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“Oh Taylor, glad to find you,” Charlie said.
“What’s wrong?” Taylor asked, panicked. She realized this was becoming her go-to response whenever someone was looking for her.
“Oh nothing, nothing dear,” Charlie soothed. “I’m sorry if I startled you.”
“Derrick is okay?” Taylor asked.
“Yes, we just saw Marty down there with him. He is just as you left him, the nurses said.”
Taylor slowed down her breathing. “Okay.” Nodding slowly, she allowed the information to sink in. “Okay.”
“But we have another matter,” Charlie said.
“Oh Lord. What?” Taylor asked, suddenly feeling very weary.
“We really do need to release a statement,” Charlie said. “The rumors are swirling and if they continue, they could really be harmful to Preston Corp and Fletcher Industries.”
Taylor furrowed her brow, “What sort of rumors?”
“Well the silence from both corporations has people surmising that Derrick has not survived his injuries.”
Taylor closed her eyes to try and calm herself. Fucking press and their need to dramatize anything. They do it for viewers and ratings and have absolutely no regard for the fact that she and her family were actually people. How dare they speculate on the fact that a statement had not been released.
“This is unbelievable,” Taylor said with her eyes still shut.
“I understand that it is distressing to hear them say this and that you do not want to have them intruding in your personal life, Taylor,” Charlie sympathized. “But with saying nothing they will continue to put their own spin on this so that it benefits them the most. And, unfortunately, tragedy draws far more viewers than truth.”
“Yes,” chimed in Arthur, “and the more detrimental things they say the more destructive it is to the companies.”
Taylor heaved out all the air in her lungs and opened her eyes. “Fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “Release a statement saying that Derrick is in stable condition and that he is receiving the best care. And that we appreciate privacy in this matter.”
Charlie nodded, already typing into his phone.
“Would you like us to make the same one for Fletcher Enterprises?” Arthur asked.
Taylor looked between the two men, dumbfounded. “That isn’t my decision, Arthur. Fletcher Enterprises is run by—”
“Derrick,” Arthur interjected, “who can’t make any decisions right now.”
“Okay, well, then it falls to—”
“Martinique,” Arthur finished for her, “who has deferred her responsibilities to you.”
“She what?!” Taylor asked, completely blindsided. In that same instant her phone started ringing. Taylor glanced at it quickly and then answered.
“Marty,” she said through her teeth.
“I’m sorry, Taylor, but Arthur came to me and I panicked and I didn’t know what to do and so I deferred to you. I mean, you know how I am with the press. I can’t just release a statement. And he said no hashtags! And then he started talking about business meetings and shareholders and I just shut down and said who does it if I can’t and then he said you and, well, I thought that might be a way better idea than me,” Marty rattled out.
Taylor heaved out a breath when Marty finally stopped talking. She couldn’t get mad. Poor Marty was, in fact, way out of her element in major business dealings. Taylor understood since she had been out of her element herself just months earlier.
“I will take care of it, Marty, don’t worry,” Taylor said. “How is Derrick?”
“Same as when you left, just resting,” Marty reported. Taylor was beginning to wonder if this was a coached response, cooked up by her advisors to try and keep her in check to make decisions. She was eager to get to Derrick and see for herself that it was actually true.
“Okay, good. I will be there shortly,” Taylor hung up and turned back to Charlie and Arthur. “Fletcher Enterprises can release a joint statement with Preston Corp,” she told them and both men nodded their understanding. “Now, Henry, we can go and see my husband,” Taylor said turning to the hulking frame waiting by the elevator.
“Just a moment, Taylor,” Charlie called after her, “we have some pending business meetings that we need to reschedule and review.”