accidental lovers

Two

"Good morning, Mr. Coleman."
Richard looked up at his secretary, Wilma Haynes.
"Wilma?"
"Things are really not looking up for your company, Sir."
"I thought I told you to look for companies that are willing to merge with us and get our funds up."
"The only company with an opening are the Jackson's."
"The one with the kid managing it?"
"He's twenty-nine."
"And I'm fifty three. See the difference?"
"Sir,  please just give him a chance. He was present at Miss Valerie's birthday a few weeks ago."
"I'll think about it.  In the meantime, continue searching. Coleman is too big a name to come crashing down."
"Yes sir."
Richard closed his eyes. His temples burned from brainstorming over the last few weeks. He had really hoped to get collaborations at his daughters birthday, but all he got was cash presents.
He sighed and picked up his iPhone, dialling  a number he had grown accustomed to just doing that,  dialling.
"You have reached Valerie Coleman's voicemail--" was all he heard before hitting the red button. Why was Valerie so stubborn?
Now she didn't even take his or Paris's calls anymore. They were on automatic voicemail.
He opened his laptop and did the next best thing,  sent her a mail.

Valerie picked a navy blue dress from her wardrobe and matched it with Black pencil heels. She pulled her dark braids into a bun and applied her favorite dark purple lipstick.
She checked her phone again to be sure that she got the address.
She was only doing this for one reason, she thought,  coming downstairs and walking to her garage where she slipped into her Ferrari Calif. To clear the air between herself and her father.
She drove into the Private Restaurant he had mentioned and tweaked her car locked.
On entering,  as usual,  heads turned in her direction. Some looked away,  some stared. She pretended oblivious, like she didn't know what her looks did to the opposite sex. She knew she was a head turner,  and tried to look as unavailable as possible, dressing dark and letting her pride get into her conversations. She wasn't looking for a man,  so all men could drop dead for all she cared. She had run out of fucks to give, physically and emotionally.
"Table for one? " A waiter asked, coming beside her.
She made sure she gave him a glare that proposed she didn't intend to be nice and said, "I'm looking for the table Richard Coleman reserved? "
"Right this way, Miss." He said,  leading her to where she saw her father impeccably dressed,  probably straight from work. His silver hair outlined his head and took up a definite share of his facial hair.
"Valerie." He said, brown eyes locking with hers.
She sat,  picking up the menu.
"Richard?"
Richard winced. He tried to remember the last  time she had called him 'Dad'.

"How are you?"
Valerie's eyes snapped up.
"Did I get dressed and waste my time to come here so we could exchange pleasantries?"
"If you could put this silly facade you've put up for these five years aside,  we could actually reach somewhere together."
"It doesn't help that my parents passed on their bloated ego's to me, does it?"
"Can I take your orders?" A sharply dressed waiter,  complete with a cummerbund asked, notepad in hand.
"A bucket of champagne and seafood." Richard said, waving him away.
"What exactly do you want? " Valerie asked,  loosing interest in their conversation.
"I'm getting broke." Richard muttered.
Valerie stifled a laugh.
"Goodie. Now Paris can leave you and find another rich man to marry. Y'know, like how she left her ex-husband and married you."
The bitter expression in her tone was not left unnoticed.
"Paris is not a gold digger, Valerie."
"Doesn't seem like it."
"Can we not have this conversation about Paris?"
"Why not?  She's your wife,  isn't she?"
The waiter brought their order.
Richard sighed as he poured a glass for Valerie. She took it and sipped.
"I know you're not very happy that I married Paris."
"That's the understatement of the year." Valerie hissed.
"I really need you right now, Rie."

Valerie winced. Only one person had ever called her Rie.
Tears stung her eyes as memories came flooding back.
"You didn't even wait one year after she died." she whispered.
"I know..." Richard sighed,  his voice lowering to a whisper,  too. He held his daughters hand gingerly.
"I'm sorry I didn't see what you wanted at the time."
"I wanted you, Dad." Valerie said, letting her tears fall. "And you wanted that sick bitch Paris."
Richard felt his daughters eyes soften. She had called him 'Dad'.
"I love you more than anything in the world,  Valerie. I do. You remind me so much of her."
"Say her name."
"I love you and Stella. So very much. But I just had to remarry."
"Why couldn't Paris give you tips on how to stay on top of your game,  Huh?"
"We both know I can't tell her I'm going bankrupt."
"Because she's a freaking gold digger. Face it. She doesn't have the head for Calculation that Mom did. She's a pretty airhead that didn't deserve to marry the most amazing man I know." her teeth clenched, "But he married her anyway."

"You're right about everything you just said, Sweetheart.But it would really kill me inside to lose my marriage because I'm bankrupt."
"So you know she'll leave you." Valerie sighed. "God,  Dad you're becoming pathetic!"
"She makes me look Good,  Valerie."
"So we're back to first names now,  are we?"
"This whole conversation is going to be very complex if you keep turning my words around."
Richard begged.
"Look,  I know I'm not the best Dad out there–"
"You used to be." Valerie muttered, resuming sipping her drink.
"God,  this is so hard." Richard whispered to himself.
"I need you to help me get out of bankruptcy."
"How much do you want?" Valerie said lazily.
"Zero dollars." Richard said.
"That's an interesting amount of money."
Valerie nodded.
"I need your brains working at the fore front of my company. Organizing business deals and salvaging the Coleman name from impending doom."
"Did it ever occur to you that I have a job?"
"Valerie,  sweetheart. We both know how much you hate Literature and love the business world."
"You know nothing about me." Valerie sneered.
"I am your father." Richard said,  raising his tone a few notches higher. He sighed, noticing the apparent shock on her face.
"That much I know."
Valerie dropped her flute on the table and let out a breath.
"And if I refuse?"
"The entire company will come crashing down hopelessly. I will become America's laughing stock,  and I will lose my Marriage and my daughter."

Valerie nodded solemnly. Then she looked up at her father and whispered
"You lost your daughter five years ago."

Hello!!
Woah,  lot of drama people.....
I bet most of you were surprised that Paris isn't Valerie's biological mother(I know I was) 
What really happened five years ago??
*shrugs* oh, well.
The real question here is,  will Valerie allow her father's company to tumble down??
*Crosses fingers* pleasedontpleasedontpleasedont.

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