Misery Is Sweet

Chapter 2 The News

Meika's POV

I stand, waiting for someone to respond to my knocking on this door, it gets opened almost instantly by his guards, Clide and Kristoff. Clide smiles then bows but doesn't say anything to me as is tradition after all these years of knowing him.

"Ms.Santana," Kristoff says to me in his lulling baritone voice as he slightly bows while holding the door for me to enter. I smile big at him. He is such a sweet man and has always been so nice to me but I never wanted to mix business with pleasure. You know the saying, don't dip your pen in the company ink. I just wanted to be as professional as possible for my father, but man he is a gorgeous loyal guy that I would consider throwing that out for.

"Hello Kristoff, how many times have I asked you to call me Meika?" I ask him sweetly as he chuckles and says, "Many times Ms.Santana... I just wouldn't ever want to be disrespectful to you or your family." He says smiling at me as I match his enthusiasm with my own smile.

"Get in here Meika, we have been waiting for you." My father's voice carries through the room like a knife to butter, getting my attention instantly. I look over to see that my brother is already here waiting with my father, which never happens... I check my watch to make sure I'm not late and I'm 7 minutes early.

"Yes, daddy." I respond quickly turning from Kristoff to head in as I hear the door shutting before the guards follow right behind me. The closer I get to my father, who is behind his desk, the greater the aching in my stomach gets.

I glance over at my brother who has a malicious smirk covering his face that says to me I might be in trouble... like when we were kids.. he would always get this same look on his face when he told on me and I got in trouble... but this time I don't have my mother to defend me.

"Where have you been?" My father asks in a demanding monotone accompanied by a stoic look on his face. I swallow the lump in my throat before answering as confidently as I can. "I just got off of a 15-hour shift, working with the new clientele who was here for a company business trip. He says he loved it so much here, that he is going to be doing this again next year for their annual trip."

I watch my father nod at me with a questioning look on his face as if he feels bad. I keep staring at him as I notice him standing up from his desk, just to walk around it. He leans against it while crossing his arms across his chest. "I have something very important to discuss with the both of you." I nod at him before he lets out a deep breath, you can tell his mind is reeling. But with his jaw clenching just to unclench I can tell this is serious.

"This has been a hard decision to make but some information has changed my mind completely... so Craig will be the one inheriting the family business to run it as I have." He says wearily to us. This makes Craig clap his hands in victory before wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"What?! You have got to be kidding me! I work my ass off every single day for you! I just worked at least 10 days straight of doubles making sure this event went perfectly while your son is doing every drug he can get his hands on while f*cking every girl around him and you give this to him?!" I spat in disbelief at my father in disgust and before I know it, my father's hand is making straight contact with my cheek, slapping my face. I would have fallen to the floor with the force behind that slap if it wasn't for Kristoff who is behind me, now holding me up.

I'm in disbelief holding my cheek as I look up into my father's anger-ridden eyes. He looks livid. "Don't you ever talk to me like that ever again or the consequences will be worse." I nod at him as I look back at my brother who is still smiling over at me.

"You know you might not be such a b*tch if you ever f*cked around, getting some s****l attention with anyone around here f*cking prude." My brother spats this at me in a mocking tone that is laced through every word making me livid at his comment. So I try to step forward but Kristoff's hands tighten on my arms not letting me take that step. I don't resist his hold, just staying with him here, trying to ignore Craig as I feel my jaw clenching. If looks could kill my brother would be dead at this point. I don't want to care about his opinion, I just mostly care about my father's approval, hence my endless dedication to him.

"Besides Meika... I couldn't have a woman leading my empire.. no one would take all my hard work seriously... you had to have known this... I'm not going to give my business to someone who will run it into the ground because she is a woman who doesn't like my full business... I know you don't like the underground business I run and there is no way in hell I would ever let you shut it down." my father states knowing how I feel about the illegal part of things.

"Tell her the rest dad. She wouldn't want to miss the best part of this." Craig spats at me as he gets even more excited at that thought. I look at my father just wanting to hear the rest now because how could this conversation possibly get any worse?

My father clears his throat. "The lawyer came on by today.. to drop this off for tomorrow with it being your birthday then." I swallow the nervousness caught in my throat before nodding for him to go on. "He had something for you.. from your mother." My eyebrows furrow not understanding.. my mother died months ago I don't know why he would be back here now... I thought everything was taken care of.

My father hands me a letter that was sealed but by the broken seal on the outside, I can tell he already opened it to read it before I even had the chance. I slowly pry open the letter just to read it to myself. "Read it out loud." My father demands as I nod to do just that.

To my loving daughter on your 21st birthday.

You don't know how much you mean to me and everything I did for you was what I thought was for the best. I tried to make sure you always had everything you needed in life.. but everything you know is based on a lie. I never knew how to tell you until it was too late.. so I wrote this in my will for him to give to you on your birthday. It's the only gift I could think of.. which is the truth.

Carlos Santana is not your real father. I found out I was pregnant with you after your real father and I had broke up. His name is Ezekiel Suarez. I never told him about you either.. all I knew as a homeless newly pregnant mother is that I needed to get the best for you anyway I could.. that's when I found Carlos.. we hit it off and after months of being together I decided to tell him that you were his. I'm so sorry for everything this may cause but I couldn't leave this world without letting you know the truth... you can do what you want with this information... just know I'm sorry for keeping this from you and Carlos. I love you more than anything and I wish you all the best in your life. I love you more than you know my little Meeko.

My heart drops at that thought.. the only family I thought I had was never really mine.. so what does that mean for me now?

I look up at my father and he looks disgusted, staring at me as if I did this to him. But I never knew just like he didn't.

"Daddy... I didn't know." I say to him as he quickly hits me in the face again. Kristoff is still holding my arms tight, being my only support in his terrifying moment. "Don't you EVER call me that again... I am not your father.. your w***e mother lied to us all." He spats at me as I jump at her defense. "My mother is not a w***e!" I yell as Krisoff wraps his arms around my torso holding me to his body not letting me get closer to this man that I always thought of as my father.

"Christopher you can let her go... if she makes any mistakes with me she will have to pay for it herself." My father demands of him as I feel his arms reluctantly letting me go but I don't move away from him. "His name is Krisoff.. not Christopher." I spat back feeling my anger building up about ready to explode inside of me.

"So what do you plan to do with me?" I spat at the man I always looked up to, just to be let down... I bet he is going to kick me out of this place.

I watch Craig holding his hand up like a kid at school. "Oooh, I have an idea... How about we make her one of our working girls?" He spats at me about being a w***e for this company. I shake my head in disbelief. "I would rather die than be one of those girls! I have put my blood, sweat, and tears into your company.. and if you think for one second that you can make me one of your whores! You will be sorely mistaken!" I spat back at the both of them.

"I was thinking of just kicking you out on your own, with nothing except for the clothing on your back.. but I'm a merciful man and I did love you and your mother no matter how badly she betrayed me... So how about you can keep working for me as a maid and keep your items but live with the help... this is your only offer... it's this or leaving this place with nothing." My father states to me staring at me as if he could care less what I decided to pick.. but I have nothing.. and no one without this place.. where would I go? I have no money without this place.. without him.. no car to leave even if I wanted to and there is no way I'm walking out into that desert for hours, if not days, trying to find the next town, to do what? I have no money to take with me.

I groan out as I feel the tears building up in my eyes. "I.. will be a maid," I respond softly to him as he stands up and turns around to his desk where he has a contract set up. "Ok since that's settled you will have to abide by the same rules as everyone else down there... No eating on the clock, you can't take anything from the rooms even if it was left there, no relationships with any of the other employees living here because I will not be taking care of babies from you if you get pregnant like your w***e mother." He spats at me as I jump to hit him for that comment but Kristoff stops me again by wrapping his arms around me. "Please don't do this Meika.. he will make you pay if you do... please don't.. your mother wouldn't have wanted this." Kristoff coos in my ear softly for only us to hear as I feel my body letting go of this anger before it gets me in trouble. I nod at him as I feel him slowly letting me go, but I keep leaning against him. Needing some type of support to help me right now, because I couldn't feel more alone.

"Alright, here is the contract to stay on this property, so sign it here.. unless you don't want to, then leave.." I take the pen, then lean in to sign, as he says over me. "Just know, if I find out you're doing anything to break these rules you will be rightfully punished... you hear me?" He asks as I nod at him, stepping back to stare at him just as coldly as he is with me.

"Ok now get your sh*t out of that room I gave you and Chris can show you where the maids stay... Now Christopher keep an eye on her.. she is not allowed to go anywhere but her room to collect her things and then her new room.. do you understand?" He asks him as I watch his head nod. I roll my eyes as I flip Craig off just to turn around and storm out of this room. I don't want to be in here any more than they want me to.