The CEO's Abused Cover Girl

Ch. 6: Go Home

(Sean’s POV)

I started for the door without even a second's hesitation. Two steps and I felt a hand on my arm as Rochelle said, “What about the board? Surely your mother will understand how important this is”. Is she kidding me right now?

“I’d be happy to go in and offer them something to drink and-or nibble at until you’re through, if you’d like, sir.” Erin offered, and I gave her a soft, thankful smile as I said, “Yes, I think that’s a good idea. Just tell them I’ll be in, in a minute”.

Erin nodded and ducked out just before I turned to Rochelle and said, “Don’t ever do that to me again. My mother will always, ALWAYS, come first. Do you understand?”

Rochelle looked shaken by my words. No, strike that. It wasn’t the words, it was the venom I used to express them. And as I stood there waiting for her to answer me, all I could think was ‘how dare she?’. She had absolutely no right to try to keep me from my mother. Or anyone else, for that matter!

“Answer me!” I growled through gritted teeth as I took a step towards her, and she recoiled from my actions as she stuttered out a frightened, “Y..yes.” I don’t normally lose my temper this way, but the woman just tried to come between me and my mother.

“Good. Now go home. You’re done for today”. I snapped before turning towards the door. “But the meeting!” She shrieked, causing me to pause a second as I said, “I’ll manage on my own. I don’t want to see your face for the rest of today, though. Go hit the stores or something”.

That seemed to perk her up, making her slowly smile as she said, “Do you mean it? A free afternoon? Shall I take the gold or the black card?” She asked excitedly, and I looked at her as though she’d lost the d*mn plot. “I don’t know. What’s in your wallet?” I said as I folded my arms over my chest and watched her face fall again. When she looked at me to be sure she’d heard right, I simply pointed at the door and waited for her to leave.

Once she’d rushed out, I followed, “Mother? Is everything alright?” I knew at a glance it wasn’t but asked anyway.

One look at me and the tears began to fall, and I was by her side in a heartbeat, putting my arms around her and soothingly brushing her hand down her hair. “Shhh, now. Let’s get you into my office. Maybe get you a nice cup of tea.”

“Oh Sean, I’m so sorry. That nice young lady said she’d let you know I was here because she saw me tearing up. I just couldn’t hold it back any longer.” Mary Kate Danoher O’Dell is not a crier. So whatever this is, it must be bad.

“It’s okay, mother.” I told her patiently as I guided her into my office, closing the door behind me, then getting her settled on the U-shaped sectional sofa that faces my electric fireplace.

“Now tell me, what’s wrong?” I asked calmly and in a soft voice as I pressed the intercom for Cindy. “Yeah, boss?” I heard Maggie answer and frowned. “Where’s Cindy?”

“She’s down at the shoot with those last-minute revisions you wanted to make. I’m just answering the phones while she’s gone. I can get her if you need her”. She replied, and I winced, having forgotten all about that. Just then there was a soft knock on the side door and instead of answering Maggie, I answered the door.

“Umm, sorry to interrupt. I thought maybe you and your mother might want something while you talk. This pot is tea, this one is coffee”. Erin said as she handed me a tray with two small porcelain pots, two cups, and all the stuff to fix them with.

It was a touching gesture and I smiled at her as I said, “Thank you, Erin”. She smiled back as she said simply, “No need”. Then simply left.

I went back to my desk, hit the intercom button, and said, “No need for that. But hold all my calls until I say otherwise please”. As I was walking back over to my mother, Maggie's voice came over the intercom saying, “You got it, boss”.

“Now. What’s going on? What’s got you so upset?” I asked as I began to fix her some tea. “It’s your father. He’s left me. He’s filing for a divorce”.

My hand stilled for a nanosecond before continuing to fix up her tea how she likes it, then handing it to her. I didn’t say anything. I just pulled her close and let her cry into my chest. She was whimpering off and on about how the f*cking coward had packed up all her things and had them sitting by the front door of the house when she got back from shopping.

He didn’t even have the courage to face her. He just had Thomas, our butler, hand her the papers with the message that she was to take her things and leave at once.

Well if Mr. Patrick Michael O’Dell thinks things are going to go easily for him, he’s got another thing coming. My lawyers will see to that.

“He’s said he’s not giving me a dime. Claims I cheated on him. But I didn’t. I swear I didn’t.” She cried, not understanding how my father could do something like this. I don’t know either, but I don’t care to know the emotions behind his reasoning. I’ve known for years that he’s a coward and a player. I think my mother does too, but refuses to admit it.

Once I got her settled down enough, I held her back a bit to look into her sad eyes. I hate seeing her like this. “Mother, I will handle everything for you. As for a place for you to stay, you’re welcome with me either at the mansion, the apartment, or the beach house. Your choice.”

I know which she’ll go for, the beach house. It’s right there literally on the beach up in New Rochelle along Kensington Oval. You are quite literally only a short walk along the sand to the water's edge. It’s my mother’s favorite place in the world, and it’s close to the yacht club where she plays tennis with her friends too.

“Oh no, Sean. I couldn’t impose that way. God only knows when I’ll find something of my own”. She answered, her hands in her lap, which were busy worrying about her predicament as she tried to put on a stronger face for me.

“Mother, there’s no need for you to find a place. I’m happy to take care of you. It’s what a man, a real man, does for his family. Now come on. Where would you like to go? I can have Tyler drive you there now, and you can bring in some staff to keep house, cook, and so on. You can make it your own”. I told her patiently as I fixed her some more tea.

“Well, if you’re sure. Then I’d like the beach house. But only until I find my own place, sweetheart”. I just smiled as I handed her the fresh cup and said, “Of course, mother. Now you sit and enjoy your tea. I have a meeting I need to get to and when I’m done I’ll have Tyler drive you home”. I started to get up, leaning in to kiss her cheek as I did. But she grabbed me and hugged me close as she said, “I don’t deserve such a sweet boy like you for a son”.

I smiled again as I cupped her cheek and said, “Mother, you deserve so much better than the likes of me. But I’m happy to be able to put a smile back on your beautiful face”.

As for my father? He’s about to see the other side of her sweet boy.

I left her with her tea and headed into the board meeting. I expected the board members to be grumpy because I’d made them wait, but instead I found them all sitting together, laughing, with Erin apparently entertaining them. “Oh yes, he did. But she was fine, and he lived to tell the tale. Though it would seem my time for telling tales is over as our CEO has entered the room”.

She got up and began to leave, but I stopped her, pulling her aside. It only just now dawned on me that Rochelle had all the files for this meeting, and I was going to need them. “Erin? Could you go to Rochelle’s office and get me the f…” I stopped when she smiled and held up a pile of folders for me.

“I took a minute to put them in folders for everyone. Everything is coordinated, and your PowerPoint is ready to go too”. She took a step to leave, and I found myself asking, “Would you stay and help? Just follow my lead, I’ll give you cues on what I need and when. I also need someone to take notes. Normally, my assistant does that but…”

I just left it at that. I didn’t feel like Erin needed to know Rochelle had p*ssed me off so badly that I sent her home. “Umm, wouldn’t Cindy be better at this? I’m just the new girl, after all”.

“Firstly, around here the length of your employment means very little. It’s what you bring to the team that matters most. Secondly, she's quite busy at the moment and I really do need an extra pair of hands”. I shrugged a little, not wanting to put too much pressure on her. I mean, technically speaking, I could do this by myself. I just don’t want to.

Besides, this girl intrigues me. And I’m not ashamed to admit I’ll use business to get to spend a little time with her if that’s what it takes. “Oh, okay. Sure. I’d be happy to help where I can”. She answered and when she turned to walk over to the long table and start handing out folders, I just smirked.

Maybe this afternoon won’t be so bad after all.