I finally had the chance to sift through the mountain of documents that my father and uncles had left behind during the months I spent in the hospital. The chaos they'd created was overwhelming, and the burden of it all was starting to wear on me. Being left alone, without anyone of considerable influence to help me navigate this mess, was becoming more tedious by the day. A part of me felt tempted to abandon this entire family drama, to divest myself of the company and focus on my own aspirations. Yet, as the heir to this legacy—not just to my grandparents, but to generations of ancestors who had endured wars and crises to carve out a name for themselves—I knew I had a duty to uphold.
I looked up as a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Emmet, my assistant, entered, looking exhausted but determined. Initially, I had been skeptical about his abilities, but he had proven himself invaluable in recent weeks. Together, we were working to uncover and eliminate the spies that my family had planted during my absence. I had also taken it upon myself to delve into the life of my late wife, even as my parents pushed me toward an arranged marriage with Kimberly.
"Sir, Miss Kimberly is outside," Emmet announced, his tone neutral. Just as he finished speaking, Kimberly pushed her way through the door, ignoring the protocol of waiting for an invitation. Normally, I would not tolerate such blatant disrespect, but given the delicate nature of our current situation, I chose to remain silent. My memories were a hazy blur, but I wasn't naïve enough to accept everything I had been told as gospel. My grandmother had always been my guiding light, but after extensive research and numerous conversations with Emmet about the events leading up to my supposed accident, I found myself questioning her motives.
"What do you want?" I asked, my tone flat as she sauntered around my desk and took a seat right in front of me.
"I thought you might be hungry, so I came to invite you to lunch," she said, her voice dripping with a faux seductiveness. To any other man, her invitation might have seemed tempting, but to me, it felt more like a nuisance.
"I'm busy. Please leave," I replied tersely, focusing my attention on the documents spread across my desk. I could feel her gaze on me, the pout forming on her lips only added to my annoyance. Thankfully, she seemed to get the hint and left without further protest.
~♤~
As I exhaled in relief, I stood up from his desk and walked out of the office. I couldn't shake the irritation that lingered from our interaction. My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling my attention away from my frustrations. It was a message from Alex's father, the name of a restaurant listed within. I decided to have my driver take me there, hoping to escape the madness of my family's affairs for at least a little while.
Upon entering the restaurant, I made my way to the private room that had been booked. Inside, I found Alex's father, my own father, and my uncle deep in discussion. The topic of conversation turned to Alexander—my cousin, who had suffered the loss of both his wife and memories. There was a palpable tension in the room as we discussed the possibility of bringing both of my cousins back from America. The lunch continued without a hitch, but I felt neither glad nor excited about their return; it was more like a burden being placed on my shoulders.
~♤~
Later, I learned of the council's decision regarding Sebastian—a shocking and unwanted prospect. The laws dictated that since he was male, he was to be killed. But I could see in my mother's eyes when she came to visit that there might be a glimmer of hope for him, albeit at a great cost. The thought gnawed at me, filling me with a mixture of dread and determination.
I found solace in spending time with my sisters, especially as they helped care for the twins. Even Rose, who had always been fiercely independent and deadly, stepped in to assist. We took turns waking up to feed them, sharing the responsibility with an ease that only family could provide. In those moments, I felt grateful for our society's strong familial bonds, the way we supported one another in times of need.
As I cradled Sebastian in my arms, I marveled at his small face, his sparkling eyes reminiscent of Alex when he was a baby. My heart ached with nostalgia, and I couldn't help but remember the good times we had shared. There were moments when I found myself tempted to reach out to him, to rekindle what we once had. The surge of hormones during my pregnancy made those feelings more intense, almost pulling me back toward him. But I had a role to play, and my responsibilities weighed heavily on my shoulders.
"Are you awake?" Rose called, bursting into my room with a basket of laundry for both me and the twins. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I took in her vibrant presence. Rose was a beautiful girl, just sixteen, and one of the deadliest people in our circle. Yet, despite her lethal skills, she possessed a deep sense of humanity that I admired.
"Barely," I replied, a smile creeping onto my face. "What's the news?"
She plopped down on the edge of my bed, her expression shifting to one of seriousness. "There are whispers that the council might reconsider Sebastian's fate. It seems there are some who oppose the decision."
I felt a flicker of hope. "Really? Who?"
"I can't say for sure," she said, "but there are factions within the council that might view him as a symbol. They might see a future for him that could unite us rather than divide us."
I mulled over her words, a plan beginning to form in my mind. If there was a chance for Sebastian, then perhaps I could leverage that hope to rally support for him. My heart raced at the thought of what it might mean for our family and our legacy.
"Thank you for sharing that, Rose. It means a lot," I said, feeling a renewed sense of purpose.
She nodded, her eyes softening. "We're all in this together, right? We'll find a way to protect him."
"Together," I echoed, the weight of our shared responsibility grounding me. As I looked down at the twins, their innocent faces filled with potential, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them as a united front. Family was everything, and I was determined to protect mine, no matter the cost.