"But, you can't do that." Mrs Winston shrieked, her face ashen. "The collection has to be presented in just a few months, if you leave it would cripple us."
The fashion collection was already being worked on and they were due to release it in a few short months. It did not matter if Brooke was a genius which she wasn't, she would be unable to keep to schedule if she left now.
"Then it's chop chop time I guess." Lyse looked at Brooke and could not help gloating. "It will be a lovely sight for the talented designer to show off her wonderful skills."
Brooke gritted her teeth but she was determined to not let Lyse get under her skin.
"You should consider what your exit will do to the company."
"Brooke is right," Brandon interjected.
The fact that Lyse was ready to actually leave sent a burst of fear through him. She had always been considerate and compassionate about running the company's fashion business so her behavior was very strange and he found himself confused and more than a little shocked.
"Listen Lyse, there is no need to be brash and inconsiderate. You can't just leave on a moment's notice."
Lyse stopped and slowly turned around then laughed mockingly, "brash? Inconsiderate?" She laughed mockingly. "Now you have suddenly have grown a spine and you can talk about what is inconsiderate?"
Every word that dropped out of their mouths was made to humiliate her, to bring her to her knees and remind her that she was a bastard who did not deserve to make a name for herself. The fact that they could sit there and make light of her pain.
She thought about the sleepless nights she had spent working on the collection, all her hard work, the research. And now she was supposed to just turn it over to Brooke just like that?
With a determined hiss she spun on her heel and left them gawking at her.
"Let me go and speak to her." Brandon stood up but Brooke quickly got to her feet.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, you really hurt her feelings and she probably is still in love with you and will lash out." She said, "she is my sister, I am sure that I can get her to see reason."
Brooke pushed down the irritation that rose at the reluctance that flickered on Brandon's face, she could see that he wanted to speak to Lyse but she could not allow it.
Her fear was that he might still have feelings for Lyse and if she allowed them be alone together who knew what that vixen could do. Moreover, she wanted the chance to gloat over Lyse's distress and humiliation.
"You really should be thankful that you are being given a chance to still stay on in the company, Sutton wanted to kick you out but I think Brandon pities you." Brooke said from the doorway of Lyse's office.
Lyse clenched her jaw at Brooke's presence while thinking that she had given her what she wanted and she would still not let her be. She also acknowledged the fact that Brooke was allowed to call Brandon's mom Sutton while she had always insisted that Lyse call her Mrs Marlowe.
She however ignored Brooke and continued to pack her things and put them in a box.
"I never did ask what you spent your bridal night doing, I know that whatever it was pales in comparison to what you had hoped it would be like." Brooke taunted.
Lyse ignored her and continued to put her things in the box and when she was finished she straightened up and looked at Brooke.
"Look at it this way, it's not my fault that Sutton recognizes better quality."
"Well, you might just be right. You can have another one of my discarded things like always." She said with a sardonic smile.
Brooke's eyes flashed angrily then she smiled deviously, "That was child's play, you see, this is more fun. The satisfaction of knowing that just when you thought that you were secure and able to start a life for yourself I took it all away. I am glad to know that I will snuff out that light."
"So I am sure that you are happy to see me go then." Lyse stated matter of fact.
"Don't be like that Lyse, you know that the company is family owned and Sutton wants it to remain that way and that is why I am being appointed because I am Brandon's wife to be."
Knowing that Lyse had nowhere else to turn to, Brooke was looking forward to having her under her thumb and further oppressing her. She also would need Lyse's designs so she could not afford to let her go.
"I understand that, and I guess I have no other choice than to hand over all the work that I have done thus far to you." Lyse said and Brooke smiled gleefully.
She went behind her desk and picked up the binder where all of her work was on, everything that she had done since she started working with the company a year ago.
She removed the pages from the binder then held them and swift like lighting she stuffed the pages in the paper shredder and watched as machine started to work. Brooke ran for the shredder but Lyse held her away until everything was just ribbons of paper.
"Oh look, confetti for your forthcoming marriage with my left overs." Lyse said as she scooped some of the paper and poured it over Brooke's head before sidestepping her.
Brooke looked like she was about to cry as she looked at the shredded paper which represented all the work that had been done.