1. Grayson

CHAPTER 1

GRAYSON

TWELVE YEARS LATER

L RH Global is going to crash and burn by the end of the year.

It has been at the front of everyone's minds for the last six months, but this morning's quarterly budget meeting confirmed it.

Someone has to find a way to turn the company around within the next quarter, or we're all going to be out of jobs by this time next year.

Maybe I should be glad I never became CEO.

Although, if I had become CEO, this wouldn't have happened in the first place. Dad could've loosened the reins a few years ago, and I would have been able to bring the family business into the twenty-first century instead of dying on a hill made of newspapers.

Dad struts into my office, the Manhattan skyline gleaming behind him. He glances down at the budget on my desk. "An emergency board meeting has been called for this afternoon. I guess someone called and told them what happened at the budget meeting before I had a chance to do it myself."

His tone is sharp, cutting me down where I sit, making me feel like he's lording his power over me the way he used to when I was younger.

Even at thirty-one, I'm still desperate for his approval.

Some would call it a flaw, but I prefer to think of it as ambition.

I lean back in my cognac leather chair. "Don't know who would have done that."

"I'm sure it was Walker. He's always been a sniveling brown-noser." Dad shakes his head, tucking his hands into his pockets. "You would think they would trust me to run my own company."

"Maybe they see that there are changes to be made to get us ready for the future of media." I choose my words carefully. The last thing I need to do is set him off.

Dad scoffs and shakes his head. "The company is fine as it is. I built it when I was fresh out of college and look at what it's grown to in the last forty years. I put my blood and sweat into LRH Global, and now the board is breathing down my neck like I have no clue how to run the damn thing."

The rant would have more of an effect if he was still dressed in the same dark blue suit he wore daily instead of his black slacks and salmon polo.

He looks more like a man who stepped off the golf course than one who's in touch with the state of the company.

The truth is that we're in a nosedive, whether he wants to see that or not.

No amount of fuming and reminding everyone that he built the company is going to change the situation. He can shout the words from the top of the tallest skyscraper in New York, and it's still not going to rebuild what's broken.

Dad doesn't want to hear that, though.

I nod along with him. "You're right, but the directors aren't going to want to hear it. They're going to want to know how we're going to fix this before their shares in the company go down the drain."

"I already know what I'm going to do to fix this."

Dad turns and strides out of my office, slamming the door behind him. I take a deep breath and get up from the desk, opening the door and turning to my assistant.

"Lara, you'll be attending the meeting."

She grabs her tablet and follows me through the top floor of the office.

I weave around the senior editor's desk, heading for the conference room.

The glass walls have their curtains pulled across, hiding the men inside from the people in the office. Nobody wants the staff to start trying to read lips. They could find out that the company is going under and that would only incite panic among everybody.

Dad sits at the head of the table, the wingback leather desk chair to his right open. I pull it out, wheels catching on the worn fabric.

As I slip into the seat and Lara takes her position in the corner, more men filter into the room. Most of them are wearing various combinations of polos and slacks, though there is a woman who strides into the room wearing a suit. I don't recognize her, but Dad mentioned something about one of the board members being voted out and another coming in.

She might be the most intimidating person in the room as she takes a seat at the other end of the table. "Leo, it's time that we get this company under control."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Victoria." Dad sits taller in his chair as his assistant closes the door, locking it before taking his seat.

"The company is taking a massive loss." Victoria shuffles some of the papers in front of her. "You know there is only so much longer that the company can survive. The board of directors and I have come up with a plan."

Dad's jaw tightens, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I wasn't aware that it is the board of directors who gets to make the final decision when it comes to my business. Your predecessor allowed my word to be the last."

Victoria's frown only deepens. "This is a new way of life, Leo. You've proven that you can't keep the company moving forward. I've taken over, and the votes will lead us, not your need to dictate."

I bite the inside of my cheek, holding back a smile.

Though I may not love what Victoria is saying, it's the first time in a long time that someone has put my father in his place.

Dad clears his throat, standing up and making eye contact with the other men in the room. "We've all been working together for a long time, and you all know that I bring a vision to this company. People said that records were dying out, just like they think newspapers are dying out. We'll revive the newspaper. Create campaigns with influencers to show off the sense of stability and respect the newspaper brings while still being relevant today."

My hands ball into fists as I hold my tongue. It's the same spiel he's been working for the last month, but it's not going to happen.

Victoria's over-plucked eyebrows climb higher. "You think that advertising with influencers holding a newspaper is going to be enough to save the company?"

Some of the men around the table stifle laughter. Dad's face glows a bright red as he looks at the only person in the room with the balls to say what everyone else is thinking.

Dad crosses his arms. "And what would you suggest we spend time doing?"

"Bringing this company into the twenty-first century, for a start." Victoria shoves the stack of papers away from her. "We need fresh blood in this company. Nobody here has stepped up to take the reins, so we're going to bring in somebody from the outside."

As I look at her, I see red.

I've tried taking the reins from Dad time and time again. I would wrestle him for them if I thought it was going to help.

It has been several years of trying to convince him that moving with the times is a good idea, but he keeps his feet planted, insisting that he's the one who owns the company.

Over the years, he's told me you can do what you want when I'm in my grave more times than I can count.

Now, thanks to his stubbornness, the board of directors is considering bringing a fresh face to the company.

Somebody that could steal the CEO position out from under my feet.

Looks like Walker is the only one with a brain.

If I had gone to the board after the budget meeting and told them how bad things are, perhaps I would be the fresh blood they are allowing to take control.

Victoria stands up, her hands pressed against the table as she stares Dad down. "I've brought in the best in journalism to come bail you out as a personal favor to me. Schedules were cleared for this final chance at saving the company, which means that you are going to let her take control. She will oversee the entire rebuild of LRH Global."

Dad stares at her for so long that I'm sure he's going to call security on her.

His shoulders slump. "Fine. Bring her in. The company does need a facelift. If you think this person is that good at what they do, then it might be worth a shot."

My jaw drops.

I wasn't expecting him to agree to Victoria's plan. In my wildest dreams, I hoped that he was going to tell her to take her new person and shove it before putting me in as CEO.

It was a pipe dream, but for just a moment it felt like it was within reach.

Victoria turns to the door and pulls it open. "You can come in now."

Heels click against the tiled floor outside before a woman steps into the room. Her honey-brown hair sways with each step before she and Victoria hug.

When she turns to face the rest of the room, blue eyes sweeping to connect with everyone, I have the urge to throw myself out the window just to avoid dealing with the one person I hoped to never see again.

Jade Harper.