‘It’s OK, really, I have messed up more than you ever have.’ They smiled at each other.
‘Come on, Gracie,’ said Violetta gently, as she helped her sister to her feet. ‘We have to be united against them.’
Carlotta ran back to the boardroom to get Grace’s bag and saw Matthew leaning nonchalantly against the wall in the corridor.
She ignored him as she swept past.
‘Hey, Carly,’ he said, using the name she hated.
She held up her hand as she walked past him. He could wait. Right now it was about her sisters. She would deal with him later, when she was ready and not before.
*
John Berconi and Matthew walked into Chris’s office with Carlotta who stood behind Chris at his desk.
‘So, we need to discuss a few things,’ said Chris, getting down to business.
‘Perhaps,’ said John, sitting opposite Chris at the table.
‘What did you sell to Berconi for? Perhaps we can buy it from you?’ asked Chris.
‘I bought it for $15 million,’ John told him. ‘We are finalising the papers and the transfer of the money tomorrow.’
‘Jesus, Berconi, it’s worth twenty times that,’ said Chris, shocked that Matthew would take such a low price.
‘You told me it was worth nothing,’ said Matthew, his voice breaking.
‘I lied,’ said John, fixing his French cuffs.
Matthew stood dumbfounded as Carlotta scoffed at him.
‘So what do you want?’ asked Chris.
‘I want to run the company. I will buy out the daughters and take over. It’s a good offer,’ Berconi said.
‘Fuck off,’ said Carlotta.
John rolled his eyes at her and turned his attention to Chris. ‘If you don’t sell to me then I will make life so difficult for Pajaro, you won’t even be able to hem a fucking tablecloth.’
Chris looked at him with pure hatred. ‘What’s your offer?’
‘One hundred million and the girls take all Leon’s debt.’
‘No way.’
‘I will move a no confidence motion against them and take it to the board. I only need their support and these women are out on their asses,’ Berconi said. ‘Who do you think they will vote for? Three wannabe career girls or me?’
Chris fought an urge to punch him but Carlotta wasn’t as successful. She rushed over and slapped him, her nails scratching into his face.
John laughed at her. ‘You little bitch, you never told me you liked it rough.’
Chris turned to Carlotta and shrugged. ‘I’m sorry, you can fire me,’ he said. Then he swept around and punched John so hard he tipped backwards out of his chair and onto the floor.
Matthew stood cowering against the wall and Chris walked over to him. ‘If you think you can get away with this then you have another thing coming.’ He walked over to his desk, picked up a card and dialled the number on it.
‘Detective? Chris Koch at Pajaro. I have some information for you on Leon de Santoval. You might want to come down here.’ He hung up and looked at Matthew. ‘Stick around, there’re some nice cops who want to talk to you.’
He looked at John, sprawled on the floor. ‘Get up, you bag of shit, and get the fuck out of my office.’
