Just Between Us

51

Lillian's POV

I was feeling all sorts of emotions after Stefani's visit; but not one of them were a feeling of sadness.

I savored that kiss long enough for it to engraved into the back of my head..

The front door unlocks and Kent's arrival startled me as I quickly shove Stefani's note into my bra.

"Even when I'm late, you're always on time. Dinner smells great- looks like someone's been eating," he chirped as he kissed the side of my head as he sets aside his brief case.

"How was work?" I started to fix him a plate.

It felt wrong letting him assume I've done the cooking, but I play along respecting Stefani's wishes as he settles into the kitchen and Kent takes a seat untying his tie.

"Work is always work, now tell me, how does a successful man convince his daughter that she should take the position of being CEO so he can retire early and be with his oh so beautiful soon to be wife?" He looked at me with a smirk.

I hate to say it.. I really do...

Stefani does it better.

I shook my head with a small smile and shrugged, "realistically speaking and making the decision based on your current relationship with her... it's gonna be a hard one to pull off- why are you bent on Stefani being CEO?" I handed him a plate and silverware with a glass of wine.

"She has what it takes despite her young age believe it or not. Yes we argue- lot, but she's open minded, assertive, witty and goal driven. Her ambition is admirable just as it is agitating. She knows the ins and out of every business scenario, values a clean image to the press therefore a clean image for the company as CEO... I wouldn't trust anyone else with this position, only Stefani can run it," he spoke so highly and proudly of his daughter.

"Not to be the rain on the parade, that's by far the sweetest thing I've hear your say about Stefani. But I'm pretty sure she's said it on more than one occasion, she wants to burn the damn thing to the ground," me and Kent both chuckled.

"Even I know she doesn't mean it," he defended her.

Ohhhhh Kent, she meant it.

"What happens if she declines the proposal?" I saw a snag in Kent's early retirement plan.

"She can't... either she accepts or she puts me in a difficult position to disown her and take away all her trust funds," he plainly said.

My eyes blinked away into oblivion. I'm not a business major but even I know someone is going to be dealing with some serious financial damage. Stefani's shares and net worth alone can run the company bankrupt, but with Kent as a long term CEO with incomparable expertise, this is bound to end with someone going broke and a hard reputation to recover from.

I hope it doesn't go that route.

"Maybe I could talk to her about it..." I mumbled and Kent's eyes were unreadable.

"I don't think it's a good idea," he assured me.

"It can be any worse than having you do the talking," I informed him and he shrugged with a small smile.

"Good luck to you," he shook his head as he pulled out some files and continued to eat.

"What's that?" I got curious and wanted to change the topic.

The environment division is the weakest link in Edward Enterprises; hell, the manufacturing division made a huge comeback for this year's income not to mention their joint collaboration with robotics.. I don't know what to do with this division, I'm a business man not a chem major," he grunted.