally have,” Gregory hisses.
My fingers dig into the couch cushion, fighting to keep myself from tearing apart everything in front of me. What I thought would throw him off my case became words that he used to throw me six feet under. Now, I can only do so much to claw my way back up.
“I said that to you because you insulted me and Sophia.” I seethe. “I would never go as far as dragging your reputation through the dirt. I know what that would cost you. What that would costus!”
“Clearly, you didn’t know it well enough, considering what we’re embroiled in at the moment,” Jonathan snaps.
Despite his tone, I can sense the faint smile he’s fighting to hold back.
My gut feeling prickles with the suspicion that he’s behind all of this.
I swallow hard, trying to rein back the shout threatening to breach my words. “I’ve been busy with school and the HMG. How would I have the time to sabotage your image?”
Sophia shrugs. “You’re handling so much. It wouldn’t be surprising if you decided to add one more task to your roster.”
My heart splinters. Jonathan might have had a hand in exposing Gregory’s relationship, but he couldn’t have planted the papers in my room. Aside from Helen, only one person knows my passcode.
The bravado on Sophia’s face fades when realization cuts across mine.
No.
Bàba’s face darkens. “Because of this, you are suspended indefinitely from events related to the succession plan. Until you learn how to conduct yourself professionally, you don’t deserve to be consideredfor the CEO position. Your siblings will take over the joint project in your absence. I’ve alerted our partners of the change.”
All of the pieces come together. That’s why it took so long for the media to report on the scandal. Jonathan and Sophia were stifling them, keeping them at bay before they could plant the blame on me.
Tears well in my eyes.
I should’ve pushed for answers. I shouldn’t have passively let the silence go by when I knew they always used it as a weapon against anyone they needed to take down.
“But Gregory went against your rules!” I argue. “He was toying around with a girl behind your back. Why is he still allowed to work on the joint project?”
“It was my idea, actually.” Jonathan idly crosses his leg over the other. “I talked to bàba, and we both believed that delving into a project will sober him up and help him remember what his duties are.”
Betrayal cuts so deep I can hardly catch my breath.
“I’m going to be punished for something I didn’t even do? At least let me prove that I?—”
“No.” Bàba’s eyes narrow on me with disdain. “I have a meeting with our publicist in ten minutes. In the meantime, you are not going to associate yourself with the HMG. If you’re going to defy me even further, then I might as well take you out of the succession plan completely.”
My heart drops.
Fear paralyzes me.
The HMG is everything I’ve ever known. Everything I’ve ever worked for. I have nothing without it.
I force the words out of my throat. “I…I understand, bàba.”
“You’ve already disappointed me more than once in the last several days,” he warns. “I’ve been lenient with you. But you should know that my mercy has its limits.”
The conference call ends, and the screen goes black. My reflection stares back at me. Tears streak down my face, as I collapse under the ruins of what I’ve worked so hard to build.
KAI
