Your Beauty Never, Ever Scared Me - Wintumn Stories

The Takeover

No one would have guessed how nervous Autumn was for this meeting. No one but Winter that is. He had been with her all morning. Watching her pace around their kitchen reading and rereading documents until she had committed them to memory. Seeing her change into three different outfits before deciding which one made her feel the most confident. Keeping a hand on her bouncing knee as he drove them in because she didn't think she could focus on the road.

They were the first to arrive at the office so they decided to wait by their car for Reece or Mia to show up before going in. Autumn didn't want to face her father at all, let alone by herself. As they stood leaning on the hood Winter had his arm wrapped around her waist. Autumn let her head fall on to her shoulder as she took in a deep breath.

"We're ready. I'm ready."

"You are, my love. No one has worked harder for this than you."

Autumn leant in to kiss him, but pulled away quickly as she heard a car pulling up beside them. As soon as Reece and Mia showed up it was like a switch had flipped. Autumn was all business again. Winter was always in awe of how separate she was able to keep her work life and her personal life. At work the most affection they would show would be using their pet names in conversation and the loving looks they would share whenever possible; but at home they both did everything they could to make sure they felt all the love they had for each other. Winter loved that he was the only person that saw that sweeter side of Autumn. That he was the only person she trusted enough to know her heart.

"Big brother. Mia."

"Hey sis. Are you doing alright today?"

Before Autumn could respond Mia butted in. She'd been around the siblings long enough to know that Reece would never be that outright caring about his sister. The two had only communicated in snark since Autumn had been able to talk.

"Woah, Reecey. Being a bit too nice today, aren't we? What, is she pregnant again or something?"

She laughed slightly before she saw everyone staring back at her blankly. They saw the usually unshakeable woman go pale as she realized that her joke wasn't a joke at all.

"Oh my god, Autumn are you pregnant?"

"I suppose you had to find out eventually." Autumn was staring daggers at Reece as she spoke.

"What's that look for Aut, I didn't even say anything."

"You said enough Reecey." Mia piped up smiling at Autumn. It had been too long since the two women teamed up against him.

"Well, I'm sorry I cared I guess. I won't do it again, Jesus."

"Huh...who'd have thought Autumn Knight would settle down like this. Winter must really be something special to have tamed you."

Autumn could only roll her eyes in response, but she knew Mia was right. If you'd asked Autumn two years ago if she saw her life taking this direction she would have laughed in your face.

Settling down in her hometown, married with a child on the way, and running her father's business by her brother's side would have sounded like her worst nightmare. She only planned to be at the nursery temporarily. She didn't need the money; her payouts from the board and other investments were more than enough to sustain her. She just needed time to plan her next move. Everything changed after the Halloween party. She saw a future for herself she'd never let herself consider before. A life where she was happy. One where she didn't have to jet off every few months to distance herself from her problems. She had imagined the life she was now sharing with Winter.

Everyone had decided that Winter would wait in the car for Autumn. Considering the last time Roger and Winter interacted her father ended up with a broken nose, they figured it would be for the best if he didn't come in right away. They were hoping this meeting would not take very long and if she needed him anyone could text him and he'd come running.

They had the votes. They still didn't know who the silent partner was and they were sure he wouldn't show up today, but Mia and Marjorie had been able to sway Siobhan to their side. After today Roger would lose everything. His business, his power over his children, and his trophy girlfriend. But they knew he wasn't going to go down without a fight.

Once the meeting was called to order, Autumn stood up to present their findings and introduce the vote. It had been so long since anyone saw her completely in her element. Autumn had always been incredibly business minded, running a successful homework business in school as well as other small ventures she'd take on. She orchestrated the whole takeover. Reece and Mia gathered information for her, but any actual planning was all Autumn. She had the help of a solicitor to make sure everything was in place legally, but they didn't really have to change much of what she already had written.

When she finished her presentation, her eyes locked with her fathers. As little as the two wanted to admit it, Roger and his daughter had the same terrifying intensity that made them very intimidating if you were on their bad side. No one wanted to speak as Autumn stared down her father, him staring right back, neither one wanting to back down first. Finally Roger gave a slight chuckle.

"Maybe I've been underestimating you, Mutton Chops. You've clearly put a great deal of work into this."

Autumn maintained her cold stare as she listened to her father speak. She knew that there was no way he would let the compliment stand.

"But then again one good move can't undo a lifetime of disappointment now can it? I'm sure that's something that your husband will realize soon. That is...if you can manage to not fail your family again."

Before Autumn even had a chance to react she watched Mia jump from her seat lunging at the older man. She had Roger by the throat before anyone could even think about stopping her.

"You two bit piece of shit. The only person who's failed a family here is you. And you fucked up so badly you ruined two families. Your kids may have anger issues but they are nothing compared to me. If you so much as think about writing to either of them after today, I will hunt you down. Thanks to you, I know how to find people. You've created your own worst nightmare."

She finally released her grip before turning to face the rest of the room.

"So, shall we get this vote started then?"

Mia shot Autumn a quick wink as she sat back down. The younger girl couldn't believe that her old friend would come to her defense that quickly. She didn't even have time to get upset about her father's comments before she got to watch him be so expertly humbled. In their younger days Autumn and Mia had been as close as sisters but their relationship had been slow to recover. Autumn wouldn't have even said they were friends at this point yet Mia was still willing to threaten her father for her.

As expected the vote passed easily. And with both Autumn and Mia starring Roger down it wasn't a fight to get him to sign all the transfer documents right then. He packed his office and left alone. Everyone saw Siobhan smile for the first time in years as he drove away. She would be taking over Roger's office as the new head of the board. They wanted to make sure she was still taken care of since they knew Roger had been just as awful to her as he'd always been to them.

The siblings found out pretty early in their planning that Roger's didn't really do much. He left a lot of decisions and planning up to the board and the managers, so really Reece and Autumn had a hand in running the business the whole time. Once they took over, really the only change was the names on the documents and the ability to make final decisions. Both Reece and Autumn were very invested in still working in the nurseries. Especially now Autumn did not want to give up her daily lunches with Winter, the ability to go see him whenever she needed, or even her daily chats with Marjorie. This would also mean there wouldn't be an elusive owner no one would ever see. They were going to be much more hands on.

Once everything was finalized, Autumn made her way back out to Winter who had been impatiently waiting in the car. The second he saw her approaching he jumped out and ran to her.

"I saw Roger leaving with boxes, I'm hoping that means what I think it means?"

"Yes, my sweet. He's out. We don't have to worry about seeing him ever again."

"And here I thought our life couldn't get any more perfect."