The McBride Series 9 : (Finale) Shades of Violet

By cLasP

The McBride series can be read as standalone novels. Meet Violet Blair McBride, the youngest but not the least heiress of Ari and Jace's children. This is the finale story of the series. Suggested to be read last among all the series.

I may be labeled as the brat by the public. The fierce and stubborn child of my parents but people didn't know anything about me. Nothing at all. They didn't know that I wear my heart out of my sleeve. They didn't know that I love so deep. They didn't know that beneath the glare and sardonic look I threw at people was a broken girl with an equally broken heart. All I ever wanted was a fairy tale with a happy ending with the man I loved. But it's not complete. Not at all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: cLasP
• Release date: Feb 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370782437

cLasP

√entrepreneur √networker √businesswoman √leader √achiever √dreamer √novelist √RICH R-esponsible I-mportant C-apable H-umble I'm a businesswoman day in and day out and a writer in between. (Very far of a leap, isn't it?) I love reading books, romance, comedy, fiction and real-life stories. I love my pillow and my bed. Hence, I love sleeping. I love my privacy and enjoy the moment imagining things, plot my personal novels. I love writing poetry but avoid sharing them to others because it'll be too much of an open book of my life. I love to study people from the distance (not a lurker nor a creeper), just enjoying their interaction is all. I love to travel. I love my family and friends. I don't have a pet. I secretly love to write. I love to hear comments from you if you've read my books. I love to explore. I love to mentally wander. I love loving. I'm just that girl. The world has been full of hate, let's go and spread love around the globe.

Book preview

THE MCBRIDE SERIES

BOOK 9 (FINALE)

Shades of Violet

SYNOPSIS

The McBride series can be read as standalone novels. Meet Violet Blair McBride, the youngest but not the least heiress of Ari and Jace's children. This is the finale story of the series.

I may be labeled as the brat by the public. The fierce and stubborn child of my parents but people didn't know anything about me. Nothing at all. They didn't know that I wear my heart out of my sleeve. They didn't know that I love so deep. They didn't know that beneath the glare and sardonic look I threw at people was a broken girl with an equally broken heart. All I ever wanted was a fairy tale with a happy ending with the man I loved. But it's not complete. Not at all.

Copyright 2017

Claire Aspiras

All rights reserved

ISBN: 9781370782437

No parts of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to [e-mail].

Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Cover Designer: Yours truly, cLasP

1

EDWARD

Therese! We're going to be late! Let's go! I bellowed from the garage, hoping my daughter would hear me in her bedroom upstairs.

When she finally came down, her scowl was obvious in her face, her feet were heavy as she stomped towards the car. When she opened the backseat door, she wasn't so careful with it either so much more when the car wobbled as she hopped inside. She's trying to tell me that she didn't want to be rushed or she'd have a bad mood to start the day. Well, message perfectly received. With a sigh, I opened the driver's side and got in, too.

Therese was an eighth grader in a private school I chose for her and every morning, I dropped her off before I go straight for work. And every day since I could remember, the scene always starts with me calling up for her and she comes down with a readymade scowl. To sum it up, I've never seen my daughter smiled. Ever.

On our way towards her school, I saw one of my employees walking along the street, waving a cab but couldn't catch an available one. I think his name's Benny and if I'm not mistaken he's working in the IT-Dep. He's on a heavy side with curly hair falling down his forehead with thick, black-rimmed eye glasses perched on his nose. A typical nerd.

I honked before stopping at the ditch in front of him and opened the widow. His frown vanished when he saw me popping my head out of the window, replaced with a shy smile on his lips.

Benny right? I asked.

Yes, sir! Good morning Mr. Collins.

Hop in. Seems we're heading to the same destination anyway.

Are you sure, boss? He beamed with excitement.

Yes, of course. I unlocked the door using the automatic button so Benny could get inside the passenger seat.

Thanks, boss. Traffic here sucks. Can't catch a vacant cab. He told me while buckling his seat belt.

Just as I thought your problem was. I started driving into the traffic while hearing Therese grumbling at the back seat. By the way, this is my daughter, Therese. Honey, this is Benny, a friend.

Oh, hi, miss! Benny enthused. Off for school? Wow that's exciting, isn't it?

Therese didn't answer but continued to scowl, muttering something I could barely hear. I saw her through the rear view when she reached for the button to open her window side.

Honey, close it, please.

I don't know, Edward. But I suddenly feel suffocated with the sudden change of air in the car.

Honey. I warned softly.

I don't know if it's just me or did the car get suddenly cramped up and tight? Therese continued to speak as if she didn't hear my warning. Gee, can you hear the tires groaning? I must've eaten so much breakfast earlier. I hated getting fat!

Therese! I barked without intending to.

Therese finally stopped but she was sending me daggers through the rear view mirror. I mentally shook my head. God, how would I tame this girl? When we finally arrived at her school, she was more than grumbling and scowling. She's actually angry even if she's the one who's bitching earlier.

Goodbye, honey. You do good, OK.

Don't bother fetching me later. I don't want to get on your way sending elephants back to the zoo! With that, Therese slammed the door shut and stomped inside their campus.

Jesus! I blew a large breath to calm my nerves down. Shifting the gear, I started driving again.

I'm sorry. I told Benny who'd fallen silent beside me.

No, it's fine. He answered with a nod but he's wincing, too.

It's not, Benny. Her attitude isn't fine at all.

She's just a kid, boss. Benny chuckled softly.

That's not even an excuse. I said through gritted teeth.

We drove in an awkward silence after that. Even if I tried talking to Benny how was their work going on down the IT but I could guess he'd fallen uncomfortable with me already. I couldn't blame him though. My daughter needed to be taught her lessons for her bad behavior.

As soon as we arrived, Benny couldn't leave the car faster, dashing straight into the lobby of my building and went inside the lift. I just shook my head and blew a hopeless sigh. When I arrived at my floor, Lizbeth handed me a cup of coffee and instantly buzzed me to go straight into the conference room. People have already gathered for the meeting.

Fit was my first baby, supplying sports equipment and gears to the market. I then later on did a vertical alignment on apparels, branching out to different parts of the country and some outside, too. At thirty-one, I still couldn't tell if I was really there. People have congratulated me with my success, businessmen commended my works and media took notice, writing an article about me being one of the successful young businessmen in today's world. But it seemed that all the glory I have were not enough at all. I felt the need to work double time. I felt like in a goddamn rat race, keeping myself in check whether I was still at the top or have I gone spiraling down the pit.

I believed everybody feared to be poor. People wanted success but only few could get to the top, if they even worked to get there. Most contented themselves in the middle. But I didn't want to be part of the mediocre minded population. I wanted to be at the peak. It's not about greed. It's something that I wanted to give to my kids. I wanted to provide for them until they'd be needing nothing. Nothing. I wanted to give them so much to compensate their lack of other parent. For having no mother. Thinking about my daughters now eased some of the tension from my body.

Leaning back against my chair, I tried to focus on the meeting that's now taking place in front of me. I didn't realize I've zoned out for quite a moment there. My secretary Lizbeth was now pressing her proposal for the launching of our product. A team of advertising firm also joined us as we discussed about it, now brainstorming of who would be the best icon to advertise for us. We've listed a few candidates but they turned out tasteless to the board because they already had a choice in mind, who also was Lizbeth's first and best pick earlier.

In case you all forgotten, that woman had a scandal just last week. She had a fight during a gala night. She wouldn't be a good icon for our product. I butted in, not really in favor of their model choice.

The video that spread in the media has no audio so it's a bias judgment. But one of the witnesses said Violet only did what she did because the other girl was harassing some old woman. Lizbeth enthused, obviously did her homework.

See? It wasn't her battle to fight and yet she bought it. Besides, throwing her wine should've been enough. Must she really have to hit the girl by the nose? I heard she broken a bone or something. I debatably said.

Oh, only because the said girl had a nose lift. She shrugged as if it's not a big deal. Besides I believe that if you can't fight for yourself, who else will do it for you? That's why Viola's a cool choice for this, she can fight for anyone. Lizbeth gloated.

"That McBride brat will send me bankrupt