Blinking slowly, I took a deep, slow breath and made my way across the floor to the empty seat awaiting me.
“Didn’t know this was going to be a party,” I commented stiffly.
“Both me and Phil decided we should all meet up to discuss things.”
Phil cleared his throat. For the first time since I stepped in my dad’s office, he spoke.
“Patience has never been my strong suit.” He adjusted his suit jacket and faced me. His dark eyes that matched hisdaughter’s were stern and hard, burning into me. “Your father told me you’ve made your decision.”
I had done an extensive look into Phillip Fox. He came from money and a long line of businessmen. Fox Enterprises had been making their legacy since the fifties and were known for business restructuring. From what it seemed, Phil was angry that his brother was chosen to take over the business. Instead of working under him, he started his own company in his thirties. It didn’t take long for him to gain a reputation as driven and cold hearted, nor did it take long for him to profit off the companies he would shamelessly take over for his personal gain. His wife also came from money, her family was in the airline industry.
Shifting my eyes to my dad, it was clear by the look on his face he was hoping I would help him and agree to Phil’s terms.
“What’s to gain on your side if I marry your daughter?” I wondered out loud. My eyes darted between the father and daughter next.
A cocky smirk appeared on Phil’s face. He sat back in his chair, straightened his spine, and clasped his hands together on his lap.
“What father wouldn’t be happy to see his daughter married off?”
I blinked at him blankly. He didn’t answer the question and his calculating eyes gave nothing more away. Phil caused my blood to boil. It was clear he was used to having the upper hand and getting people to bend to his will. It pissed me off that my dad was allowing him to come in here like he owned the place. While researching the Foxes, I made sure to look into my dad’s company too. It was true he had made bad investments and got into trouble using his business as collateral. What confused me was why he would put his company at risk. Dad had never been that reckless before. I planned on talking to him about it today but seeing as though we weren’t alone, I decided to hold off.
“And you’re okay with your dad just marrying you off to a stranger?” My head cocked slightly to the side as I studied Xylina. The smile on her face grew. The whole time we’d been sitting here she’d been watching me with interest. She giggled and pushed a few strands of hair over her shoulder.
“Who do you think gave Daddy the idea?”
Not bothering to hide my shock, my brows shot up and my mouth gaped.
“Why the hell would you want that? We don’t even know each other.”
“Yosiah,” Dad grunted.
Ignoring him, I kept my attention locked on Xylina.
Again she giggled, this time stroking the dog softly. “Because I like you, silly. When I first learned Daddy was doing business with your dad, I told him I wanted to meet you. Because Daddy doesn’t like me upset, he made it happen. Guys my age are too immature and don’t hold my interest. I need a mature man who can satisfy my needs and look good next to me too.” She glanced down at her dog. “Plus I showed Princess a picture of you and she gave a bark of approval. Princess is a great judge of character, so that’s all I needed.”
Disbelief passed through me. I knew from what I read this girl was something, but hearing how shallow she truly was left a bad taste in my mouth.
“All that is irrelevant.” Phil waved his hand, dismissing his daughter and peering at me. “Your dad is going to lose his company if you don’t agree. Next week I plan on finalizing my ownership then liquidating the shares. You agree to marry my daughter and I’ll sell your father the shares I own, at a respectable price of course, and he’ll keep his company. No one will ever know how bad of a businessman he is.”
My jaw clenched. I whipped my head toward my dad. “You’re just gonna let him talk about you like this? You have nothing to say?”
Dad gave me a hard glare. “What do you expect me to do? The fate of the company and our family’s life is in his hands. If I had any other option, don’t you think I would have taken it?” His voice came out harsh and lacked any patience.
I had never seen my dad bend to anyone. It must be hard for him to sit here and accept Phil looking down on him and throwing out outrageous demands.
Swallowing thickly, I rubbed my right thumb over my pointer finger knuckle. My dad had done everything to make sure I had a good life. I was able to go to college and come out debt free thanks to scholarships and the money he and my mom had saved up. I wasn’t a spoiled kid per se, but he hardly ever told me no when I asked for something. For my sixteenth birthday, he gave me a high budget to build myself a computer.
“So I marry your daughter and that’s it? My dad gets his company back and you leave him alone?”
“That’s it. My daughter and you remain married for a minimum of five years. Of course a prenup will be put into play, but by that time her trust funds will kick in and she’ll be stable with or without you.”
“Daddy, wait!” Xylina protested. Her dog jumped when her voice heightened. “We never talked about divorce!”
“Hush, Xylina,” Phil spat at his daughter. Her mouth turned into a frown and she threw herself back, crossing her arms in a pout.
“Like I was saying, five years. She’ll be going on twenty-five, her trust funds will kick in, and that money will have her set. Of course, an NDA will be signed by all parties. No need to let the public know about this business deal. From the outsidelooking in, you two will appear to be lovebirds starting a new life together.”
“I’m still not understanding why you’re pushing for her to get married.”