Petty Rage by Thandiwe Mpofu
Chapter 15
KIM
Past
Blue Fairy: Another year on this planet. How does it feel?
ME: What?
Blue Fairy: Your birthday.
ME: How did you know?
Blue Fairy: I used to pay attention to you…
ME: Noah… I’m all alone.
Blue Fairy: Hold on, Butterfly. I’ll be right there.
Present
I’m nervous and practically twitching with anxiety but only on the inside—as I sit next to the mother of the man who brings out the best and the worst in me. On the outside, I’m stone cold, hardly breathing as the Bentley speeds down the road.
“You’ve been silent for ten whole minutes,” Christina finally says.
“I’m just trying to wrap my mind around all of this.” I mutter, looking out the window.
“I understand it’s so sudden and out of the blue, but you see, dear,” she says in that soft tone of voice. “I’ve been searching for someone who’s honest to a fault, headstrong, resilient and cannot be bought for a very long time.”
“To be your what? Secretary? Your personal assistant?” I turn to look at her now. “What is it that you’re looking for?”
“Over the course of my life, I’ve had so many people work for me in various capacities, dear, but I can’t say with absolute certainty that I trusted any of them.”
“And why is that?”
I’m genuinely curious about this woman. What kind of mother did Noah have? From the stories I’ve heard from Astraea and Ivy, Christina Montreal was a kind, loving soul, but as I look at her now, I can’t help but think there’s more to her than just beauty.
She lost one son to suicide, and I wonder if she knows about Noah’s recklessness and his excessive drinking habits that might kill him one day—if I don’t get him first for being a dick.
“Because I never had the chance to pick them,” she says. “They were always shoved down my throat by people who pulled the strings of my life.”
It’s the sadness in her eyes as she says those words that floors me.
I wasn’t expecting her to look so vulnerable and I certainly wasn’t expecting to feel an overwhelming sense of kinship with this woman.
“You were controlled by someone else?” I can’t help but keep the bite of remembered pain. After all, I know the feeling well.
“From the day I was born,” she says. “One would think I bred for just that. To be a weapon or something to use to get something else in return.”
I stare at her, at a loss for words.
“You see, I went to the best schools money could afford. Private schools, summer vacations with my rich family friends. I wore the best designer clothes, hell, I had everything you can think of, but, my family was poor.” She looks away now, staring out the window. “My father was a gambler, and my mother—well, she was a debutante who came from money that is now controlled by my father. It didn’t take long for the well to run dry and for them to look at me as a source of income.”
“What do you mean?” I whisper.
“They wanted to sell me off to the highest bidder like cattle at a fucking fair,” she says sadly. “But I couldn’t stand that so, I ran away and ended up in—”
“Hollywood.”
She looks at me then, a surprised smile on her face. “You heard about that?”
“I saw a movie once, with you in it.”
“And what did you think?”
“I thought…” I trail off, choosing my words well. “I thought you reminded me so much of your son, I couldn’t help but smile.”
And there I go putting my business on the street.
“Interesting,” she muses and then her door is opened, and she steps out. I wasn’t even aware that we had arrived to… wherever this place is.
When I open my side of the door, I step out of the car only to look up at a huge, impressive glass spire that signals nothing but power. When did we even get to the city?
“You have offices?” I mutter, craning to look up at where the building ends, but it just keeps going, cutting through the clouds. Intimidating as hell.
“Of course,” Christina says, watching me take it all in. “Did you think we’re barbarians? I run an empire.”
I shake my head, hardly believing what I’m seeing.
“I can see that.”
“Good, now come on.”
I follow her into the sleek, impressive building and practically have a front row seat as I watch people tripping all over themselves as they try to get out of her way. Some greet her with huge, genuine smiles while others try to look busy and hard at work.
“Wow,” I whisper when we finally get to the elevators. “They both admire and fear you.”
“That’s how I like it,” she says with a small smile on her face. “But you don’t seem to fear me.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m doing my best to act like you don’t terrify me.”
“Oh good! At least one of you kids still fears me. Noah, George, Emmett and Alex they all dropped the habit when they were eight. Astraea and Ivy are sweethearts, but they don’t fear me.”
I glance at her. “Is that what you want?” I ask seriously, feeling like everything hinges on this one moment. “Do you want me to fear you?”
Christina looks at me, but she doesn’t say a word. I feel the elevator come to a stop. The doors slide open on the seventieth floor, and she elegantly steps out, removing her shades and gloves as she goes.
I follow after her, a bit confused by her non-answer. As soon as we step into the hall, we enter into yet another beautiful space, all gleaming, sterile and designed with expensive features and sleekness in mind.
I see the receptionists—all three of them, Jesus—stand up and wait for her to pass. They greet her and she mumbles her response back with a small, graceful wave.
“Yes, yes, I’m here,” Christina says, and they chuckle. “Now, this is Kimberly. In a few short minutes if things go well, whenever you see her, you’ll be seeing me.”
All eyes turn to me, and suddenly I’m fully conscious of what I’m wearing and the crazy ombre of colors in my hair.
I guess jeans, a silly top and lavender-grey hair just doesn’t cut it for a place like this.
I can just about guess what they’re thinking as they look at me from head to toe.
Judgement.
It’s always followed me, but there’s something about being judged by these people—who just literally heard Christina declare me as super important—that makes this even worse.
“Do you think you’re prettier than me?”
I shudder internally, trying to shake off my mother’s voice in my head.
“Uh, don’t you think we should talk about this bizarre right-hand woman thing some more before we tell people about it?” I whisper but she just shoots me a mischievous wink.
“Anyway, I’m expecting someone in a few minutes, but for now, I don’t want to be disturbed.” And with that, she strides past the open double glass doors and disappears into the office.
I stare after her, feeling like maybe I took the wrong step by diving into this ocean.
“Come on, Kimmy!” I hear her call from within the office.
“Err, that’s me.”
It’s lame. But I quickly make my escape, following after Christina. When I enter the office, I almost come to a screeching halt as I take it in.
Damn, is there an inch of this place that isn’t so damn beautiful and elegant? Everything seems like it’s straight out of a movie scene.
I take in the office, all dark colors and tones. Black leather couches around the sitting area, a big glass desk in front of floor to ceiling windows that overlook the city with an impressive chair right behind it.
But it just doesn’t feel right.
“I thought your office would be a little bit more…”
“Homier than this? You’re absolutely right,” she says, putting her bag down on the table around the sitting area, instead of at the desk where I assumed she’d sit. “This isn’t my office.”
“Then who?”
“It belongs to the CEO and majority shareholder of Montreal Inc.”
I think I already know the answer, but I ask anyway, stepping further into the office. “And who might that be?”
“Right now, it’s me,” she says, surprising me. “But in a few weeks, it will be Noah, it has to be Noah.”
I frown as I see the worry displayed on her face.
“It has to be him?” I echo, walking over to the sitting area where she sits on one of the couches, watching me. “Isn’t it usually set in stone?”
“Dear, I think you’re clever enough to know that nothing is ever as it seems,” she says. “Now quickly before we run out of time, I told you that I was looking for someone with character like you, but I didn’t tell you what you’ll be doing.”
I listen attentively as she starts describing some of the responsibilities on her plate, and the weights she’s been carrying for ten years just to keep this company running.
“Basically, on the Montreal side of the pie, we deal with over a hundred different entertainment and sports divisions as well as in the fashion industry.”
“Your side of the pie?”
“I assume you already know about the four families of Westbrook Blues?” Christina says, an eyebrow raised. “The Kings, the Eastons, the Fields—”
“Don’t you mean the Beaumonts?”
“Ah yes, I’d forgotten that little plot twist,” she says with a shake of her head as if she’s still in disbelief. “There’s the new and improved Beaumont family and then there’s us, the Montreals.”
“Yes, of course I know all this, but I thought the whole ‘four families’ was just about Westbrook Blues?”
“Just Westbrook Blues?” she repeats. “Do you think all that chaos, all that struggle for power and supremacy between Philip King and that bastard who killed my friend, Richard Fields, was for a small town?”
“Honestly, yes. Though it seemed so…”
“Petty? Yeah, it would seem that way, but the struggle was for much more than that,” she says. “It’s always been more. Westbrook Blues, my dear, is just the beautiful town where the families chose to settle down and dig their roots in.”
“And so, what is all this then?” I ask, looking around, seeing the Montreal Inc logo embellished in steel on the glass table in front of me.
“This is the legacy,” she says with a note of awe and reverence in her voice. “This is dominance, a way of life that’s passed on from one generation to the next.”
“Noah’s generation.”
“Yes,” she says while looking at me. “You see, each family has a set of responsibilities, if you will, to head or be a steward over. The Kings have always been at the forefront. They’re area is the growth of wealth, you know, the money. Acquisition of land, territories and everything that encompasses, that’s their domain.”
I could see that as clear as day. It’s so Alex. I roll my eyes, thinking of the next time I’ll tease him.
“The Eastons deal with power, politics, influence—which I pray Emmett will take over one day, because I don’t trust that girl, George’s baby mamma.”
“You know about her?” I ask, shocked. I thought all the revelations from the cabin at Christmas were never to be mentioned anywhere until we all got to the bottom of the issue?
“There’s nothing I don’t know. Besides, how could no one know that Syrus had another child? Seriously?” She shakes her head as she visibly shudders. “Anyway, then there’s, of course, the Beaumonts. Knowing what I know now about Eli and the immense, immeasurable power he has, let’s just say the Phoenix Corp and everything else that’s in the underbelly of this country is their territory.”
“And the Montreals?”
“Well, we are the family that brings balance to the entire thing. But more than that, we provide the cover and the protection that’s needed for us to keep running in plain sight with no one the wiser.”
You see, all three families have to stay hidden just a bit so as not to raise suspicion. The dealings are…”
“Shady?”
“If it makes you feel better about the struggle you’ve had to face in your life, sure,” she shrugs. “We’re like the restaurant drug cartels use to front their money. We have fashion houses, famous brands, sports teams, arenas, hotels, resorts and islands. We have so many companies under our umbrella.”
“And Noah is supposed to be the CEO of all this?”
“For the public, yes, but behind the scenes, each family has an equal stake, everything has to be equal. The hand-off from one generation to the next happens at the same time.”
“Wait, how on earth does that work?”
“Haven’t you wondered why the boys are all about the same age?” she asks, tapping her chin delicately. “I mean, it didn’t occur to me before when I was young and naïve, but I realized when Noah was born that David—”
“That man that hurt Noah!” I grit out and she looks at me, shocked. But just as quickly, her face mellows and becomes so… vulnerable that I feel like I’m intruding by looking at her.
“He told you?” she whispers.
I look down at my lap, tugging at the one skull ring on my pinky finger that Noah gave me for my birthday…
“I know a bit.”
“Well, I guess if he ever told anyone about the past, it would be you.”
“Is that why I’m here? Because of Noah?”
She doesn’t look at me as she answers.
“You’re here because I need help.”
“Help? What makes me qualified? I have no idea how to run a business.”
“You won’t be running it, you’ll be me. Which means you have a stake in the company.”
“But you said each family…”
“That’s reserved for the private, highly secret Blues meetings that are really none of your concern. However, the public perception of the company is equally as important because if this company is not run well, the results will be devastating to everyone involved.”
“And I assume each family needs Montreal Inc. to run smoothly because they also benefit.”
“There you go! Catching on quickly.” She grows serious, watching me with a calculating eye. “You see, I’ll teach you everything you need to know, but that won’t be so hard seeing as you’re secretly trying to get a higher education by taking up free business classes offered by the local college?”
“How do you even know that?” She cocks her perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. “Never mind.”
“Now that I’ve told you this highly sensitive information that you’ll never, in your entire life, repeat to anyone in this world, not even to Astraea—though she knows too—I’ll require you to sign this NDA.”
She puts down a thick document on the table in front of me, as well as a fountain pen.
“Wasn’t I supposed to sign this before you told me everything?” I ask.
“Yes, but I doubt you would’ve listened if I came at you with an NDA first.”
Well, then. Very perceptive.
I don’t see how I could ever repeat this information, when it could be used against the people I care about, so without any hesitation, I pick up the pen and sign the NDA where my name has already been drafted. She really was ready for this.
“Good. Now, if you take the job, this will be your starting salary.” She passes another thick document with my name on it.
Highlighted in the middle of the page in a yellow color that should be red—for fucking red flags, blood, hell, even danger—is a figure that I’ve never seen in my life.
“What?” I screech, getting up from the couch. The number of zeros on this… it can’t be legal to pay someone this much. Someone like me!
“You’re me. And if you read further down, you’ll see the advances and bonuses you might receive if you work hard enough.”
“B-bonus?” I stutter.
“Also as discussed before, your sisters’ education will be taken care of from now to wherever they want to take it. If you flip to page five, section H, you’ll see that your medical insurance will be covered by the company. And as you know, we offer the best of the best.”
When I look up at her, I can see that she knows everything about me. Everything about my sisters and their health complications.
“I can shove money at you, but that’s not what you care about, is it?” she says softly. “You care about your sisters. You’ve repeatedly told everyone in your life, including my son, that you’d do anything for them. Well, now I’m offering you a chance to offer them more. More stability and security.”
I think my mind is stuck on the insurance part, but she really gets me hook, line and sinker when she brings up my sisters like that.
“What are you thinking, Kimberly?”
“That this is too good to be true.”
She cracks a smile. “You really are smart.” She steps closer to me, holding my gaze. “Kimberly, over here, money is not an issue. What is more important and invaluable though is loyalty. It’s trust, fidelity and secrecy. And I know I didn’t just open up to someone who will ever betray me or mine. Am I right?”
I hold her steely gaze, seeing the truth in her eyes.
“And your son?”
“Noah won’t be an issue for a while, but you know what, I’ll give you three days. On Sunday, I’ll send a car to your place and then you can give me an answer.”
Almost on cue, there’s a knock on the door. Christina walks over to the glass desk and presses some kind of button. The doors open.
“Christina, he’s here.”
“Good. Kim and I are done. Is her car here?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Christina looks at me expectantly. “You can go with that. Read it thoroughly. If you have any questions or requests that you’d like added or removed from the contract, we’ll discuss them on Sunday.”
I clutch the thick document in my hand and also grab the black envelope that she had laid on the table that I assume held the contract.
“You know, this sounds a lot like Fifty Shades of Grey. The whole contract and let’s discuss stuff.”
“You also read smut? God, can I like you any more than I do now?” But her smile melts just as quickly. “You know what, no! I don’t want to know what you read because that will force me to think of the kind of smut you and my son have do—”
“Uh, have a good day, Christina! See you on Sunday!” And I literally run out of there like my ass is on fire.
* * *
True to her word, Laura was so happy and excited when I picked her up after school that first day that I knew attending Westbrook Blues Prep School was what she needed.
I’d never seen her so animated and so… happy.
She told me all about the school, the new friends she made and that she debated about fish and whales with a silly boy that she thought might cause her some trouble down the line, but she shook it off and didn’t let him ruin her day—that’s my girl.
She fell head over heels in love with the huge, vast library that literally has every book in the world, Kimmy!
I wasn’t shocked when Casey immediately said she also wanted to attend the school because she was, and I quote ‘tired of being around basic kids who didn’t know how to add.’
I just blinked at her before bursting into laughter on the car ride home. It was a bit premature for me to tell Casey that she also got a place at the prep school but at that point, I could see tears welling in her eyes as she clutched her sister’s hand with a tight grip.
They missed each other and I just couldn’t take keeping them separated. So, the next day, the girls went to Westbrook Blues Prep School together with the most beautiful smiles I’d ever seen on their faces.
Both of them were given all the school materials and somehow, the school uniforms for both girls were delivered to the apartment with a note that only said: See you on Sunday.
I guess Christina had her answer after all.
So, when Sunday rolled around after what was one of the best weeks my sisters and I had ever had, I was in a pretty amazing mood and so were they.
I dropped the girls off at Ivy’s, promising to be back within the hour.
I wasn’t expecting anything at all to go wrong, but just like a fucking horror movie, the evening started out on a happy note.
Christina doesn’t even ask about my decision. She just raises an eyebrow at me and I just pass her the envelope with the signed contract.
I still wasn’t sure what was expected of me or what my duties were. All I knew was I could trust Christina.
When I talked to Astraea yesterday, she assured me that Noah had no intention of coming back to Westbrook Blues and that he was struggling with something pretty bad at the moment.
My chest hurt for him, but standing there in his house, with his mother, I promised myself a few steps that I was going to take so long as I was employed by Christina.
Step one was pretty fucking simple: Don’t give a damn.
That’s it!
I wasn’t going to concern myself with Noah’s life. What we had was over and the fucking on the 13th ritual of drinking and fucking through the night, that too, is done!
Of course, there is a chance that I’m going to see him at some point, but my plan is to work for as long as I can for Christina, save all the money—since I’m literally not paying for a damn thing anymore, including rent as it’s now covered by the company where I’m now an official employee under the reigning queen herself, Christina Montreal.
And if I’m still in danger from Larry’s people, I’ll have the money to take my sisters and disappear.
It was a pretty good plan. I mean, the rest of the steps were pretty easy to follow, or so I thought until…
“You have got to be fucking shitting me!” he bellows from behind me. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
For the first time in a while, the lightness I felt since leaving Christina’s office three days ago evaporates like a drop of water in the desert.