What is going on?
That would be the million-dollar question running through my mind. I was called into one of the conference rooms immediately, with no details - nothing. Things around the office have been hectic the past few weeks, causing me to start early in the morning and leaving late at night. I couldn't afford to lose any more time to deal with whatever was going on.
Alison, my personal assistant, and I walked into the room only to be greeted by my parents and grandfather. Not the people I expected, nor had time for. Didn't they know I couldn't spare this time for simple chit-chat about the weather and family gossip? The look on my mom's face alarmed me. Her big hazel eyes were bloodshot and moist as if she had been crying minutes before. I then looked over to my grandfather, who gave me a warm but apologetic smile before I turned my gaze to my father, his expression cold and hard as always. I should've known they weren't here for a social visit. My family didn't do social. This was business and it didn't sit well with me.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on? Things have been hectic, and I have a business to run. So, if this family gathering could wait till Saturday night dinner, that would be great," I said, my voice dripping with professionalism.
Family might have always been important for me, my father didn’t share that opinion even in the slightest. Not when we were younger, and not now. Running the business was all that mattered to him. It’s supposed to be all that matters to me now. And it was not all that mattered to me, but it was all that I did. Harrington Inc. used to be one of the top hotel chains in the world, but business, unfortunately, was slow the past few months, years even.
"Honey, please sit down." My mother had me worried because of her trembling voice and watery eyes. Being twenty-six years old has never stopped me from doing what my mother told me to do, so I sat down next to her. She immediately took my hand in her trembling ones and gave it a little squeeze.
Even though the conference room was rather spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows, I suddenly felt suffocated.
The tension in the room clung to me and squeezed tight, depriving me of air for only the shortest time. I felt it, and I knew my mom did too. Briefly, I looked over to my PA. She seemed to have felt it too. Whatever this was, it wasn’t going to be good in any way or form.
My father cleared his throat before he stood up and started pacing the room. "Lucienne, as you already know, the business had slowed down the past months. Now I know you work harder than anybody else, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. The members of the senior board and I have decided that it is time for a change.”
I felt it in my gut. He was going to serve me an ultimatum. “A change?”’
My grandfather caught me in my state of complete and utter confusion. "Lucy, sweetie, the world of business is hard. Companies are dropping out of contracts because Harrington Inc is now in the hands of a single woman. We know you're capable of running this business, but we can't afford to lose contracts and projects because of your relationship status."
What my grandfather tried to bring with apprehension and care, was blurted out by my father. He dropped it like a bomb. “Lucienne,” I hated when he called me like that. “We expect you to get married or you will be removed as CEO.”
I sat there completely stunned. I had to get married. As in, some kind of arrangement? What the heck happened to be careful with men and don't get myself into something I'm not ready for?
It took some time for my brain to process what was going on before I finally caught on. "You're telling me we're losing business deals because I am a strong, hardworking, and independent woman? Is this some kind of sick joke? We’re not in the 1950’s for God’s sake. This is the twenty-first century!”
By now I was out of my chair, pacing back and forth. I couldn't believe this. I had to settle for Mr. Okay or Mr. Good Enough because it would gain the corporation some new contracts and projects? What happened to them encouraging me to wait for Mr. Right?
"I seriously can't believe you're asking this from me. Do you seriously expect me to give up the only thing I ever had full control over? I sacrificed everything to become the businesswoman I am today, to be the heir you wanted for the company after... you know what happened." I spat at my father. He could not be serious. He could not be in control of my love life in addition to everything else.
Before anyone could say anything else, I turned on my heel and ran from the conference room. Away from my crazy family and into the safe environment of my office.
