Chapter 16 - The Legacy Of Lies
Bride: The board meeting is starting,
we need to review the quarterly earnings,
and address the recent PR strategy.
Executive: Ms. Eleanor,
profits are up twenty percent,
the transition has been incredibly smooth.
Bride: Thank you,
I want to ensure we maintain transparency,
our clients value honesty above all else.
Executive: Your leadership has truly revitalized the brand,
the public admires your resilience,
your personal story is inspiring.
Bride: My personal story is a cautionary tale,
never trust a smiling face without verifying the background,
due diligence is everything.
Executive: We have implemented strict background checks for all new partners,
no one will ever slip through the cracks again,
we learned our lesson.
Bride: Good,
the pain of the past must serve a purpose,
it must make us stronger and smarter.
Father: I am proud of you, Marie,
you handled the crisis beautifully,
you saved the family name.
Bride: I saved myself, Dad,
the family name was just collateral damage,
I had to find my own strength.
Father: You are tougher than I ever imagined,
you are a true leader,
a lioness.
Bride: I had a good teacher,
and I had a very harsh awakening,
illusion is a dangerous drug.
Executive: Shall we move to the next agenda item?
The acquisition of the smaller tech firm?
Bride: Yes,
let us proceed,
I want to see the complete financial history before signing anything.
Father: You are not taking any chances,
I like that,
trust no one entirely.
Bride: I trust myself,
and I trust the data,
everything else is just a story waiting to be disproven.
Executive: The data is solid,
the merger will solidify our dominance in the market,
it is a brilliant move.
Bride: Let us close the deal by Friday,
I want this finished,
I want to move forward.
Father: You have built an impenetrable fortress,
nobody can hurt you now,
you are secure.
Bride: A fortress can also be a prison, Dad,
but for now,
it is exactly what I need.
Executive: Meeting adjourned,
excellent work everyone,
thank you, Ms. Eleanor.
Bride: I look out the window of my corner office,
the city stretching out below me,
a kingdom I conquered through heartbreak.
Father: It is lonely at the top,
but it is safe,
and safety is paramount.
Bride: It is very lonely,
but I prefer the cold truth of solitude,
over the warm embrace of a liar.
Father: Let us go to lunch,
celebrate your victory,
you earned it.
Bride: Yes,
May you like
let us celebrate,
the surviving and the thriving.
