A NOT-SO-MERRY CHRISTMAS

Chapter 7: Belly Butterflies

The morning light poured through the glass walls of Crawford Corporation, bathing the corridors in a pale golden hue. Mary’s heels echoed against the pristine marble floor, each step firmer than the last. Her breath was shallow, her chest tight, and her mind raced with the words she had been holding back for weeks.

She hadn’t meant for it to come to this—not today, not like this—but the weight of the board’s unreasonable expectations had finally reached its breaking point. Her father’s office loomed ahead, the frosted glass door standing like a barrier between her and the conversation she could no longer avoid.

She pushed open the heavy door to Henry Crawford’s office without knocking, the sound startling him as he glanced up from his desk. Papers and reports were spread before him, his glasses perched low on his nose, but it was the furrowed brow and the calm yet expectant look that struck her nerves like a match to dry tinder.

“Mary,” he greeted, setting his pen down. “You seem—”

“Do you have any idea what this is doing to me?” she interrupted, her voice trembling with barely restrained emotion.

Henry leaned back in his chair, his calm demeanor unfazed. “I assume this is about the board.”

Mary’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “It’s always about the board! About their ridiculous expectations, their snide comments, their judgments on every part of my life. I’ve given this company everything. And now they want me to tear apart my personal life too just to prove I’m capable?”

“You’re not tearing apart your life, Mary. You’re meeting expectations. It’s what leaders do,” Henry replied evenly, but the slight tension in his jaw betrayed his frustration.

“Expectations?” Mary scoffed, taking a step closer to his desk. “You mean letting them dictate that I need a boyfriend to run a company I’ve spent my entire life preparing for? Do you know how humiliating this is?”

Henry removed his glasses slowly, placing them on the desk as he exhaled. “Mary, the board—”

“The board, the board,” she cut him off. “All I hear is what they want. What about me? Don’t I matter in this equation? Or am I just some pawn in their game to save face?”

Henry’s eyes darkened, his voice taking on a sharper edge. “Do you think this is easy for me? Do you think I enjoy seeing my own daughter struggling like this?”

“Then why don’t you do something about it?” Mary demanded, her voice rising. “You’re the CEO! You’re their equal! Why are you letting them treat me like this?”

Henry stood, his imposing frame casting a shadow across the desk. “Because, Mary,” he said, his tone now clipped, “those same board members have been mocking me behind closed doors. They question my judgment. They say the only reason my daughter can’t find a partner is because it’s the one thing her money can’t buy.”

Mary’s mouth fell open, stunned into silence.

“And it doesn’t stop there,” Henry continued, his voice heavy with bitterness. “They claim your attitude must be the issue. That no one would want to be with someone who’s as cold and unapproachable as you’ve made yourself out to be. Tell me, Mary, how do I fight that perception? How do I convince them to trust you when you’re giving them nothing to work with?”

The words hit Mary like a physical blow. Her breath caught, and for a moment, she felt exposed, as though every insecurity she’d ever harbored had been dragged into the light.

“That’s not fair,” she said, her voice trembling. “I’ve worked harder than anyone else in this company. I’ve proven myself.”

“Have you?” Henry challenged, his eyes locking onto hers. “You’ve proven that you can work hard, but leadership is about more than just results. It’s about perception, relationships, trust. The board doesn’t see that in you right now.”

Mary’s frustration boiled over. “So it’s my fault, then? That they’re too narrow-minded to see my worth?”

Henry sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s not about fault, Mary. It’s about reality. And this is the reality we’re dealing with.”

Mary’s lips quivered as anger and hurt swirled inside her. “You know what? Maybe they’re right,” she said, her voice breaking. “Maybe I’m not cut out for this. Maybe I should just let them have their way and step aside. Would that make things easier for you?”

“Don’t twist my words,” Henry snapped.

“No, I get it,” she shot back, her voice rising. “You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you? You’ve decided that I’m the problem.”

“Enough, Mary!” Henry barked, his voice echoing through the office.

For a moment, silence hung heavy in the room, broken only by Mary’s shallow breaths.

“Fine,” she said finally, her tone icy. “If that’s how you feel, then I won’t waste any more of your time.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and stormed out of the office, her heels clicking furiously against the marble floor.

Henry sank back into his chair, his head falling into his hands as the door slammed shut behind her.

Scene 2

Mary’s office felt colder than usual as she stormed in, slamming the door behind her. The pristine glass walls did little to conceal the whirlwind of emotions brewing inside. Her assistant, Lily, jumped at the sound, whirling around to face her boss, her face a mixture of shock and concern.

“Ms. Crawford, are you okay?” Lily asked, her voice laced with hesitation.

Mary ignored her question, pacing back and forth, her breaths shallow and uneven. Her mind replayed the argument with her father, each word cutting deeper into her already fragile composure. She wanted to scream, cry, throw something—anything to release the storm inside her.

Lily took a cautious step forward, her brow furrowed. “I heard about the meeting with your father. I was pacing outside, worried it might escalate. Are you sure—”

Mary abruptly stopped pacing and turned to face Lily, her expression a mix of anger and despair. “You were pacing outside?” she snapped. “You think I care what anyone overheard right now? Do you have any idea what he just said to me?”

Lily recoiled slightly but held her ground. “Mary, I’m only asking because I care. I just… I feared the outcome, and it seems I was right to.”

Mary let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through her hair. “Feared the outcome? Oh, you have no idea. He didn’t just throw me under the bus—he backed it up and ran over me again for good measure!”

Lily took another hesitant step closer, lowering her voice. “Maybe you should sit down and breathe for a moment. You’ve been under so much pressure lately—”

“Pressure?” Mary snapped, cutting her off. “Lily, I’ve spent my entire life proving I’m more than Henry Crawford’s daughter. And now? Now, I’m reduced to this! A sideshow for the board to laugh at, to pick apart like vultures. Do you know what they said about me?”

Lily hesitated, shaking her head slightly.

“They said I can’t get a boyfriend because it’s the one thing my money can’t buy. That I must have a terrible attitude, that I’m ‘cold’ and ‘unapproachable.’” Mary’s voice cracked as she threw the words into the air, the sting of repeating them almost unbearable. “And my father? He just stood there, practically agreeing with them!”

Lily’s eyes widened, her face softening with sympathy. “Mary, that’s awful. I—I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Mary muttered, sinking into her chair and burying her face in her hands. Her voice came muffled through her fingers. “Because none of it matters. I can’t win. No matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, it’s never enough.”

Lily stepped closer, carefully placing a hand on Mary’s desk. “It’s not true. You’ve built so much here. You’ve earned respect from so many people.”

Mary let out another hollow laugh, looking up with tired eyes. “Respect? Where is it, Lily? Because I don’t see it. All I see are people waiting for me to fail.”

Before Lily could respond, a sharp knock echoed through the room, breaking the tension.

Mary stiffened, her frustration immediately resurfacing. “Who is it now?” she snapped, her voice louder than intended.

Lily glanced nervously at the door, then back at Mary. “Maybe you should calm down. It could be someone important.”

Mary rolled her eyes, exhaling sharply. “I don’t care if it’s an executive, Lily. I’m not in the mood to deal with anyone.”

Lily ignored her, biting her lip as she cautiously walked toward the door.

“Lily, I’m serious. I can’t see anyone right now,” Mary hissed, but Lily waved her off, muttering under her breath, “You’ll thank me later.”

The door swung open to reveal Jonathan, his tall frame silhouetted against the light from the hallway. His warm, easygoing smile faltered slightly as he took in Mary’s tense posture and flushed face.

“Jonathan,” Mary breathed, her anger dissipating in an instant. Guilt replaced it, her mind racing as she recalled her harsh words. “I—what are you doing here?”

Jonathan stepped inside cautiously, glancing between Mary and Lily. “I was just passing by and thought I’d check in. But it seems like now might not be the best time.”

Mary immediately shook her head, her words rushing out. “No, no. It’s fine. Please, come in.” She gestured awkwardly toward the chairs opposite her desk. “Sorry about—uh—everything. It’s been a… rough morning.”

Jonathan nodded, his smile returning faintly as he stepped closer. “I can see that. If you’d rather I come back later, I don’t mind.”

“No!” Mary blurted, her voice a bit too loud. She cleared her throat, forcing a weak smile. “I mean, it’s fine. Really.”

Lily excused herself quietly, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Jonathan took a seat, leaning forward slightly. “I was actually here to ask you something.”

Mary tilted her head, trying to compose herself. “Ask me something?”

He hesitated for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. I was wondering if you’d be my date to the company’s end-of-year party.”

Jonathan’s words echoed softly in the room as Mary processed them, her heart thumping faster than she’d like to admit. His invitation—simple yet loaded with an unspoken promise—hung between them like a fragile thread.

Mary blinked, her mind racing as she struggled to find her voice. She wasn’t sure what surprised her more: the fact that Jonathan had asked her or the undeniable flutter in her chest at the idea of spending more time with him outside of their professional roles. She wasn’t prepared for this—wasn’t ready to let herself be vulnerable again.

Her gaze flickered to the floor, her thoughts spinning. The tension from the argument with her father was still thick in the air. The weight of the board’s demands sat heavily on her shoulders. She wanted to say no, to shut it down before it went any further. But the thought of rejecting him, of avoiding something that could, for once, be just about her, left her uncertain.

She forced herself to look up at him. Jonathan’s face was calm, the faintest trace of hope in his eyes, and there was something soft in his smile that made it hard to resist.

“I—” Mary began, but her words faltered. She swallowed hard, trying to push down the rush of emotions that made it difficult to think clearly. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

Jonathan’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t seem disappointed or upset. Instead, he nodded, as if he understood. “It’s okay, Mary. I get it. No pressure.”

He moved to leave, but before he reached the door, he turned around. “But, just so you know, I’d really like it if you came.”

He walked out of the office, leaving Mary alone with her thoughts. The door clicked softly behind him, but his presence lingered.

Lily, who had been quietly observing the exchange from the doorway, entered the room with an expectant look. “What did he want?” she asked, her voice light but filled with curiosity.

Mary didn’t answer right away. She stared at the door, her mind still tangled in the question Jonathan had posed. Had she really considered saying yes? She wasn’t sure what she felt, but the uncertainty gnawed at her.

“Nothing,” Mary said finally, her voice a little too soft. “I don’t know.”

Lily raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”

Mary looked up, meeting Lily’s gaze for a moment before turning her attention to the window. “Yeah. I don’t know.”

Her words trailed off as she leaned back in her chair. The party, the board’s demands, Jonathan’s invitation—everything felt like too much to untangle in one moment. But somehow, in that quiet space between them, Mary couldn’t help but wonder if she’d made the right choice. Or, rather, if she’d made any choice at all.

Lily watched her for a moment, then shrugged with a playful grin. “Well, think about it. The guy obviously likes you. I mean, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s got more than just a business interest.”

Mary didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Her mind was still with Jonathan, still caught in the tension of his offer. Was she ready to say yes? Or would she just push it away?