Chapter Twenty Six: Turned Tables 3

Daphne's POV

“Now, my sweet, isn't it time you end this facade? I'm a busy man after all and I don't have time to listen to their endless drivel. You might be able to, but I can't.” The poisonous words drip out of his mouth like honey.

Matthews, whose pride is easily insulted, puffs up. “Excuse me, you aren't referring to us aren't you?”

Reeves lifts his head, turning his attention to Matthews. “Is there anyone other than you idiots in this room.?”

“I …..beg your pardon?” He sputters in indignation but he still doesn't miss the chance to kiss ass to a potential client like Reeves.

“Mr Reeves, I understand that due to the…..intimate nature of your relationship with Mrs Smith, and that she may have persuaded you to join the company so you might be inclined to defend her, but I assure you that everything was done the right way.” I can't believe it. The bastard just implied that I whored myself out to Reeves in exchange for signing a contract with him.

He probably believes that that's the only way I could get a high profile client like him, forgetting the fact that I was also a member of high society in the UK and knowing someone like him would be nothing.

“Sexist prick.” I mutter under my breath. Reeves' mouth tips up slightly before it hardens again. He must have heard me.

“Oh really? Is that what you believe?” He snaps, rising to his full height and looking at him like he is worse than the dirt on the ground.

Matthew pales instantly. “I-I meant no offence Mr Reeves. It's just that you really don't know Mrs Smith as well as we do and when it comes to business I……I…..”

He bumbles over his words. He is too scared to upset Reeves and lose him as a client.

I'm tired of this. I thought Reeves intimidating Matthews and the lot of them scraping to please him would entertain me but I'm just tired and angry. So angry I don't even know what to do with this anger.

I swivel my chair back to face the board, massaging my temples to chase away the headache I feel coming on.

“That's enough Reeves. Just tell them the truth.” I sigh.

He looks at me with a worried expression. “Are you sure you really want that, Daphne?”

“Yes, let's just get this charade over with.”

“Fine. If you say so, Daphne. I wanted to have a bit of fun with them first.” He sighs.

“There are a few things I would like to clarify about Ms Greyson here.” He comes back to stand behind my chair.

“First of all, the one in the newspaper with he was me.”

“I knew it.” One of the board members says.

“She really is a slut.” Another whispers.

“I heard that.” Reeves snaps. I can just picture him narrowing his eyes at them. A hush falls around the entire room.

“It was a simple misunderstanding. Nothing more. I bumped into her and caught her from falling.”

The photographer just happened to catch that moment. The fact that you are a publicity company should tell you that you shouldn't believe everything you see. I would personally be sueing that tabloid and anyone who dares to tarnish Ms Daphne's name. Not that she can't defend herself though.” The threat behind his words is clear. My heart warms at the way he defends me while still making it clear that I'm no wilting flower.

“Ms Daphne has never been romantically involved with me at any point in time.” He looks down at me with a sheepish expression.

“Even though I have been pining after her for years.” I narrow my eyes at him in irritation. Why did he have to include that?

“Sobyou will treat her with the utmost respect that she deserves. Am I understood?” His voice hardens.

“Yes.” They all reply disgruntledly.

“Now apologize to her, please.” They force out mumbled words of apologies.

“Now, for the reason I can here. You all must assume that I came here to sign a contract with the company due to my….. relationship with Ms Daphne. The truth is, I came for no such thing.” Confused murmurs break out amongst them.

“What do you mean? So why are you here?” A gangly white faced member of the board asks.

“Well, I'm here as a member of the board, of course. Effective immediately, I now own Eighty percent of the total shares of JK MEDIA.” The moment those words leave his lips, pandemonium breaks out. I

sit back and watch it all unfold with a smile lining my face.