Mina had only left her room to arrange her flight home, ensuring that it left as soon after the vote as possible, not willing to remain on the stunning island any longer than was necessary. On the morning of the vote, she had pulled on her suit, the memory of wearing it to first visit Nikos’ office once more pushing its way into her mind. Calling a taxi, she had then given instructions to the office in which she had known the vote to take place.
Inside both Alexander and Nikos were already waiting. Alexander had moved forward to smile welcomingly to her, Mina feeling her whole insides shrivel at his gloating. Moving her eyes, she had seen as Nikos had scowled, his face full of contempt as he had ran his eyes scathingly down her before turning purposefully away. Mina had held back from her urge to run to him, to tell him she loved him. She had felt sick. Seeing him once more she had experienced her insides churning, gulping down the tears which had risen to her eyes. She wanted to talk to him, to tell him that he was wrong, but he had moved as far from her as possible his whole body screaming leave me alone, as finally she had moved to sit on one of the chairs away from both men, her shaking hands clasped tightly before her.
Joe, whom she had met at her first charity night where she had gone specifically to meet the other members of the board with Nikos had entered the room with another younger more arrogant man, both greeting the three already in the room. Mina had noticed as Nikos had only shaken hands with his own lawyer, his eyes cold daggers as he had regarded the other.
“The process is simple” Joe had spoken, his voice calm “Each will move into the room next door and cast your vote. Are there any questions?”
All three had shaken their heads, the rules and process needing no further clarification. The two men were to be first with Mina voting last, and Nikos had been the first to move into the room. He had quickly returned, his eyes avoiding meeting hers, as decisively he had pulled open the door striding purposefully from the room, Mina’s heart once more breaking into a thousand pieces.
Next had been Alexander’s turn, his greasy smile directed at Mina, who had felt her insides crawl once more as he had winked at her. As he too had returned she had then moved into the room, quickly marking her vote. As she had left the voting room, Alexander had been stood waiting for her, a huge grin on his face.
“Well Mina. Looks like we are both going to be very rich” he had smiled, Mina frowning softly, not enjoying his gloating.
“And why is that Alexander?” she had replied softly, seeing the look of confusion light his eyes, his smile faltering.
“You voted against Nikos right?” he had questioned, his voice not as sure as it had been, his face changing in a flash as she had shaken her head at him.
“You voted FOR him?” he had cried in disbelief, moving closer to her, stuttering “But…but he used you. You saw that…why the hell would you vote with him?” his voice growing higher and angrier as a manic light had entered his eyes, as he had yelled at her “You damn little bitch….Do you have any idea what you have done?”
At this Mina had stood taller, her eyes flashing brightly as rage had filled her, finally having someone to vent her anger and hurt on “I know exactly what I have done Alexander” she had bit out coldly.
“Nikos did not use me. Did you really think I would not see past your attempts to manipulate me? I knew what I was getting into when I moved in with him and I am grown up enough to accept the consequences. I am not some spoiled little brat like you”
Before her the taller man had gone silent, his mouth open wide as she had whipped him with her words as she had continued, her face showing her contempt for her step-brother.
“You have no right to expect anything from him. He has single handedly pulled this company back from the brink, and you…you have done nothing, not lifted a finger to help, only expecting to strip it down for your own profit. Well our father would be ashamed of you Alexander and I will not be a part of it. I voted for Nikos because he has never used me or lied to me. He made promises to me, which he kept, which is more than you have ever done. So crawl back under your rock and stay the hell away from me”.
Turning to the two lawyers who still stood in the room, their eyes wide staring at the scene unfolding before them she had given a solemn look at Joe.
“Did you bring the papers that Nikos asked you to draw up Joe?”
Shaking himself the man had nodded, his mouth still gaping as he had pulled the contract from his briefcase. A contract he had been informed only an hour earlier would no longer be required. Mina had taken it from him, sitting to quickly read the contents, before pulling out a pen from her bag. Alexander had moved forward, his eyes shifting from his lawyer to her “What are you doing?” he had demanded, his eyes full of confusion and uncertainty.