Submission

Something wrong

After congratulating Alison on ‘getting it in’ Maddie returned to her room.

She looked at her phone, it was 6.30am and she had no messages.

Good she thought, she embarrassed herself last night and had no interest in hearing from him ever again.

She climbed into bed, subconsciously stretching her arm to the spot where he had laid last night before falling back to sleep.

—————-

When Maddie woke again it was 10am, crap she had missed breakfast!

She went to the kitchenette in the common room and found a bag of flaming hot Doritos, placed a blanket on the couch, just to be safe, and sad down to munch on the chips.

After a few minutes Erica walked in the door “doing the walk of shame I see” Maddie questioned, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

“I don’t do the walk of shame, I strut” Erica retorted throwing her heels over her shoulder and swaying her hips as she walked passed Maddie and into her room.

As Erica shut the door, Maddie bursted out laughing.

“You go girl!” Maddie yelled after her, snapping her fingers.

About a half an hour later Alison and Jason entered the penthouse.

“Ditching your friends for an man?” Maddie stated, popping a Dorito in her mouth.

“Sorry, Jason asked me to have breakfast with him” Alison said shooting Maddie an apologetic look.

“It’s fine, I got my breakfast right here” Maddie said padding the bag of chips and making Alison scrunch her nose.

“That I not breakfast” Alison responded, but Maddie just shrugged and popped another chips in her mouth.

“Soo, Jason is driving me back if that is okay?” Alison asked hesitantly.

Maddie shrugged “ it’s fine, you kids have fun” she said shooting a toothy smile that made Alison sigh in relief.

“I’m gonna go pack, just give me a minute” Alison said, turning to give Jason a kiss on the cheek before disappearing into her room.

Maddie popped another hand full of chips in her mouth realizing Jason, was studying her intently.

“What?” Maddie asked bluntly, still with the Dorito in her mouth.

“ I was just wondering how you were feeling” Jason said quietly, still eyeing her as he spoke.

“ I’m fine!” Maddie said rolling her eyes before shooting him a big smile.

“You don’t look fine” he stated, taking a step towards her.

“Well aren’t you quite the failed detective” Maddie retorted, getting up from the couch and walking back to the kitchenette, she didn’t want the chips anymore, something had ruined her appetite.

“ listen, I don’t know what happens last night but..” Jason started to speak but Maddie cut him off.

“Listen, I’m done with all of this, I’m washing my hand of him, and you guys can do what ever the Hell you want but leave me out of it” Maddie interjected starting to walk to her room.

Jason grabbed her arm as she walked past him and said “you can’t run, this..” he was cut off again.

Maddie pulled out of his grip and retorted “ I’m not the one running anymore, because I’m done being chased, so you tell your friend, that what ever game he has been playing, it’s over! It’s done!” she said the last part as she slammed the door to her room shut.

As Maddie started to pack her cloths, she wondered if he really did break her, this wasn’t her, snapping at her friends, yelling at strangers..but she pushed away the thought immediately.

This wasn’t her being broken right? this was her being strong.. right?

———————-

As Maddie finally laid in her own bed Sunday afternoon, she sighed a breath of relief, the horrible holiday from hell was officially over and she hadn’t heard from him all day.

That was a total win/win situation right there Maddie thought, looking at her phone just to make sure there were no new messages.

If she was lucky, he had gotten what he wanted now, and would move on to someone new.

Just as she was getting up to start some homework, she heard Richard’s voice coming up the stairs, and she froze.

He was talking to someone.. was it Jason? Or Oliver?

They passed her bedroom door, and knock on what she assumed was the door to her fathers office.

She pressed her ear up against the door, trying to listen in on the muffled conversation but the only word she heard was ‘over’ and ‘leaving’.

Was he leaving town, was it over??

Maddie’s heart rate sped up as the voices disappeared into the other room.

Maddie slid down the door and sat on the floor, it couldn’t be, she must have heard him wrong.

She wouldn’t be able to get rid of him that easily would she?

Would he bail after s*x a few tears?

Maddie sat for a few minutes, unsure of how to feel.. no she needed more information to know what the heck was going on.

She creeped out of her room silently and tiptoed to the door of her fathers office.

She pushed her ear to the door, but couldn’t hear anything!

Was her dad’s office soundproof or were they just not talking?

She pushed her ear closer but there was nothing but silence.

She stood there for a good 15 minutes before heading back to her room in defeat.

An hour later, the office door opened and Maddie heard muffled sounds in the hallway yet again.

She had locked her door just in case he would pay her a visit on his way out, so she quickly jumped to the door hoping to get more information.

This time she heard Richard say “ it’s all taken care of now” before he went quiet, right outside her door.

Maddie held her breath while starring at the door handle, would he try to get in?

She heard a sigh and then Jason’s voice said “ leave her to figure it out on her own” before the footsteps walked away and down the steps towards the front door.

Leave her to figure out what? That he was leaving?

Maddie was more confused then ever.

Once she was sure that they were out of the house, she unlocked her door and walked to her fathers office.

“Daddy” she asked opening the door and seeing her dad standing with his back to her as he gazed at the evening sun.

“Yes sweetie” her dad answered, not turning around to face her.

“Who were the visitors that just left” she asked dying to know what the heck was going on.

“No one” her dad answered, still with his back to her.

“Are you okay” Maddie asked hesitantly

“Of course” he stated, turning around with a solemn look in his eyes.

He was making her worried now, this wasn’t like him at all.

“Did something happen?” Maddie asked as she hesitantly sat down in one of his leather chairs.

“I’ve just been thinking about the future sweetie, I’m not going to be here forever, you know” he said, giving her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Are you sick?” Maddie asked, concern evident in her voice.

“I got cancer sweetie” he said, sitting down at his desk.

“What!! ” Maddie asked, confusion and disbelief evident in her Voice.

“It spread from the kidney’s, I’m living on borrowed time” he sighed, taking off his reading glasses.

“I need a successor, someone who can take the rains so everything I’ve built don’t crumble and leave you destitute” he said looking her square in the eyes.

Maddie’s brain was going a mile a minute, he was sick?? He was dying??

Leaving her destitute?

Nothing made sense anymore.

Maddie started to sob, it couldn’t be true, she couldn’t handle loosing her dad too.

“Hush sweetie, it’s nothing to cry about, I’ve had quilte the exciting life” he said giving Maddie a reassuring smile.

Maddie ran to him and hugged him tightly.

“Daddy you can’t, I wouldn’t know what to do without you” she said sniffling into his shirt.

“That’s why I need a successor” he stated “someone to make sure my legacy and you are taken care of”

Maddie lifted her head, she didn’t want to jump the g*n but she had a bad feeling in her stomach.

Would Richard be in charge of their finances???

“Dad, I know Richard was the one you were in a meeting with, are you handing your company over to him” Maddie asked, she needed him to tell her, and she needed him to tell her now!

“He came here demanding it, yes” he said, rubbing his jaw.

“What!!” Maddie took a step back “don’t let him, please tell me you said no!!” Maddie yelled.

She never yelled at her dad, but this was too much! All of it!!

“It is either him or Ben” her dad said firmly, he didn’t appreciate the tone in his daughters voice.

“Why, and why Ben? Is it because he is marrying that w***e??, will I have to ask them for an allowance??” Maddie said shaking her head.

“Ben would be keeping it in the family, he has connections but he lacks know-how, he isn’t street smart baby cakes.

Richard would be the most logical choice, he has crossed the line and learned how to balance right on the edge.” Her dad stated sighing in defeat.

“But why would you give your life’s work to a stranger” Maddie asked, not that she wanted Ben to have her dads legacy but why was Richard even an option!

“He will make it thrive just like I did, plus if I give it to Ben, Richard will take it by force, he is dead set on taking what is mine” he stated looking back out at the window.

“so he is the best candidate, and he isn’t taking no for an answer” Maddie stated in defeat “but he is still a stranger dad” she added, he had to know this was absolutely nuts!

“Not if he becomes family baby cakes” her dad added in a serious tone.

“You want to adopt him?”maddie questioned.

“No sweetie” he said starring at her intently “he wants to marry you”

Maddie felt the air get lodged in her throat, he what??

“No” Maddie whispered

“He will take anything that isn’t given to him, by force” her dad said solemnly

“Then give him Bianca!” Maddie yelled.

“He doesn’t want Bianca” he said, turning his back to his daughter to look out the window again.

“Well he can’t have me, and you’re not dying!!” Maddie yelled at the top of her lungs as she balled her eyes out.

“It is what it is sweetheart, You have 4 days” he said with finality in his voice.