V. Objection
1041 Words
Author's POV
Holden Smith's heart was crushed to pieces upon hearing them all g**g up on his beloved wife. The table was silenced as Charlotte's voice asked Skye.
"...Are you rebelling, Skye Smith?"
"N-No, grandmother I-"
There was an interruption when Skye spoke. The thick wooden cane of the old woman tapped and clinked on the floor. The sonorous beats frightened Skye, she sat down.
"The audacity of a woman like you to object to my decision..." Charlotte sat royally on her chair and loathed her own granddaughter. Holden Smith balled his fists upon noticing the beads of sorrow escape Skye's eyes. Her lips wobbled in inexpressible agony,
"I'm being forced to step away because I'm a woman? It's unfair. It hurts..." Holden had to look away to contain himself. The fire in his heart felt like lava and his mouth, the volcano. He could have exterminated them for how they were treating Skye.
Skye turned to face her grandmother, Charlotte stirred her gaze away deliberately.
"Grandmother. You are also a woman like me. What joy does it serve you to make things difficult for me? Don't you realize I'm better than Jim for our family business? Why would you turn your back on me, grandmother?"
"Quiet! Silly girl." Skye faced her lap again, unable to utter a word. The lump in her throat was heavily pushing the words back down.
"If you ever take charge, it will ruin our prestigious family name. We are the Browne family. And you have lost your name already because your new identity is Skye Smith. Not Skye Browne." The matriarch rebuked her mercilessly.
In Skye's mind, she was convinced that her family only cared for their name and prestige and not the business. It was so unfair and unacceptable for her.
Holden Smith briefly remembered his wife passing out on several occasions because of stress. She dedicated three long years to building the company, the Browne Group to its eminence.
"There is another way of addressing your issue, Skye." The matriarch continued staring at the pillar. Skye looked at her, anticipating.
"You should join the family group to assist your brother. Since you insist your efforts are being undermined and disvalued." Skye furrowed her eyebrows hard.
"That's not the point, Grandmother! I want to be the CEO!" Skye insisted, raising her voice yet again.
"Fine." Charlotte was surprisingly calm. However, this was her calm before the storm.
"Then you must sever ties with the family." Everyone on the table gasped, the loudest one was Skye.
"You cannot force me to do that, Grandmother..." Skye was hurt, disappointed and mostly in disbelief. What did she do to deserve such treatment?
"That's right, Grandma. Skye should sever ties with us or make herself useful under me. You can start as a clerk again, Skye." Jim said and the table roared with laughter.
Skye stayed silent for the whole time. What was going on in her mind?
"Look at her! She's too speechless! Are you thinking about working as a clerk again, Skye Smith?" Aunt May laughed her heart out with her husband. As if it was the greatest joke ever told in human history.
Charlotte crooked a smile, making matters worse for Skye. Her silence gave more way for her family to taunt her, call her names and spit venom.
"She's just as useless as her husband. But she can at least walk herself out of this room!"
"It must be humiliating for Skye to get down to her loser husband's level. I would feel worse and even k*ll myself if I were Skye! Haha!"
"Oh, doesn't that mean one less competition for our handsome Jim? Ugh, Skye has always been too aspiring and adamant since childhood. You shouldn't have raised her like this, Jay Browne."
Skye assimilated all the insults, turning them into fuel. Holden Smith, on the other hand, gripped the armrest of his wheelchair so hard that it ripped off and put a dent in the metal. He was beyond furious.
And then he...
"Okay."
Laughter died down and the blanket of seriousness was spread back again. Everyone on the table looked at Skye. She was smiling gracefully, followed by words that enraged them.
"I've made a decision.
I will continue to retain my post as CEO of Browne Group." Loud chatter doomed the table with opinions against Skye's decision.
"You cannot retain the title by yourself without our permission. Did you forget that Grandma is the sole advisor for the Browne Group? If she wishes, you will be out in a second." Jim Browne spoke with confidence.
"Then I will look forward to it." Skye was strong, but Charlotte had no other option left.
"Fine. We will fire her as the CEO. Pass the judgment to the cabinet. We don't need a headstrong woman leading the company to doom." Charlotte's words hurt Skye but she didn't let it faze her. Skye has been recording their conversations in secrecy. She will take her own family to court if she has to.
"Grandma. Even if Skye wants to come back to Browne Group as a clerk or even a janitor, I won't take her back. Even if she has a shining resume, I wouldn't want her to be a part of our prestigious company and...family."
Skye turned to face her younger brother. The same brother whom she fed when he was younger, the same brother who played with her and called her 'sister' so cutely. He was turning his back against her. A brother doesn't want his sister as a part of his family.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled outside and everyone faced the door. It was the silhouette of a man, exuding aura that could put a lion to shame. His growling stance spoke words even though he was speechless.
Jim started shaking in his knees, his eyes were fixated on Holden Smith's balled up fists. He feared that he would taste the wrath...of a War God.
"Skye Smith..." Holden started, lifting his head to face the members,
"Skye Smith WILL NOT give up control of Browne Group!" His voice roared like a lion, shaking the others who heard him!
Skye stood up, shocked beyond belief, to see her disabled husband standing on his own!
- Writer
