Shut Up and Surprise Me

11. It's Just Temporary

"We got the money," Leo announces, sticking his head to the meeting door.

Tearing my eyes from the screen in front of me, I tilt my head. "What?"

"The holding company approved our loan proposal." He grins like a child. It reminds me that he hasn't done it for a while. "I swear my dad didn't budge when I told him about our situation a couple of weeks ago. Seems like he changed his mind. Anyway, our big baby is back in the game, and you" —he points his finger at me— "are going to kill this. Show them." He winks before disappearing behind the door.

I lean back in my chair while staring blankly at the door, listening to Leo's footsteps receding in the hallway. It's still hard for my poor brain to digest the news because Danielle said she agreed to meet Frederick only two days ago. Apparently, the man didn't take the time to fulfill his promise. He hasn't even talked to Danielle in person since he won't be here until next week.

I'm glad we can finally resume our big launch, but I have to say, it feels like we're using dirty money, and I'm the one who brought the money in. The convicted one. I might have not committed any crime, but will I still say I'm innocent if I have to keep it secret? I doubt that.

When we're forced to hide something inside a dark room, we know it's not completely right either. The thing is that my hands are tied right now. Danielle made sure of that last weekend.

However, Leo's happy face helps me feel less guilty. Maybe I should wait and see how this situation plays out. Maybe the talk Danielle will have with Leo's father will lead to a fruitful result. And I want to believe that the outcome will also bring a prosperous year and incredible growth for ErosBross. I should see this as a positive thing. Right?

"Someone was not having enough sleep last night?" A male voice drags me out of my bubble of thought, followed by the sight of a tall, chubby man at the door, smirking at me.

"Hey, Doug," I say, smiling back at him.

"The moving-in sounds like a good idea, huh?"

I laugh at his remark. "Can't complain." I glance at the time on my screen, wondering how long I have been dwelling in my inner thoughts. The team meeting is starting in less than thirty minutes, and I've been so distracted.

"But man, the house is" —he kisses his fingers— "a chef kiss. I heard that he bought it at an eight digits price. Crazy. And you're such a lucky girl. D'you know that?"

"I know. But Ashton has been wanting that property since a long time ago. He just happened to have a chance to snatch it this year. So, he would make it happen with or without me." I wiggle my laptop touchpad to turn on the screen. "And we're getting the funds we need. We're going to put the big plan back in motion. So, let me make a quick adjustment to our meeting material."

"Woah! For real?"

"Yep. Leo just told me five minutes ago."

"What? Holy shit!" Doug grins from ear to ear. "We're going to hit the market hard next year. You'll see, ErosBross will no longer be the unnoticed, underdog company. It's time to show the world who we are, Charlie."

It was only a couple of months ago when Leo declared that we were about to lose the big project due to a lack of financial support. He called it a miscalculated project. But now, it feels like a distant memory for us. The dark cloud that wrapped ErosBross has disappeared into thin air, and all we see now is hope. And to me, it's time to show everyone that I can fly without having Ashton's last name attached to me.

***

The week goes by with our new rhythm as a family. Our days start with Chloe being chatty at breakfast, Ashton being quiet, and me mulling over my plans for the day. On the other hand, when we sit together after going through our hectic days, Ashton gets pretty talk-active during dinner, while Chloe only speaks when we ask her. Now that I see the pattern, I find it weird yet hilarious. But hey, she's a Knight, after all, and the weirdness runs deep in the family.