Isabelle trembled more severely. Even her lips shook as she hugged herself tightly and curled up on her chair, close to a breakdown. She muttered, “I… I… It’s too horrifying, no… I don’t want…”
“Mom! Mom!” I held my mom’s shaking hands, calling her name. I was more and more mystified. What’s going on?
Isabelle got over her meltdown when my calls got through to her. She looked at me steadily and then, after a while, she stopped trembling, took a deep breath, and said, “I, Isabelle Anderson, as a shareholder of Goldstein Corporation, declare again that I vote for Lucas Goldstein without a doubt.”
“You… are good, you are excellent. Isabelle Anderson, I never expected the day you would dare rebel against me. Wait and see how I’m going to get back at you.” As Mark spoke, he suddenly raised his hand and swung it right at my mother. I yelled in fear and tried to stop him, but someone else’s hand was quicker than mine and caught hold of his wrist.
It was Lucas who stopped him and who made this remark, nonchalantly, “Uncle Mark, it is unbecoming of a man to raise his hand against a woman and in public, too.”
Mark shook his hand off and repeated, “Isabelle, I’m giving you one last chance. Whom do you vote for?”
Mom held my hand very tightly. I could see that she was very stressed, but outwardly, she looked calm. She looked at Dad with an icy stare and spoke slowly and clearly, “Mark Goldstein, I will not be your puppet forever, nor would I be your tool forever. I did say before that if I do not die by your hand, then I would be merciless when I have the power to rebel against you.”
Mark’s oppressive and horrifying laughter filled the conference room as the voting gradually came to an end. Finally, I was the only one left who had not voiced any decision yet. My mother’s words went round and round in my mind, and I could not say a word.
“Eve, you are the only one left now. Come, give me your vote. I love you the most,” Mark smiled as he spoke to me.
The sound of his voice brought me out of my reverie and as I turned around, I saw that the voting on the electronic screen was over. The shareholders supportive of Mark and Lucas amounted to be the same. I held two percent of the shares. These were given to me initially by Mark. In the final confrontation between my Dad and my special best friend, my decision was pivotal! How ironic!
“Eve, don’t be swayed by him. Follow me. When we were on the way, I told you to do as I do, and you agreed.” Isabelle said urgently.
“But, I… Dad, Mom, what is this about?” I was close to tears.
“Eve, I love you. Your Mom is just having a tiff with me so, she’s behaving this way. You should vote for me now. Otherwise, when she gets over her anger, she will regret it. You…”
“Mark Goldstein, shut up! Even at this moment, you are still trying to deceive my daughter. Do you think that I am unaware of the times you exploited her? Don’t think that because you involve her, Christopher will be unable to take action against you. He has already dealt with the previous transfer of the problematic project. Don’t even think of getting my daughter into trouble. My son-in-law is not someone to mess with.”
After saying that, Mom turned toward me and said solemnly, “Yvonne, join Mom in this. Vote for Lucas.”
At this moment, I could not concentrate on shareholders or votes. All I could think about was Mom’s words. I could not even rejoice in the fact that Mom had openly accepted Christopher’s status as her son-in-law. “What puppet? What tool? Mom, what do you mean when you say Dad exploited me? How come I know nothing about it? Please tell me quickly.”
Lucas winked at me. In this very solemn situation, he acted casually, smiling at me and saying, “It’s not easy for Aunt Isabelle to explain all your queries at one go. We have been such good friends for so long. If you don’t vote for me, I’ll unfriend you.”
“Lucas Goldstein!” I was exasperated that he could not take this more seriously at such a crucial moment.
“Eve, don’t listen to Lucas. He holds some grudges against me. Your Uncle Goldstein, my own brother, too, had backstabbed me before when he struggled for power in Goldstein Corporation. You must not be deceived by him like your Mom,” Mark called out to me. “Listen to me, vote for me.”
