"Ha! That's funny dad, I am the dignified daughter of the Ghoul family. Who would dare want to be cross with me?"
Her parents weren't surprised by her words. They knew full well what kind of character their daughter did have. They did train her to be loose and arrogant.
"You imbecile! Stop acting arrogant! certainly, you have offended someone higher to let us enquire a great loss."
She stood up in a dizzy dint with her mother supporting her, her eyes clearer and more glossy.
"Why pin the blame on me! I don't work in your company."
Mr. Ghoul looked like he was ready to fire up from all the pent-up anger boiling inside him. He felt both resentful and frustrated that he started to compare her with the adopted daughter of Mr. Dywen Bacheman.
He just like many other businessmen had seen the potential in that adopted child of Mr. Bacheman. A rare gem was worth cultivating and useful in making billions. And despite her complicated background, she was just as sophisticated as any other wordy heir/heiress.
Unlike his daughter. Just looking at her. He let out a tired sigh while stroking the white and black colored beard on his chin in a way to calm his bristle rage.
He felt disappointed.
"Follow me!", he ordered both mother and child.
Both felt the unbridled threat beneath and we're wise enough to follow.
Ms Ghoul with her feeble character held unto her daughter, her tears becoming a flood that didn't move the cold heart of Lana who felt fibble on feet and pumping with adrenaline into her pandora box.
Her pandora box that has kept all her compressed emotions for many years.
Both mother and daughter enter the sturdy room on the second floor after Mr. Ghoul. The mansion was a four story building. The first floor belonged to the married couple that accommodated their need with a walk-room that held variety of designers dresses and suits, on the second floor were the study room, the gym and music room. The third floor belonged to Lana, along with her necessities as a high class socialite. And lastly the fourth floor were reserved for guest and the house keepers.
Slowly they approached Mr. Ghoul who instantly headed towards his unkept desk, picked up a bunch of blue files before flinging them to the ground towards Lana's feet.
His next words becoming hastier and extremely arrogant, it was enough to make one's blood boil.
"You are the acting CEO and heiress to your grandfather's company, instead of performing your duties of that of an heiress you slander and abuse your power wherever you go. Don't think I don't know about your previous shenanigans to the daughter of the wealthy oil company. You were lucky we benefited from it, which was why I didn't say anything about it."
Mr. Ghoul was used to passing the ball around whenever he faced a crisis. Lana knew of her father's way, she rolled her eyes impatiently at him before casually rebuking him. Her temper was fierce, her mind in disarray. She kept on having the illusion that she was way better than her father, that she had finally reached her top. So why does she have to listen to her father blabber about and take his blames?
Her father should just scram!
"So what now?! The company is going through crisis and the first person you lay down on is me. Father! Don't you think you have gone too far". she was breathing hard.
Me.Ghoul blinked his chest rose and fell with rapid breaths bearly holding back his anger.
"I don't care. You fix this."
She picked up the reports from the ground glanced through them sternly. She didn't understand the problem there, she couldn't understand a word written with how tired she was of the night. From the party, to the cat fight at the club and now her father's temper-tantrum. She was tired.
And let's not forget the drug in her system. Because of how depleted she was, she optioned offhandedly.
"Why don't you ask uncle Dywen for help?"
Her request felt like being doused in hot oil. Mr. Ghoul's face looked even grimmer.
"Have you forgotten? Uncle Dywen is going through bankruptcy."
Their so-called family alliance was only written on paper and for benefits only. It was actually between the old master and Mr. Bacheman but the son evidently was taking advantage of it, using it anyhow he liked.
"So? It's not like that's his only company,"
she rolled her eyes, the corner of her lip forming a devious smirk as she gesticulated.
"Oh! Wait? You already withdrew from that too." then added sarcastically. She was taunting her father, slowly cooking him into anger.
"Lana! Your manners, he's your father." Her mother chided her hurriedly looking frantic as she observe her husband and beloved daughter chat.
Once a cheater always a cheater, and they can never be trusted again. People don't cheat by chance, they cheat by choice.
Lana did find it humorous that her own father was singlehandedly ruining her future. He knew she truly loved Eric and wish to be the younger daughter-in-law of the Bacheman family. Yet greed and fame exceeded in the eyes of her father.
"Watch your tongue! Know which family you belong to!"
He roared angrily, before turning his back at her and then added with a sullen voice.
"We suffered little loss for backing out. It's nothing we can get over it."
People don't cheat by chance, they cheat by choice.
It took going through a faulty finance database for Mr. Ghoul to realize that breaking out of the partnership hadn't been his brightest idea. Surely even if a miracle was real there was no way Mr. Bacheman can resolve this crisis. The only solution was to sell the company and if a better buyer did get it, his shares would also benefit from it.
It was a pity Mr. Ghoul wasn't far-fetched and lost a good opportunity and also lost being in Mr. Bacheman's good books. It was like Karma was striking him back and harder.
"But now we are facing a crisis that needs the help of that loss. Brilliant! Whoever this big boss is truly a Guru. A Master Leonine they call him. That's just Great! Now We know who was able to cause these crises, so let's just humble ourselves and settle this."
The thinly trimmed brows of Lana's, arc upwards as she mulled over where she had heard such a name.
"Master Leonine? The genius?" , "Isn't he a well-established businessman from San Francisco? The new nouveau riche. He's hot cake on the headlines."
Even Lana had to admit she was quite impressed by this figure. It wasn't easy to raise in the business world but this guru did it like it was walking in the park.
"Quit yapping and find a solution. I want you to look for Master Leonine."
She froze for a bit, staring in bewilderness at her father. She hiccuped slightly before slurring out her words with a comical look.
"What do you want me to do? Sell my body? You just said that Master Leonine is a big fish. He is not someone I can just walk up to or invite for tea. And besides, you already got caught for being disloyal with an ulterior motive! So stop being fake and try being real for once in your life."
The air crackles so much with raw hostility.
Her father had an ugly look on his face. He looked like he wouldn't even be bothered if he killed her himself. He was too far gone in his greed. He was the prey who fed on the predator by borrowing the hands of others. He has no redemption.
"I don't care what you do but make sure I don't lose my company. And besides, if we can get a family union with Master Leonine it would also benefit us greatly having such a strong alliance."
"Honey!!" Mrs. Ghoul cried out pitifully, not expecting that her husband would go to that extreme.
A cry rushed out of Lana's throat in horror. Her body weakly slumped down heavily to the ground as though her legs were made of noodles.
"How can you say that when you know how much I love Eric." Lana felt she was experiencing a nightmare.
"You need to stop being so selfish and start caring about everyone else a marriage with Master Leonine isn't that bad."
"But I don't love him neither do I know him. Daddy, the discussion of marriage had already been left to me to decide, you can't just order me."
"Yes, that was when it was to Eric but with the situation we are in it's passable."
"Grandfather would never agreed."
"Say that again when your grandfather isn't displeased with your performance of late."
Her eyes widen at her father, surprised he had the guts to advise her of failing. Wasn't he the one that told her to put that bitch in her place.
She felt angry. she burned in anger.
Yet she tried to hold it in, taking deep breaths because she knew the next time she spoke, her mouth acts quicker than her brain.