Chapter 22: The Red Bike

“I speak for the whole family when I express our happiness, especially my father’s delight as a soon-to-be grandfather. May our legacy continue. May this blessing be a promise of growth to come.”

Edmund Rothschild was left to his acting skills, standing and smiling as if he were genuinely happy.

Some clapped him on the shoulder, and others stared silently at him, but those cold eyes were now focused on me, in a cold stare he reserved only for his opponents.

I couldn’t smile back.

It did not make me happy.

I knew my family would do anything in their power to stop this baby from coming into the world, and with this announcement, I’d made it harder for them.

“And as our family is expanding, so is our business, with the acquisition of a promising editorial led by one of the savviest women in the industry. Let’s welcome Seline Monroe, InkForce’s CEO.”

Everyone started clapping as Seline stepped onto the stage.

She looked astonished, as if she had received an award.

It was the result of my hard work, handed to her on a silver platter.

The legacy I had worked for myself and was giving away.

All for my brother.

“You won’t regret this,” Seline whispered in my ear.

I pulled away, swallowing the bitterness of this moment.

~Why do I already feel like I do?~

Patience was not my strong suit.

I was used to getting my way.

The weight of responsibilities never got any lighter, only heavier, in the prison I’d grown accustomed to.

And my plans for freedom got farther away.

I left the stage, dropping the fake smile, giving space to the calm void, like a switch, turning all emotions off.

A man was waiting for me at the bottom of the steps.

Saionji, again?

Amusement flickered in his eyes.

His laugh was almost sinister.

“I am glad I stayed till the end,” he said, turning around to see the media take pictures of Alexander with Sarah.

The way he saw them snapped something in me.

~Why were our supposed business partners so eager for trouble tonight?~

~Maybe traveling here was a distraction he needed badly, maybe he needed my family drama to soothe his father’s death.~

I let him speak to me again, out of the respect I had for his father.

“You could at least pretend that you are not a happy vulture, Saionji. Your mouth is dripping.”

“We all are, not that I need to, but I’ll be pleased to take a bite,” he finished, blocking my way for a second.

I faked boredom as we faced each other.

“You can try.”

I could acknowledge his threat without showing any trace of fear.

Honestly, I was too tired to deal with him.

He was an issue I could deal with later; first, I had my father and uncle to worry about.

“Oh, I will. Darius,” he came closer.

Talk about holding grudges.

“I’ve been waiting so long to collect your brother’s head,” he spat.

He was definitely breaking our alliance at this moment.

“I’ll only tell you once. Make one more comment like that and I’ll forget your father was so nice to me.” I cracked my knuckles, controlling the urge to punch him in the throat.

“Relax, Darius, there’s no need to cause a scene. Why don’t you save it for tomorrow morning, shall we?” He smiled, baring all his teeth.

We all knew the market was going to be a shit show with the announcements we just made.

“It’s going to be a hard day for your family, seeing all your stakeholders turn their back on you, all the people you trust the most suddenly selling you out once your stocks hit the floor.”

The corner of his lip curved up.

“Oh, can you taste it too, Darius? The coppery sweet metallic hint of Rothschild blood?”

“Get a life, Saionji. Aren’t you on the wrong continent?”

I felt pity for the guy, but I didn’t show it.

I gave him a rehearsed playful smirk, hiding all the hatred I felt inside—not towards him, but towards everything that had happened this past week.

I could never show him how his words affected me.

We stared at each other without breaking eye contact.

“Next time we see each other, we will be in another type of game.”

Saionji turned to leave with his new promise.

Could this night get any worse?

I stood there for a while, thinking about my priorities.

Two things were urgent tonight.

First, the stakeholders.

I had to get back to the event to butter them up, and two, Olivia.

Where was that tiny distraction with that dirty little mouth?

Yes, I had to make sure whatever happened in the studio wouldn’t go public and that she and her sister wouldn’t leave tonight.

Maybe I had to change my approach towards her?

This wasn’t me.

I didn’t operate this way.

Why was I feeling protective of her?

It didn’t make sense.

I smiled thinking of her.

I had to admit it was exciting how unpredictable she was and refreshing how she spoke her mind.

She gained something the moment she said no to my father.

Maybe a little of my respect.

~Strange.~

~Where are you, Olivia?~

Seline finished her speech and came down the stairs.

She was probably ecstatic.

She swayed her hips seductively, placing both of her hands on my chest.

If she knew how I felt, she wouldn’t be smiling like that.

“Seline.” I acknowledged her, not backing away as she stopped her lips an inch closer to mine.

“I knew with time you would realize how good we are for each other. You and me, together, there is nothing we can’t achieve, Darius.” Her eyes gleamed with happiness.

~I didn’t do it for you.~

“What I want to say is… Thank you for trusting InkForce to me. I know how much it means to you. How much you’ve worked. I can’t help but wonder if I mean something to you too.”

Seline was a beautiful woman.

Her wavy blonde hair fell over her shoulder as she leaned in closer.

I felt her soft lips on mine in a passionate kiss that I soon broke, pushing her back delicately.

“There is no us,” I said flatly.

“Not yet,” she replied, showing her determined character.

I looked her in the eye.

“There will never be an us, Seline.” Why couldn’t she understand that?

This was the absolute last thing I needed on my mind.

My family’s chaos was already spiraling out of control.

Our dynasty felt like it was hanging by a thread.

The revelation about the baby and Sophie’s will could send our partners flocking away from Alexander like rats abandoning a sinking ship.

I had to scramble to outmaneuver the stakeholders, intercepting their shifting alliances before they even thought about striking.

I had priorities.

Seline was not one.

I managed to shift my attention momentarily towards her almond eyes, hiding the storm brewing inside me.

“I know deep down you care for me,” she insisted.

“You’re just afraid of letting someone in.”

She kissed me again, distracting me from my thoughts. She grabbed my arms and pressed her whole body against mine.

Her hands grasped me, demanding more from me.

“I am not afraid of you, Darius.”

~You should.~