LISA
It's Thursday, and I'm finally back from San Francisco after confidential talks with investors for my new business.
I pretended I was in town meeting with Diana to avoid arousing suspicion.
Well, I did meet her for one brain-frying hour, but the rest of the time was dedicated to organizing financing and drafting contracts.
I shut my office door, kick off my heels, and scrape together nearly two hours to plow through urgent items relating to The M Media. Setting up a new business and running this place means my batteries are almost empty.
Working almost seven days a week, I'm exhausted, but I have no choice but to push through. Just after midday, my door clicks open, and I sense an annoying presence.
I don't need to look up to know it's my father, so I don't.
With my head down, I ignore his babbling for the most part and only engage when I see fit. "No, for the last time. Charlie Chen will not be CFO," I say, still typing. "He's currently under investigation for fraud."
"I'm not sure if you're just dim-witted or what?" My father has always had a way with words. Luckily, I'm immune to them. "If he quits, we'll lose those multi-million-dollar contracts with Epsom. What happens then?"
"Our reputation will improve because we'll eliminate a bad seed. One down, a few more to go. Stop hiring shady characters."
He snarls. "You won't get a cent from me, Lalisa."
"Good. Now that you've finished chastising me, can I get back to running the company? I'm very busy."
There's a pause, and just when I think he's about to leave, he says, "Miss Kim. Quite the delectable little creature, isn't she?"
I stand so abruptly that my chair skids back, banging into the wall. So, now he's got my full attention.
He's rubbing his chin, resting a hand on the glass wall. One look at him standing there like a tourist in a gift store, and I know he is practically undressing her with his eyes.
He revolts me to my core.
My own father.
He turns and laughs. Like actually laughs.
I grit my teeth, and my pencil snaps in half. "Get out now."
"Ah, and there it is." He starts wagging his finger at my broken pencil, smirking. "Your Achilles heels. Thought so when I saw the photo of the two of you in the paper. Nothing wrong with having an eye for beauty."
My stomach churns. "I am nothing like you. Touch her, and I'll kill you," I growl. There's no way I'll let him make work another hunting ground. No way.
He walks over to my desk, hands tucked in his pockets, and leans in, smelly sick.
"You don't think I'm scared of you, do you?"
"You should be."
"You've always been your mother's daughter," he snaps, and I'm this close to hitting him with the entire contents of the stationery cupboard.
I throw him a glare, soaked with repulsion. Words exploding from my mouth bitterly. "And you've always been a garbage human. Out of my office now, or I'll have you escorted."
He holds up his hands, grinning wolfishly. "On my way. Need to pick up my suit for the charity ball with Miss Kim tonight. I'm always up for a challenge." His voice quiet and menacing. "Bet I can crack her in forty-eight hours."
