Lured into Love (Blossom in Winter #2) - Melanie Martins Page 0,165

you manage to escape?”

Damn, his questions are beyond absurd. “Don’t worry, I’m doing great. Um, I read the article published in The New York Times,” I inform him. “I’m not sure how my parents managed to get this article out, but may I remind you that misinformation and defamation are serious offenses?” I keep my tone cold and calculated, but not aggressive. “I suggest you drop all the charges against my fiancé. There’s no need to engage in a judiciary battle over such nonsense.” My heart keeps accelerating as I anxiously wait for his answer.

“Petra, my job as a prosecutor is to go after those who abuse their position and show predatory behavior toward younger girls. I’m afraid only a judge can decide now.” What the heck is he talking about? “We have laws in place to protect people who have been incapacitated due to mental illness.”

His comment is so condescending that I feel the urge to hang up, but instead I say, “I appreciate your concerns over my mental wellness, but I’m fine. I’m perfectly capable of making decisions on my own. If my parents want to ever see me again, they better drop the charges.”

“Alright, I will transfer the message,” he says dryly.

“Thank you.” And we hang up.

Jeez, I shiver at how disgusting the Bradfords have become. Matthew has always advocated for individual rights and freedoms, and yet now he has sided with my parents, who would gladly take mine away. What a fucking jerk! Why is he doing this? For the Patreon money my dad has been giving him every month? For the sake of having a good relationship with him? Unbelievable how he threw his integrity out the window for so little.

“Alex?” Ryan comes out, holding an iPhone. “Roy is on the phone.”

“Put it on speaker,” he says.

But Ryan gives a quick glance at me first. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Ryan walks toward us and puts the phone on the table, before pressing the speaker button.

“Hi, Roy,” Alex greets, his tone more restrained and severe than usual.

“Alex…” I haven’t heard my Dad’s voice for so long that it feels strange and foreign to hear it again.

“First off, you are on speaker. And there’s my attorney here and Petra,” Alex announces.

“Good to know.” Dad’s tone is so cold and clinical that he sounds totally unrecognizable. “Petra, how are you?”

“Dad, please stop this nonsense. Why are you doing this?” I ask, taming my anger, rage, and all the other boiling emotions inside, trying to keep them from taking over me. “You know perfectly well that Alex didn’t kidnap me.”

But Dad doesn’t reply to my question, and instead he says, “You guys are also on speaker, and the entire board’s here with me. We are having a meeting to vote you out.”

“What?” I ask, immediately looking at Alex. I can’t keep from gaping in outrage at my dad’s move. “They are trying to fire you?”

But Alex doesn’t give anything away. “HR was perfectly aware that I’d be out for fourteen days. I’m taking my leave.”

“HR, yes. The board, not really,” Dad snaps back. What a freaking monster he is! I’m glad I saw through him since the day he threatened my inheritance. As I notice Alex’s hand resting on the table, I decide to take it and hold it tightly. It might be a simple gesture, but I hope it’s enough for him to know we are in this together until the end.

“Roy, you know you can’t fire me. I own as much of the company as you do. Stop this freaking nonsense,” he tells Dad, aiming to bring some common sense to this useless fight against us.

“Correct, we both own forty-seven percent, and our dear investors the remaining six. And they are here, at the table, quite alarmed by your actions.”

“You need more than that to fire me. Any evidence that my actions are hurting the company financially? It’s our best year so far, so I highly doubt it,” Alex points out. “You are actually the one who is putting the company in jeopardy by publishing defamatory articles about me.”

“Me?” Dad asks rhetorically.

“Yes, you know this is just to destroy my reputation, which makes no sense, since this can also hurt our company.”

“My daughter is sick, and you abducted her to prevent her from being treated! It’s the least I could do!”

What? I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Dad’s totally lost his mind! “That's a freaking lie!” I shout. “I’m going through depression because of your abusive and controlling behavior!