A New Winter Ch. 03
Stella and Flora are still waiting at the hospital for their friend to return. Bloom asked if they'd stay and keep an eye on the boy but refused to say anything more.
The two Winx girls became alerted when the hospital bills practically came flying open and to their surprise, Icy, the leader of the Trix comes running in. Stella and Flora stood their ground, ready for a fight. Only, the witch ran past then and straight to the receptionist.
"Where's my son!?" Icy shouts, startling the nurse.
"Wha…"
"Isa! My son!" she slams her hands on the counter. "He has hair just like mine. He was admitted earlier today! Where is he!?"
"Th-this way," the nurse gestures and leads the former witch down a hall.
Stella and Flora stood there in disbelief at what they had just witnessed. Then, the two notice Bloom coming into the hospital along with Faragonda.
The Fairy of the Sun and Moon turns to the redhead. "You were taking care of Icy's kid?" she receives a nod from Bloom. "How'd that happen?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Faragonda fiddles with her glasses before turning to the Fire Fairy.
Bloom looks down. "I ran into Icy while in Gardenia. I was curious about what she was up to. But she was just living a normal life. And I approached her. After finding out that Isa always wanted to visit Magix I volunteered. As long as I kept an eye on him. You've seen how well that turned out."
The present Winx and Faragonda glance at one another before looking sadly at Bloom.
"You!" Icy shouts as she approaches them.
Bloom looks over at the approaching woman. "Icy, I—" she got cut off as a sharp stinging sensation across her face.
"You were supposed to watch him!" the platinum blonde screams. "The most important thing I told you was that he wanders off," tears start running down her face. "I thought for sure he'd be safe in the hands of the famous Winx. I guess I was wrong. Isa is the only person I have in my life and because of you I'm going to lose him!"
"Hey!" Stella steps up to her. "That's going too far! It was just an accident!"
"Shut it, Blondie!" the former witch snaps. "I may not have magic but I'm sure I can still kick your butt," Icy then turns back to Bloom with a cold glare. "I feel sorry for your kid, because they're going to have you as a mother."
Faragonda's eyes widen while Stella and Flora look at one another in confusion before their eyes widen as well when all three come to a realization.
Icy leaves them to go be with her son.
"Bloom, sweetie," Flora walks up to her stunned friend. "What Icy said. Are you…"
Instead of answering. "I need to do something. Icy shouldn't be alone."
Stella shrugs. "As bad as I feel for her kid, I don't think she wants anyone with her. Not that anyone would want to be here for that witch."
Bloom's eyes widen. "They are two that I'm sure who would." Without saying anything more, the redhead runs out of the hospital followed by her two friends.
.oOo.
Bloom is now strolling through the streets of Gardenia, hoping that she'll find any hint of the remaining two Trix.
"Bloom!" Flora calls as she and Stella chase after her. "I know you're worried about that boy. But should you really be pushing yourself? The stress can't be healthy."
"You don't understand!" the Fire Fairy snaps. "I'm responsible for what happened. If I can't take care of someone else's kid then what chances do I have for my own?" Bloom then finds herself wrapped in Stella's arms.
"It'll be alright, Bloom," the Solarian Princess then pulls away. "We'll help you find the Trix. But we should think this through. I mean did you really think you could get lucky and find them just like that?"
"Girls!" Flora then calls out.
Turning towards her, Bloom and Stella find the Nature Fairy pointing at a shop. Through the shop's windows, there are several sets of tv on display all showing the forecast being presented by a certain frizzled haired Trix.
"And for the remainder of the week you can look for clear skies and sunshine. And that is a Stormy guarantee ," she winks before the tv started playing a commercial.
.oOo.
"Seriously?" Stormy does nothing to hide the irritation as she reads through the note that was just handed to her. "They literally just told me that everything is going to be great. Now they're expecting a stormfront and I'm going to have to go back on air and say that. I'm getting tired of these changes. I swear if this causes me a single rating point, somebody's getting fired."
"Ms. Weather," her assistant walks up to her boss.
"What is it now, Stevie?" the former witch doesn't even bother looking up from the paper.
"These people say that they know you."
Stormy looks up and a scowl appears on her face at the sight of three members of the Winx. "I want nothing to do with them." she turns to walk away.
"You heard her. Get a move on!" the assistant tried leading them out only for Bloom to force her way through.
"Wait! Icy needs help."
Stevie sighs. "Security!"
The frizzled haired woman feints being happy. "In that case," it then drops. "I want nothing to do with her. Especially after what she said to me last time." but was glad to watch two large guards start pushing the trio of fairies away.
"But her son might be dying and you're the only family she has!"
Stormy then shouts. "Wait!" she approaches the Winx. "Ice got a kid?"
.oOo.
Within a large room of a tall building, a meeting is being held by every major member of the board of directors of Nightshade Industry.
"Ms. Nightshade," an older man lifts a sheet of paper. "You may have started this fashion company from scratch. But as a business we believe that this place would be better off without you."
Darcy looks among the board members. "Are you all in agreement?" she asks. Most of the board is made up of old men who disliked that they were declined by the owner and president or women who were jealous of her. Every one of them nodded.
The former witch sighs and holds her face in her hands. "It's unanimous then," she raises her head back up, revealing a smirk. "I gladly accept your resignations. Daniel!"
At that, a young man stands, set his suitcase on the table, and starts removing several folders to pass around. "These here contain your severance pay and the form that will allow you to cash out your shares. Failing to cash those shares within the next forty-eight hours will result in them defaulting back to Ms. Nightshade. Losing any claim to them," Daniel is wearing his own smirk. "I recommend you not hold off on doing so."
All the board members start shouting at the Owner.
One woman says. "You can't do that!"
"Oh, I can, and I have," Darcy then gestures to their files. "It's in your contract."
Everyone opens their files to find the contract that they signed and start going over it. One old man doesn't bother though as he just gets out of his seat.
"You will be hearing from my lawyer," several of the other former board members nod in agreement with him but stopped once Darcy starts cackling.
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
The people in attendance wearily glance at each other before one of them asks. "Why wouldn't we?"
Daniel goes back over to stand beside the President's seat. "There are obviously several parts of the contract that none of you bothered reading. Like the clause that states that any attempts to contest the contract will result in a forfeit of your severance pay, shares, and basically any claim to the company. Yes, you could go ahead and take Ms. Nightshade to court, and you might win. But what you could win would be significantly less than what you're being offered now. Either way, even if you win you'll still lose."
Darcy now stands at the exit of the board room, wishing all the former board members a farewell. A few tried staying behind kissing up to the Owner in hopes of keeping their job. All of whom were declined. The former witch shuts and locks the door and closes the blinds for privacy.
"I told you I didn't like the idea of having a board of directors," she turns to Daniel who has dug out two wine glasses and a bottle of champagne.
"It was only to look good for investors," he starts filling the glasses. "As much potential as a young, attractive, brilliant woman may have, not many would have been wiling to put money in for a business being controlled by a single unknown woman."
"Fair enough," Darcy walks up and accepts one of the glasses. "But who could have foreseen the attempted takeover?" the sarcasm evident in her voice.
"That would have been me. It's why I drafted that unbreakable contract."
At that, the woman chuckles. "And that's why you're the best lawyer in the city," she raises a glass in a toast.
"I think I'd rather be a company partner," Daniel goes to clink their glasses together only for Darcy to pull hers away.
"Gee, I don't know. I'll have to think about it. Maybe if you put a ring on it."
Daniel then takes out a diamond ring, "You mean this ring?"
The woman gasps for a moment before smiling. "Thought you'd never ask."
The man happily places the ring around her finger. Then, the newly engaged couple quickly gulped their drinks before Darcy pushed Daniel onto the meeting table and they started kissing passionately.
Just as the couple were getting into it, a buzzing was heard. An irritated Darcy reaches for the intercom and growls. "Not now, Marianne!" she turned back to her fiancé. "Now, where were we?" the former witch goes to resume only for the buzzing to continue and the business owner once again reaches for the intercom. "What!? This better be good or else I'm going to need a new secretary."
"S-sorry, Ms. Nightshade. I know that I'm interrupting your… celebration but there's a Stormy on the line. She says that there's an emergency."
At that, Darcy decided to forget what she was getting into. "Patch her through," and grabs the nearby phone. "Storm? What's going… Icy has a kid?"