Chapter 10:

Hope quietly knocks on the CEO office door and opens it, "You wanted to see me?" Ridge and Steffy are in the office too, the chair spins around and she sees Thomas Forrester sitting in the chair, "Thomas! I didn't know you were back. What can I do for you?"

"I'm going to get straight to the point Hope." Thomas says being stern and professional, "You have violated the morality claus of the Forrester employee contract. This results in immediate termination. I expect you to leave the premisis immediately."

Hope stands there stunned, "You can't do this to me!" She looks over at Steffy who is just standing silent with her arms crossed.

Thomas stares up at her, she has a smug entitled look on her face. Thomas meets her gaze and raises his eyebrows, "Well as CEO I have the authority to do so."

"CEO?" Hope wonders aloud, "Eric is the majority share holder, he'll never allow this."

"He used to be majority share holder, now I hold 62.5%. I am majority share holder, I am CEO. My grandfather has no say in who I fire. Now please leave before I have security escort you out of the building."

Hope begins to panic, what is the public going to think if of all people she is fired for violating the morality claus. "Thomas please, what are my followers going to think if I'm fired this way?"

"That's not my problem," Thomas says coldly.

"Thomas, after everything we've been through. We used to date, how could you be so cold to me?"

Steffy rolls her eyes but stays silent, she knows her brother can handle Hope. Thomas continues, "Where to begin Hope, you inserted yourself into my sister's marriage under the geis of helping her. The moment you got the chance you slept with her estranged husband after he wanted to get back with her and ended up pregnant. Then when they were engaged after reconciling you were caught having sex with him in a dressing room. Am I missing anything?" Thomas says sarcastically while looking back at a silent Ridge and Steffy who both shake their head.

Hope can feel her anger rising, "Just you wait until my mother finds out about this."

"Brooke is an employee here with no power over who gets fired." Ridge chimes in.

Hope red faced and so angry she is crying scoffs and leaves the room in a dramatic fashion stomping her feet and slamming doors.

Thomas looks back at Ridge and Steffy a little surprised at the childish display he had just witnessed. Ridge speaks up, "We had better get ready for Brooke's wrath, she should be in shortly."

A few minutes later as predicted, an angry Brooke comes storming into the CEO office with a crying Hope in tow, "How could you do this to my daughter!"

"She broke the morality claus and was terminated." Thomas clamly explains.

"Ridge, you can't let this happen to my daughter!" Brooke demands. "Think of her followers, her fans!"

"This is not my decision Brooke," Ridge says raising his hands in a defensive position, "this is our CEO's decision and I stand by it. Besides, she should have thought about her fans and followers."

"This is all YOUR fault!" Brooke says dramatically pointing her finger at Steffy.

"I didn't force Hope to have sex with my husband then fiance, that was all on her." Steffy says, enjoying how angry this is making Hope and Brooke.

"I won't let you get away with this," Brooke exclaims, "mark my words, you will pay for this."

Brooke and Hope turn to leave the room slamming the door behind them.

"Well," Steffy says, "That was dramatic."

Back at Brooke's house, Brooke and Hope arrive back from the office and they are standing in Brooke's living room, "Mom what are we going to do?"

"I've contacted a lawyer to see if we can sue for wrongful termination. While we wait for him to call back, maybe you should talk to Liam. Maybe he can help fund a new design house. I will resign at Forrester and we can start a competing fashion house."

"Do you think we can?" Hope asks with a glimmer of hope, "Who would design?"

"Maybe I can convince Eric to leave Forrester and join us."

"That would be great! He is such an established designer, we would have instant fans."

Brooke smiles at her daughter, "See honey, I told you I would fix everything." She gives Hope a kiss on the forehead, "Don't you worry about a thing, just focus on your little family with Liam and I will take care of everything else."