"Though you already know her, meet my friend, Dorris Walters.",I introduced the brand new CEO of Walter's Pacific.

"Happy New Year!",Dorris waved hesitantly.

The look of shock on everyone's face was so hilarious that I couldn't stop grinning.

"So the rumours are true! You did dethrone Blake, huh?",dad frowned.

"Wait! You didn't tell them?",Adrian looked at me accusingly.

"I didn't do much, I just suggested her to not let go of a good opportunity. ",I glared at Adrian.

Ugh!

He had some nerve showing up to my house after last night.

I was just trying to be as decent as possible by not yelling at him in front of my family and create a scene like I so wanted to.

"So you invited Dorris here because...",Nate arched an eyebrow skeptically.

"Now that unlike Blake and Adrian's rivalry, Dorris is actually my friend, I thought it would be a good idea to invite her over for brunch.",I replied.

"Very thoughtful. Please take a seat Dorris. Happy New Year to you!",Kate said and we sat down before our plates.

All of a sudden, Adrian asked,"Do you guys know what happened between Vanessa and Blake, two days ago?"

"I called Kate the very next morning. I told her how Blake and I got into a fight. He tried to hurt me so I filed a case against him.",I quickly replied, my eyes fixed on Adrian.

Kate said,"Thank god you did call. The way some of the media houses are blowing things out of proportion, it is horrific. I mean, some news channels are even saying that he tried to kill you, can you just imagine?"

I hadn't released the footage of that to the press yet and still there were such rumours. It was scary to imagine what they would say if I had released it. Maybe they'd think I was dead or had been reincarnated or something.

"That's stupid. He is not a psychopath, he just doesn't handle drinks too well.",I laughed sarcastically as both Dorris and Adrian narrowed their eyes at me.

Before someone could say something else, I picked up a big piece of cutlet and stuffed it in my mouth, saying," Yumm! The food is so good! We should just eat now!", in a desperate attempt to draw everyone's attention back to their plates.

Thankfully it worked.

I took another huge bite out of my cutlet as once again my mind went back to the events day before yesterday.

Blake was in prison. I knew he couldn't hurt me but I still couldn't help but feel...scared? No, helpless.

The feeling of what could have happened if the police hadn't shown up at that exact moment had been devouring me up inside, so much so that I just couldn't sleep. Everytime I tried, I'd wake up with the same event playing out in my head over and over again. I guess surviving after coming so close to death did have its perks.

What was I thinking when I made this plan in the first place? I should really have taken some professional help.

And then there was that sinking feeling about how no one would really care if Blake pulled the tri...

"Vanessa! So?",Jennifer asked me, waving her hand in front of my face and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"Ya. I agree.",I smiled, pretending to have heard whatever she had said.

"What are you thinking?",Dorris whispered.

"About the bomb I am going to blast today.",I grinned.

Oh no! Dorris wasn't here for just a brunch. She was here to fulfill her end of the deal...

The brunch dragged on for quite some time. I nodded my head occasionally but mostly I was rather quiet.Once everyone was done having food, they moved to the drawing room.

I was glad it was over. I had something really important to do now. I was the last one to leave the table or so I thought.

A hand grabbed mine and I looked back at the person who had broken my heart not a day ago.

"What?",I asked as patiently as I could, trying to forget his apology from yesterday.

"Why didn't you tell them about Blake?",he asked, looking at me intently as if the answers to his questions were written on my face.

"I didn't want them to worry.", I stated plainly.

"Is that all?",He asked and I nodded, smiling.

Adrian got up from his chair, his grip on my hand, still firm and then looked directly into my eyes with his intense blue ones.

"Vanessa, I just...um...what is going on? Your smile isn't fooling anyone, atleast not me. Throughout the brunch, you looked distracted. I know you are mad at me about yesterday but can we not just set that aside for a day and talk.", he said, his grip on my hand slackening.

The last time he had said that, I had told him about my family drama and that day our entire equation changed...we kissed for the first time.

I didn't know how but every minute that I spent with him made my feelings grow for him more and now that he didn't reciprocate it...well, I had to distance myself, there was no other way.

I withdrew my hand and turned away from him," I am fine. I will be fine."

Before I could walk away from him, he caught hold of my arm again, saying,"Is that why you wanted to go back to London?"

My eyes widened, filling up with tears just like last night.

Those four hours at the airport had been one of the hardest for me.

I wanted to run, I wanted to run away so badly. I just wanted to go back to the place I had been the happiest and the safest. It wasn't that I had found something or someone that kept me so happy but it was that I didn't have expectations, which kept me happy.

I sat inside the airport, in front of the my terminal till three in the morning, waiting for the boarding announcement but when it finally happened, I couldn't go.

Everyone had failed me at that moment but if I left just like three years ago, I'd fail me too. Those three years of trying to become stronger, to become better than I was, would have been a waste, I couldn't let that happen.

So, I sat right there as the boarding announcements happened, clutching onto my ticket, with tears streaming down my face and a will of steel.This was my fight against my own self and knowing how stubborn I was, this was really hard. One part of me wanted to leave but the other wanted to stay.

I nearly lost it when they announced for the last call for boardings as I began to weep. I wanted to go, I wanted to be away from this family that couldn't care less, the guy who almost killed me and the one who had just broken my heart.

I was finally relieved when the flight took off at four o'clock. I crumpled the ticket and pocketed it, for I still couldn't bring myself to throw it. Then I hailed a cab to go home.

If I had done this three years ago, things would have been so different now but anyways, better late than never.

I didn't run. I didn't escape my problems and now I had to fight, without regretting my decision to stay...possibly the hardest part yet!

I blinked back my tears and replied,"I didn't leave, did I?"

"But..."

"No buts! I am here and that means I am fine. Everyone must be waiting, so let's go.",I said firmly and went to sit next to Dorris.

Adrian sat on a single seater sofa, his eyes still on me. He was not convinced I was fine.

I don't think I was either.

I shook my head.

Vanessa, focus on what you have to do now!

I cleared my throat,"Uh! Dad and Nate, could you please come with me to the office. There is something I need to talk to you about."

"It's work related?", dad asked.

I nodded.

"Vanessa! Relax. It's the first day of the year. We can talk about it later, can't we?"

"I'd wait if I could.",I stated and dad frowned before getting up, followed by Nate. Adrian stood up as well and asked me,"What are you doing?"

"You wanted to know what Dorris's end of the deal was, right? This is it.",I smirked and then went in, followed by Dorris and Adrian.

"She's here too?",Nate asked irritably, pointing towards Dorris who took her seat opposite him.

"Yup. It concerns her as well.",I smiled, standing at the edge of the table, opposite to where my father was sitting.

When I had their attention, I began,"Dorris has decided to take our friendship forward and change it into a partnership. She has decided to give me twelve percent of the stakes in Walters Pacific."

Adrian who was sitting next to dad, frowned at me but no one spoke anything.

I continued,"And I have decided to invest this money in our company till it recovers from its losses."

Adrian looked on for a second longer but then his frown disappeared and was replaced by a slight smirk. He understood what I had planned but Nate was clearly clueless.

"That is a wonderful idea!",Nate smiled,"Twelve percent of the entire profit of Walters Pacific. That will be more than enough to help the company get back up on its feet."

Great! He steals money and I return it. It doesn't work that way.

I looked at my father who had his mouth set in a grim line. He too knew what I was going to say next.

I drew in a deep breath,"So, I am willing to help the company...if I am made the CEO.",I said, looking directly at Nate.

Nate's expression changed so quickly that had I not seen it before I'd never know that he had been smiling a second ago. As what this meant dawned upon him, he looked horrified, like a man who had seen a ghost or worse, his own ghost.

"But you are a Hudson, this is your company. You don't have to be CEO to help. This company is your family and if you can help, you are liable to.",Nate reasoned.

"I might be a Hudson but I have never taken any favours from the company. I am just an employee and I don't owe the company anything. I'm not liable but I will be...if I am CEO."

Not being able to sleep well for the past two nights gave me enough time to come up with something to reverse the damage that Adrian did by lying to me.

"But isn't that a bribe? I give you money, you give me the company?",Jennifer who was standing at the door, asked.

"Jennifer, you stay out of this.",Nate said sternly.

"Sorry, I was curious so I eavesdropped.", she said, walking in and sitting beside him.

Adrian pitched in," It would be a bribe if I or Dorris tried to do this but Vanessa is already a candidate for the position. She is not buying her way in, she is increasing her stakes by promising to help the company, if they choose her. To make it simple for you, it's like general election."

"In that case you can come up with something like this too, right? Then you'd be on equal footing with her.", She asked Nate, who was staring at his interlocked fingers, a permanent frown marring his face.

I smiled,"He could, if he had time. Especially to match what I am offering, he would need plenty of it. However, dad is retiring on the first working day of this year and...oh! That's tomorrow, isn't it?"

Did she really think I'd tell him about this if he had enough time?

I had thought this through way too thoroughly.

Even if he had the money...the money he stole from the company, he couldn't use it to raise his stakes because he would never be able to show its source without revealing what a fraud he was and considering that his relationship with dad was all he had now, he would never risk it.

Adrian said that the company board needed a reason to disagree with dad's choice and I just gave them one, I was a more profitable candidate for the position, literally and dad wouldn't risk being overruled on his last working day.

He had to choose me over Nate.

At least for once in his life.

"What if dad retires a week later?",Jennifer voiced her opinion.

Before dad could consider it, I pitched in,"He can't. If he did that, it would be partiality and the board won't appreciate it. He wouldn't want the place he worked in for more than half of his life to remember him as the partial father, would he?",I looked at dad who had this 'Who are you? I don't even know you' expression on his face.

I always knew that he thought that Nate would be a better CEO because he was more mature and smarter when it came to business but today I was sure that I had proved myself worthy.

Nate just looked at me silently before leaning back in his chair and sighing,"Well, congratulations then!"

"I wanted you two to know about this beforehand.",I said shifting my gaze from Nate to my father,"Now that you are aware, I need to e-mail my proposal to the board."

I smiled triumphantly.

This was it.

All the trouble that I went through this month was worth it. I finally got what I wanted.

Vanessa Catherine Hudson, the CEO of Hudson Enterprises had a very pleasant ring to it and this is what I was going to be called from now on.

Mom would be so proud of me today.

I looked at my father hopefully, waiting eagerly for him to congratulate me and tell me how proud he was of me.

"Nate, I was thinking something.",Dad looked at Nate, the lines on his forehead vanishing,"Remember that golf trip I had told you about?"

Nate arched an eyebrow,"Yeah, why?"

"As I am retiring tomorrow and you won't have the weight of the company on your shoulders either, why don't we do it? Kate will take care of Olivia and Avery while we do some father-son bonding.",Dad smiled, patting Nate.

Nate looked at me with pity as my smile died down.

"Fine then. Let's go tell your mother about this plan.", Dad said, getting up and then he left the room and his children slowly followed.

I wasn't one.

A sudden pang of pain hit my chest and I had to clench my fists to contain myself.

He didn't even acknowledge my achievement...

Yesterday when I was sitting at the airport and consoling myself that maybe if I achieved something, he'd be proud of me. He'd love me as much as he loved Nate. He'd forgive me for what transpired between me and Jennifer three years ago but no, it didn't matter to him. I didn't matter to him.

Dorris congratulated me and with much effort, I smiled and thanked her without breaking down.

I won, right?

Then why did I still feel like I had lost?

"Dorris, would you please go wait outside for us, we'll be there in a minute .",Adrian requested.

Did he sense the storm raging inside me?

Or maybe I was expecting too much.

Dorris nodded and left while Adrian got up and walked over to me.

"Nessa?",he asked, putting his hand over my balled fist.

"I'm fine!",I smiled, my eyes burning from fighting back tears.

It's like the very word was jinxed, every single time I repeated it, things became worse.

Adrian raised his hand to caress my face but before he could, I turned around and ran out of the room. Then, trying my best to compose myself, I went to see off Dorris, once she had handed me the documents for the share transfer.

Clutching them close to my chest, I went out of the gate to hail a cab but before I could, a black Lamborghini stopped beside me.

Adrian lowered the window and very courteously asked,"Can I drop you somewhere?"

I never thought I'd ever refuse the offer but this time I did.

I shortly said,"No thanks."

"Nessa. Get in the car.", he snapped, swinging up the scissor door.

I opened my mouth to argue but my mind was burdened with way too many things. I had a feeling that if I started to argue with him, I might end up taking out all my anger and frustration at him so I didn't.

I quietly sat down and closed the door, staring at the dashboard.

He looked at me for a while before sighing,"Where to?"

"Hudson Enterprises. I need to arrange a few things for tomorrow.",I tried hard to smile.

This would definitely help change the topic.

"You know you can't bottle up forever right?",he asked, finally driving the car out of the gate.

I was wrong. He knew me too well.

"I am...",I began but he interjected,"Fine? Are you just lying to me or to yourself too?"

"This is why I wanted to take a cab. Why can't you just let me be?",I turned towards him, exasperated.

"Because...I just...I just can't, okay? You want to cry, fine. You want to yell at me, do it but don't give me this silent treatment. Please, Nessa!"

"Vanessa. It's Vanessa.",I said, closing my eyes shut.

I never really gave him the right to call him that, I never gave him the right to do anything actually...it all just happened, one day he entered into my life, we fought, became friends and the other day, I realised I was falling for him...and he was not.

Adrian immediately stopped the car, parking it near the side walk. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and placed it on the dashboard.

What was he doing?

"Go.",he said in a small voice, opening the door.

"It's your car. I'll get a...",I tried to reason but he didn't let me finish.

"Just go.",his voice was so soft and fragile, it was as if his heart could break any minute and his eyes which had turned a darker shade of blue, confirmed it.

He stepped out of the car and before I could say or do anything, he was gone.

I sighed with regret.

The day that was supposed to be the best day of my life, the day I was declared CEO was slowly turning into a nightmare.

I slipped into the driver's seat and drove to the office silently.

Once I reached, I read the papers Dorris had given me and signed them. Next, I e-mailed the scanned document to the board along with my proposal. Finally, I went to get myself a dress.

Since today was first January, several people were hosting parties and considering the day I had, I felt that a little party to take my mind off all that's been going on would be good, possibly even make me tired enough to finally sleep. I needed to look fresh tomorrow, for tomorrow my life was about to change, I was going to be the new face of Hudson Enterprises.

There was just something about open parties, you could enter as long as you had enough money to buy a ticket.

So I went to one such party, once I bought myself a short, silver-sequined dress with my newly credited salary. My last salary.

Tomorrow on, I'd receive director's remuneration and I needed to celebrate that, even if I had to do it alone.

I was happy!

At least I was trying to be...

I had been shifting from feet to feet, hopelessly throwing my hands in the air for quite some while but it just wasn't working. Everything somehow just reminded me of Blake, Dad, Nate and Adrian.

I shook my head deciding that a drink or two might make me relax quicker.

"Only two.", I promised myself as I made my way to the bar.

I still had to go home safely and show up to my own investiture tomorrow so I had to drink safely and in limits.

At the bar, I spotted my old college friend...my best friend...

Jungle Juice!!

It was a wild drink, I had been hungover on this very drink more times than I could count.

I ordered one, grinning as some good memories replaced my rather distressing thoughts and I hopped on top of a bar stool.

Once the drink arrived, I raised the glass in a toast,"To the new CEO of Hudson Enterprises!"

I smiled.

That was me now!

I had finally done it.

As I brought the glass up to my lips and took my first sip, someone beside me spoke,"To Vanessa Catherine Hudson!"