True Violet by Vivian Winslow
The Violet Trilogy #3
The Gilded Flower Series #9
SYNOPSIS
In this final
installment of The Gilded Flower Series, shocking secrets are revealed and the
long-buried truth comes out.
Things are
heating up for Vi in Dubai, and it's not just the desert climate. Vi is
starting to come into her own—having the hottest sex of her life and poised to take
over her father's multinational conglomerate. Yet, her suspicions are confirmed
when she uncovers a plot to destroy not just her but her best friends' lives.
With an unlikely ally, Vi seeks to ruin those behind the plot. Will Vi be able
to have it all and find her lasting happiness in the arms of the man she loves?
Excerpt
Chapter 26
Relief spreads
over Vi during breakfast as she politely engages in conversations with other
division heads. It’s the last day, and her father’s closing remarks, scheduled
after the breakfast, will mark the end. Despite the beautiful beach setting,
the week has been long and tiring. She arrived in Muscat believing she could
predict her future—well, at least the next month. But now, thanks to her father,
it’s all turned upside down. She faces a monumental decision that will impact
her life, and it’s not something she anticipated when she agreed to move to
Dubai. She begins to bite her thumbnail nervously as Azahr invites their father
to the podium to speak.
The theme of the
conference was about divergent economic growth across global economies, which
really meant how to ensure the continued success of Rai Industries. The senior
Rai goes on about this, expertly discussing and even countering some of the
claims made by the economists who spoke during the conference. He does it
admirably, showing how sharp he remains at seventy.
Toward the end of
his speech, he takes a turn Vi doesn’t see coming. She had asked him to give
her a week to think over his offer, but clearly his grunt meant a ‘no’, not
‘yes’.
“Now,
before I close, I want to thank my son, Azahr, for all his hard work in
coordinating this conference, and also for his years of loyalty to Rai
Industries. I want him to know that his allegiance has brought pride to me and
our family.”
The
audience erupts in restrained applause.
Her
father holds up his hands to indicate he isn’t finished. “I expect you all have
also had the pleasure of meeting my charming daughter, Violet, this week. It
was important to me that you have a chance to get to know her.”
Suddenly
all eyes in the room focus on Vi. She straightens and forces a reserved smile.
This isn’t what she agreed to, but obviously this is her father’s way of saying
there’s only one answer. Why did she ever expect him to actually listen to her?
“Over
the next few months, Violet will be transitioning to take over as CEO of Rai
Industries.”
Vi
can feel her stomach tense. Her palms begin to sweat, and she quickly looks
over at the Exit sign, gauging how long it will take for her to get out. This
isn’t what she asked for, nor is it what she wanted. No, she wanted a position
in Rai Industries, not any one in particular, just something that would give
her closer access to her brother, to put her suspicions to rest.
Now,
the game has changed. Not only will Azahr be out for blood, but her father has
exposed her to the scrutiny of her colleagues and anyone else who may want to
find out more about the mysterious, illegitimate Rai daughter. She mentioned
this to him over lunch when he first proposed this idea. His response echoed
Samir’s. She was ultimately untouchable. Personal judgments be damned. Vi would
be secure. But at what price?
She
gulps for air, trying to quell the chaos of emotions that are raging through
her, uncertain of how to proceed. Her mind is in a fog. Her usual philosophy of
following where the universe is pointing her seems to be failing her when it
appears to be her father acting as her master.
Vi
squeezes her hands together, digging her nails into her palms to calm herself.
When she hears her name again, she looks over at her father who is motioning
for her to join him. Beside him, Azahr looks like he’s about to have a stroke.
Her
father moves the microphone closer to her. To Vi’s surprise, her words come out
more composed and articulate than she would’ve expected.
“Thank
you, Father,” she says, nodding toward him. Then looking out onto the faces of
the people who soon will consider her their boss, she says, “Thank you to all
of you. I understand that it may take time to place your trust in me to fill
the rather large shoes of my father.” Vi looks at Samir quickly. “I do not
intend to replace him, because it would be impossible. Rather, I hope to
continue his tireless work and devotion to Rai Industries and see it achieve
his vision of success and growth in the coming years. My father and I have
discussed what that means, and we agree that diversifying Rai’s portfolio as
well as investing in the people of India will be the best course for our
future.” She reaches out and takes her father’s hand. Together, they raise
their hands in a sign of victory, a camera flash momentarily blinding them.
Azahr
walks out, wading through the throng of people coming up to congratulate Vi and
her father.
As
soon as Samir approaches, she smiles at him and shakes his hand.
“So
last night was an interview of sorts,” he says.
She
shrugs. “Nothing was certain. I asked for time to decide, but he obviously had
made up his mind.”
“And
you? Have you made up your mind?” His tone suggests hope.
Vi
cocks her head and smiles. “Perhaps. When I do, you’ll be the first to know.”
Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California.
Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world
every couple of years thanks to her husband’s job. She currently lives in New
York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is
grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years. New York
is the perfect city to indulge her love of shopping, the arts and especially
food. If she’s not at home writing or running around the city with her kids,
you’ll most likely find her indulging in pizza on the Lower East Side or having
a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she’s still a
California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of
flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.
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