Passion Abroad – A Billionaire Romance Novel

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After his meeting with Julian, Daniel was more rattled than he had ever been. He could not wait to look his uncle and Zoe in the eye when he called them on their bluff. This was a new low even for them. His heart was beating hard in his chest as he slowly walked into the board room. His father looked up at him and smiled.

“Daniel, are you going to tell me why we are here?” he asked as Daniel sat down.

“Give it a minute dad,” Daniel said smiling at him. Ray looked at his son and shrugged. He’d been out of the QKM mainstream business for a while and board meetings were the only time he showed up at the company and now, for this thing his son had called him in for. “Right on time,” Daniel said under his breath as Zoe walked into the board room followed by Patrick.

Ray raised an eyebrow. “Pat? Zoe? What the hell is going on?”    

Daniel looked at the two and then at his father.

“Always good to see you Ray. Retirement suits you. You look really good” she said with a smile. “Daniel,” Zoe added in a sarcastic tone.

“Thanks Zoe. Good to see you too. What’s going on?” Ray asked as he looked at the two of them. Daniel stood up and passed copies of the report he had in his hand. “What’s this?” he asked.

“Those are the company’s financials for the last year,” Daniel said.

Ray raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “What the hell? We are losing thousands daily.”

Zoe tossed the file on the table and shook her head.

“Is this why you called us in here? To tell us what we all know?” she asked.

“Hold on there. I did not know we were incurring this much in losses,” Ray said.

“That is not what I meant Ray. All I meant was that businesses make losses,” she said matter of factly.

“Yes, Daniel that is why there are balance sheets. With profits and loss accounts,” Patrick said. Daniel shook his head.

“That’s not the point. Look at page two of the report. It clearly states that we have all the raw materials needed for the next six months yet Uncle Patrick signed the release to procure more materials,” Daniel said.

Ray looked at his brother and shook his head. “Pat what the hell?”

“Ray I can explain…” Patrick started before Daniel held up a finger.

“And Uncle Patrick sold off his shares to Zoe,” he said. He could tell by the way Zoe’s eyes grew wide that he had taken her by surprise. She looked at Patrick and then at Ray.

“Now Ray…” Zoe started before Patrick also spoke up.

“I can explain this, Ray,” he said.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you wanted to sell your shares? After badgering me that much?” Ray asked as he looked at his brother.

Patrick shrugged. “I needed money, Ray.”

“You are a shareholder at a Fortune 500. How much money could you possibly have needed?” Ray asked.

“Dad, that’s not why I called us here. Our newest product has a number of tweaks, just a way to give us an edge in the market,” Daniel said as he switched on the projector. “This is our model. And this,” he paused as he changed the slides. “That’s our lead competitor’s newest model,” he added.

“That’s the same microwave we have in our line. Inside and out,” Ray said. He looked at his son and shook his head. “Why on earth does our lead competitor have the very same product we have? Doesn’t our R&D department put enough into their work or what the hell is going on?” he asked.

“I hired a forensic accountant to find out why we were having these losses and apart from finding out what uncle Patrick was doing, he also traced a money trail back to Zoe,” Daniel explained. From the way Zoe’s nostrils were flaring rapidly, he could tell that she was nervous. “A trail that led right up to Kitchen Depot. Zoe has been leaking our R&D designs to our competitor,” he added. Ray looked at Zoe and then at Patrick.

“You knew this was happening and you never said a word to me?” he asked.

“Ray listen…” Patrick started.

“According to the company bylaws, any board member who defies the confidentiality clause has to walk away from the table and his shares are sold to the other shareholders at half price,” Daniel said.

“Wait, what?” Zoe asked in surprise.

“Hey, that’s not fair…” Patrick started but Ray was already on his feet.

“I want you out of the building right now,” he said to Patrick through gritted teeth.

“Ray…you have to give me a chance to explain everything,’ Patrick said as he looked at his brother.

“Do I have to call security?” Ray asked.

“Listen Ray…” Zoe started.

“You too. And if you know what’s good for you, you will not contest this otherwise I will take you for everything you have,” Ray said, surprising everyone including himself. He had always had a soft spot for Zoe but the way she was acting right now, he didn’t have any heart left for her. Ray looked at Zoe and Patrick as they walked out of the door before he sat back down. “We need to do some major damage control,” he said looking at Daniel. “Get everything under control and get the mole out of the R&D department. We need to start over,” he said.

“I’m on it,” Daniel said as he picked up his laptop and walked out of the board room leaving his father seated there wondering how his bother could have double crossed him like that.

“Good move, Danny,” he heard Zoe’s voice when he walked out of the board room. He turned to his side and saw her leaning against the wall. She looked at him and flashed him a smile that would have once melted his heart.

“Why the hell are you trying to run me down, Zoe? What were you thinking?” he asked as he looked at her.

“You really don’t know?” she asked as she pushed a curl of her red hair behind her ear.

“No I really don’t,” Daniel said as he looked at her.

“You fu*king left me,” she hissed. “I don’t have the time for this,” he said as he walked down the hall to his office.

“You have to talk to me, Danny,” she said as she walked quickly after him. She followed him right past his assistant and slammed the door when they were both inside. “It’s been long enough,” she said as she looked at him.

“All I need to know is why you are trying to ruin my father’s legacy,” he said looking into her once warm eyes.

“You hurt me, Danny. You just left me without giving me a chance to explain…” she started before he laughed cynically.

“What was there to explain? We were supposed to get married and you cheated on me,” he said. “I deserve better,” he added as he walked to his desk. “You don’t even care what made me do what I did?” she asked.

Daniel looked up at her in surprise.

“What? You actually have a reason for your infidelity?” it was more of a statement than a question.

“You were never around. Always working and he….” Her voice trailed off. She looked at him and he shook his head in disbelief.

“So, what? You thought you’d get back at me by running the company my father struggled to build. to the ground? Is that it? Your big revenge plan?” he asked.

“I actually wanted to control the majority of the company. I still do,” she said.

“Why? Is that some crazy plan of yours to own me in some way?” he asked. He laughed cynically when she didn’t answer. That had been her plan all along. He looked at her and shook his head. “Get out,” he said as he picked up the phone.

“Annalise, get security up here right now.” Zoe looked at him and shook her head.

“Come on, Danny. We were supposed to be the power couple. To run QKM together?” she asked..

“That was before you opened your legs to another man,” he said in a low voice. She looked at him and began walking towards his desk slowly as she took off her coat. “What the hell are you doing?” he asked when she dropped her coat to the floor.

“Showing you what you are missing out on,” she said in a low voice as she undid the buttons on her blouse. Daniel picked up the phone again.

“Annalise,” he said in a warning tone.

“They’re on their way,” his assistant said in a soft voice. Zoe was already taking off her shirt.

“I don’t want any of this, Zoe. I’m done with you. I have been for a long time,” he said.

She shook her head and kicked off her shoes just as security barged in.

“We are fine in here, aren’t we, Danny?” Zoe said with a smile.

“Mr. Reese?” one of the security men said as he looked at Daniel.

“Get her out of here,” Daniel said as he looked at the two security men…

Erica looked at him and shook her head. She really didn’t know what she was supposed to say. Daniel’s story sounded like some well scripted TV show to say the least. She was still having a hard time processing everything that Daniel had just said.

“So, as you can see, I am in no hurry to get back home. There’s nothing for me back there anyway,” he said.

“Don’t say that. You have an entire business empire to run,” she said.

“It’s running quite well without me. And if I have to be there for business to run, then I have failed my father and my father’s father and his father before that…well, you get the drill,” Daniel said.

Erica laughed and nodded before she rested her head on his chest. She could not help but feel sorry for him after hearing all that.

“So she really wanted to clean you out?” Erica asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know whether she wanted to own the company or just get it shut down. I mean if she wanted to run it so much, why the hell was she giving leverage to the competitor?” Daniel wondered.

“So that’s why you decided to go to Mexico?”    Erica asked.

“Well, I needed a fresh start and I needed a breather from the whole corporate field after that fight with those two clowns,” he said.

“I hope you got it,” Erica said in a soft voice. Daniel raised her chin and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

“In more ways than one,” he said in a soft voice.