“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 53

***Jameson’s POV:***

After Ethan left, the atmosphere in the gala was completely tainted. Everyone in the ballroom were stunned. Not only had Clara left, but Ethan Taylor was now at odds with Jameson. Many wondered what his relationship to Clara was. After what seemed like hours, Sophie finally spoke.

*“Why in the hell did the music stop playing!”*

She barked at the band as they also looked on while the exchange happened between the Grangers and Ethan. Nervously, they began playing music. Sophie scoffed as she walked over to the bar and began downing a glass a wine. Anna walked over to her to try and comfort her.

*“Sophie dear let’s not lose our cool. We have guests here.”*

Sophie scoffed. What was the point in keeping up pretense? The entire gala heard what Ethan said to her. Mediocre. That’s what she was to him, while Clara was the star!

*“That bitch! That fuckin’ bitch!!”*

Sophie became more enraged as she continued to drink wine. Jameson stormed over snatching the glass out of her hand.

*“Sophie! Above everything else we must maintain our composure! Do not embarrass me!”*

Sophie let out a dark chuckle.

*“Embarrass, embarrass. How in the hell could I be anymore embarrassed that I already am father! You just stood there and let that man call me mediocre!!”*

Suddenly, there was a laugh coming from the crowd. Sophie spun around quickly to see where the laughter was coming from. In the crowd, she could see Terra laughing hysterically. Angry, she stormed over.

*“You got something to say me Terra!”*

*“As a matter of fact, I don’t. I think Chairman Taylor said it all.”*

Terra’s father tried to pull her arm, but Terra quickly moved it. Suddenly, Laura Johnson spoke up.

*“Give it a rest Terra.”*

Terra darted her eyes over at Laura and scoffed.

*“Oh please! The three of you cackling hens were over there talking about Sophie like your lives depended on it. Now you wanna backpaddle because she threatened your families. Well, she doesn’t have my father in her back pocket!”*

The crowd suddenly began to whisper. It was true, throughout the past several years Sophie had been put on this high pedestal by Jameson while Clara, even with her mass brilliance, was often overshadowed. Though many never understood, they’d dare not say anything about it. JGP was one of the largest clients of many of the manufacturing companies throughout the northern continent, many wouldn’t risk pissing Jameson off in fear it would cost them his business.

Jameson soon stepped forward, this night had already given him a headache bigger than he could handle, he wasn’t about to let some low-level girl increase it.

*“Alen! Control your daughter or leave this gala at once! I won’t have her speaking to my daughter that way! Know your place!”*

Alen scoffed. He didn’t want Terra to start any trouble, but he wasn’t about to let Jameson speak to his daughter in such a manner.

*“Know her place. Granger, you really have lost it haven’t you?”*

*“Excuse me!”*

*“You’re excused. Let’s be clear, I’m not one of these people afraid to piss off the great Jameson Granger. My career doesn’t hang in your balance. You can walk around here and pretend like you’re some god, but the truth is…. You’d be nothing it weren’t for Caroline!”*

Jameson looked as if he were about to blow a gasket. Always compared to her! Always in her shadow! Jameson’s face reddened with rage.

*“How dare you! You’re just some two-bit doctor! Get the hell out of here now!”*

Alen chuckled as he wiped his hands with a towel and tossed it to the ground.

*“With pleasure. No need to keep my family around such…what was that word Chairman Taylor used? Mediocre? Yes, no need to stay around such mediocracy.”*

With that, Alen took Terra and his wife’s hands and made his way out of the ballroom. Soon, others started to follow suit.

*“I mean it was ridiculous to begin with.” A couple whispered as they made their way out.*

*“Honestly. Who throws such an extravagant party simply because his daughter graduated almost last in high school.” Another woman chimed as she and her daughter left.*

Seething with rage, Sophie began to yell.

*“The party is over!!! Everybody leave!!”*

Before Jason and Anna could say anything, she stormed off to the dressing room.

Jason followed behind though he wasn’t sure what he would say. He knew she would still be furious about calling Clara his fiancé. Still, he couldn’t help but hate the way Ethan Taylor fawned over Clara.

*‘Is he the reason she’s been acting so cold towards me?’*

He wondered as he made his way to the room. Back in the ballroom, Jameson and Anna sat in shock. How did everything go so wrong. Anna began to seethe.

*“This is all that little bitch’s fault! She ruined my baby’s big night! I want her to pay!”*

Jameson’s eyes were crimson red. Steamed almost pulsed through his ears as he replayed the events over in his mind.

Clara made a complete fool of him and in front of Ethan Taylor. She would surly pay!

*“Don’t worry! I don’t give a damn where she is! I’m going to find her and make her pay for all of this! I’m going to-”*

“Oh, Jesus Christ Jameson! Have you still learned nothing!”

Jameson and Anna snapped their heads to see Edward walking towards them. Cutting Jameson off mid rant, he had a look of disgust on his face. This night went exactly how he thought it would and yet he’d still held on to hope that things would go differently.

Jameson’s face turned red. Who the hell did Edward think he was speaking to him that way?

*“Edward! How dare you speak to me that way!”*

Edward walked directly in front of James.

*“You fool! You still don’t get it…do you?”*

*“Get what! What the hell are you talking about!”*

Edward rolled his eyes; he’d had enough of Jameson’s antics.

*“You blew a multi-billion dollar deal just to protect you and your daughter’s pathetic pride and arrogance!”*

Anna’s eye’s shot up. Jameson never told her what the offer was.

*“Multi-billion. Jameson what is he talking about?”*

Edward laughed.

*“Oh, he didn’t tell you. Taylor was offering a multi-billion-dollar contract with JGP for the chance to get to work with Clara.”*

*“I-Is that true? He wanted to work with her that bad?”*

Jameson’s eyes had fire in them. Why was Edward doing this?

*“That’s enough Edward! Like hell would I ever work with someone who disrespected me and daughter! JGP doesn’t need Ethan Taylor, and you’d do well to watch your mouth before I not need you!”*

Edward scoffed. Jameson thought entirely too high of himself.

*“Yeah. You don’t have to worry about that Jameson. As of today, I quit.”*

*“Y-You what?”*

Jameson was now startled, he hadn’t expected Edward to suddenly quit. As Edward turned to leave, he paused for a brief moment.

*“You wanna know what the best thing about all of this is. You still have no clue as to why Taylor was so interested in your daughter.”*

Jameson let out a sardonic laugh.

*“I could care less why he was interested in her. As of tomorrow, I’ll be ending her school career at LexU which means she won’t receive her credentials to practice medicine and biochemistry.”*

Edward let out a hysterical laugh. He was already aware Clara no longer attended LexU. Walking towards the exit, he waived his hand in the air.

*“Good luck with that Jameson.”*

After he left, Jameson couldn’t help but feel as if there was something he was missing.