sinking ships - succession

chapter three

A week had passed.

Kendall and Roman were acting as CEO and COO, respectively, while their father recovered. Her father was back at home but hardly anyone had seen him. Marcia had informed her that he wasn't quite well enough yet. She accepted that but Shiv, apparently, could not. For the first time in years, Shiv had called her.

           Rose ignored it.

            Then Shiv texted her multiple times. All of them were asking if she could go check on their father since she had a good relationship with Marcia.

           Rose, can you check on Dad?

         Marcia listens to you.

         Dad could be dead for all we know.

        Do this for Dad, not for me.

        Rose finally got annoyed enough and answered with a one word response: No.

         Come on, Rose. This is for Dad. Someone needs to check on him. Marcia probably wants Dad to die; she's a snake.

            No.

          Why can't you be a human being for one day?

        The fact that you need to ask why is insulting. Don't ever bother me again.

          Shiv never responded back which Rose was glad for. Rose couldn't believe the audacity Shiv had to ask her for something after what had happened in the past. Her sister was lucky she even replied.

        But Rose pushed the memories from her thoughts. She couldn't think of it. She refused to. Those memories were like a stain on her skin that she had to keep wiping away each time she saw Shiv.

      With the minimal times that she did see Shiv, it was okay. But with the health of their father, she was around her sister a lot more than she wished to be. It made her feel unclean but she'd stay in this skin that was dirtied from the secrets she kept until the day she died. 

          Luckily, she didn't have to sink into the dark abyss that was that particular memory. She had a business meeting with shareholders for RoseGold Oil.

She sat down at the head of the table, giving a short unhappy smile, as she spoke. She was unhappy with the news as she stared at one of the regional officers who was in charge of the oil rigs in the Gulf.

"I heard that there is a problem in the Gulf," she started as she tapped her fingers. "Why am I just learning of this now? Malcolm?"

"The workers on the oils rigs in the Gulf are planning to quit tomorrow if they aren't paid more," the man spoke. He stared at Rose nervously who was the epitome of cold as she stared back at him with her sunglasses on. Not seeing her eyes was nerve-wracking because she gave nothing away.

"Tomorrow?" she spoke slowly. "Are you saying you only learned of this plan today?"

"Well, no..."

"So you decided to keep this plan to yourself?" she cut him off.

"No, but I...I...I...."

"I, I, I?" she mocked. "Which one is it, Malcolm? Are you incompetent by just learning of this today or are you even more incompetent by being unable to handle this yourself?"

He went to speak but she spoke before he did, "Just be quiet. Maybe that'll be something you'll be good at since apparently you're not good at your job."