Page 3 of The Revenge Plan

“That’s it. That’s all I’m going to get?”

“You’ll soon find out,” he smirked, “A little warning since you attempted to show up; you will not like it.”

I wanted to claw out his sneering face. “You sound a little comfortable for someone who’s near the head of a tanking company.” He bared his teeth. I crossed my arms. He didn’t intimidate me. Bryce looked like he was about to say something, but he instead looked me up and down in disdain and walked over to Greyson, my other brother. He was a little more tolerable than Bryce, but I hated him all the same.

I glanced over at my father. He was speaking to his favorite cronies. The Legal Counsel and CFO, to be specific. The CFO, Denis, was leering in my direction as my father was gesticulating something to him. The man had a creepy ability to make me feel like I was naked even when I was dressed in a pantsuit as I was. I looked away from him and tried to shake off the icy feeling he gave me. Yep. I wanted to be out of here as soon as this meeting, whatever it was, was over. When was it starting, by the way?

Dad soon answered my question. He asked us all to take our seats. We all obeyed like sheep and I watched as he marched out of the room only to come back a little while later with a few more suits in tow.

My jaw dropped to the floor. My heart began racing. What the fuck was he doing here? What the fuck did he have anything to do with dad? He was my enemy. Hell, he was the family’s enemy. My father hated him with the passion of a thousand suns. If there was one person I would rather not see now, it was him. He was the person who hated me most in this world. Caiden Scott.

My gaze went to him as soon as we walked in. He looked the same as he did in high school. Tall, handsome, and ready to do damage. The years had been kind to him than to some of us. He seemed to have become a better version of himself as he had grown older. His features were more defined. His dark pinstriped suit was well-tailored and made him look like the personification of the devil himself. He had changed, grown older and harsher. It made him even more devastating. He had also made a name for himself in the luxury goods industry. Caiden the Conqueror, they had called him for his savvy acquisitions and great business deals. The person next to him, I barely noted, but I knew who he was. His best friend since high school. Axel Reid or Ax as he liked to be called.

They both took the two empty seats.

“Quite a group.” Ax said as he ran his gaze around the table, “If we had known, we would have brought our own calvary.”

Dad laughed. He was the only one who did.

Caiden sat directly opposite me. And even though my entire body had registered his presence; he looked through me like I was invisible. Without taking my eyes off him, I leaned into Greyson, “What’s he doing here?”

“He’s the reason we’re all here.”

“What the fuck do you mean?”

Dad cleared his throat and began the meeting. The longer it went on, the more I realized they had duped me. It wasn’t merely a board meeting. It was a sell off. And Caiden was here to buy. The company on offer was Celeste. One of the most profitable jewelry companies under the Lyndell umbrella.

“What I mean is,” my father said in his burly, gruff voice, “the offer that’s on the table is adequate. It’s low. Lower than the market rate.”

“It’s going to be worth even less next week,” Ax spoke. He was the one who was doing all the talking, but even I could tell he was simply parroting whatever Caiden had told him. Axel was known to be as brutal as Caiden, or so I had heard. He was just as handsome too.Manhattan’s Most Playful Playboy, Page Six, called him. But you wouldn’t have guessed that from this meeting. “You’re hemorrhaging cash fast as you flail around the market. No one will buy you. Your recent scandal has turned off most of your customer base, you have nowhere to go. Our offer is good enough.”

“Why am I here?” I whispered to Greyson after some time. What they were talking about seemed to be stuff that had nothing to do with me. So what they were selling part of the company? I’ve never cared for it. Greyson squeezed my thigh to shut me up. I slapped away his hand.

“I’m not moving,” Dad said.

Ax leaned into Caiden as he whispered something to him. He leaned forward and began collecting his papers, “We are out, if that’s what you want.”

They were about to rise when Dad shouted, “Wait. Sit down. I get it. You drive a hard bargain. How about I sweeten the deal for you?”

Caiden spoke up for the first time. His voice was quiet and commanding. “I’m listening.”

“How about I add one of my children in an advisory capacity to make the deal better?”

He scoffed, “Your incompetent brutes? No thanks.”

“Their knowledge will make the transition easier.”

Caiden was quiet. For the first time during the entire meeting, he focused his gaze on me. It was arresting, and I felt frozen in my seat. He hadn’t been oblivious; he had been aware of my presence. The realization was unsettling. I squirmed in my chair. I glanced at my father. He was staring at both of us. He had a mischievous gleam I hadn’t seen in a while. “Maybe there’s someone else I might offer. You certainly used to like her.” I glared at him. He could not be serious. What job could I do at KMVH? I wasn’t in the luxury industry. Deliberately so.

“If you want to buy Celeste, a Lyndell has to be part of the package, no negotiations.”

Caiden’s gaze, which had hardly left mine, flared. I could see his face become angrier and angrier the longer father talked. “What are you implying, old man,” Caiden growled.

“Marry my daughter and I’ll sell Celeste to you.”

The room went quiet. Time seemed to slow down as Caiden seemed to be seriously thinking this over. In the end he said, “Fine.”

“You can’t be serious,” I blasted. Its human bartering. It was insane. Anyone would think it was bonkers. “Why would anyone agree to this?” I looked around the table. Everyone was silent. Bryce was nodding, nodding his little head in agreement to this sham deal. Ass kisser. Greyson was twiddling his thumbs. The cronies had the decency to bow their heads down.

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