A Bargain with the Billionaire English

I shrugged off my coat and hung it on the rack, the air around me was tense but I ignored it, blowing into my palms for warmth. I could hear the familiar sounds of the kitchen which instantly lifted my mood. I was starving and the chef was certainly whipping up something delicious.

I stood beside my dad as he scrolled through The New York Times on his Tablet. I really have never understood the joy these adults get from reading the news, if anything, I'd rather watch than read.

“Dad, I wanted to speak to you about our new clients from the Russian Fintech company, I was thinking perhaps I could-” I was cut of my the clipped nail cutting tone of my step mother.

“Your father hasn't told you?” Both I and my dad turned our heads in attention to her, he appeared as confused as I was.

“Told me what? I don't think he has mentioned anything about the Russians, is there a problem dad?” I asked, turning my attention back to him.

He opened his mouth but she was quick to cut him off as well.

“Not at all my darling, it's just that your sister Audrey would now be in charge of that project. You can go do whatever it is you usually do, she will handle it.”

“Audrey? Audrey doesn't know shit about the company and she would only make us lose a whole lot of money,” is what I was going to say but somehow, I never seem to find the voice to say things like that in the presence of my step mother.

My heart sank as her words registered themselves. I had worked so hard to finally earn my place in the family business, and now they were just taking this away from me?

"But... but why? I've been working so hard, these are my clients.” I started, turning to my dad.

“How come? I was the one doing the follow up on these clients from the onset, it's my project. I have invested money into this.” I managed to force out, taking a gulp.

“Money from the company, might I add.” Audrey chirped in, joining us in the sitting room.

“MY Money” I corrected, starting to get slightly ticked off.

I had spent the last three months doing nothing but studying the market and the build up that surrounds this company. This was my gig, my client, my investment.

I already had a one on one meeting with the CEO two months ago, what were they talking about.

"Please, just tell me what I did wrong. I'll do anything to fix it. I just want to make you happy and I'm thinking of the growth of the company. " Audrey looked at me with a blank expression on her face.

"Sophia, it's not about what you did wrong. Just….” he sighed.

“I have spoken with the CEO of the company already, and I made him understand that he would be doing business with someone else. He seemed a bit reluctant at first, said he liked your business etiquette but I was able to convince him that the person taking over was basically the same person as you, given that she's your sister,” his gruff voice sounded although he barely raised his head from the screen of that tablet.

I couldn't help but snort, I and Audrey, basically the same person? I loved my sister but we were nothing alike.

“Okay dad.” It was certainly not okay.