Kendrick’s POV
The drive back ho felt endless as my hands clutched the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white, but it wasn’t because of the road, it was because of the storm inside my chest.
Every bump in the street, every flash of the city lights against the windshield, made my heart pound harder, reminding of the look on her face.
Which was blank and empty with no flicker of recognition or a spark of what we once were. Just that fragile expression that tore apart more than Kelvin’s fists ever could.
I replayed it over and over again, like so cruel movie stuck on repeat. Her standing there in the doorway, her pale hand gripping the fra, watching get pumled, watching bleed and yet she did nothing. No scream of my na or rush to stop it.
Just a painful silence.
I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted iron. Maybe this was what I deserved, maybe I was ant to drown in this despair.
By the ti I pulled into the long driveway of the Black estate, I wasn’t sure if I had the strength to get out of the car.
The mansion lood in front of , a shadow against the night sky, massive and cold and for a mont, I wished I could drive past it and never return. But I couldn’t as this was my reality.
Dragging myself out, I went straight to the one person I had avoided for a week.
my grandfather.
His room slled of old books and tobacco. His aura was extrely overwhelming and made the air heavy.
He was seated in his armchair, back straight as always and I knew even at his age, nothing escaped him.
"You finally rembered you have a grandfather?" His voice was calm but laced with anger.
I swallowed hard, forcing my legs to move inside.
"Grandfather... "
"Sit." he commanded and I obeyed.
For a long while, he didn’t speak. He just studied , and under that piercing gaze, I felt like a child again, caught doing sothing unforgivable.
"I heard what happened at the hospital," he finally said, his words cutting through the silence.
"You let yourself break... for a woman." he said with a disappointed expression.
I suddenly felt a wave of sha but it wasn’t really my fault.
"I... "
"Don’t speak." His tone sharpened.
"You think tears will make you a man? You think bleeding for love makes you stronger? No, It makes you weak and pathetic.
You carry the Black na, Kendrick. A na built on power, resilience, and dominance and yet, you sit here before , hollow-eyed and broken over soone who doesn’t even rember you." he yelled at angrily.
The words sliced through my chest, but I forced myself to hold his gaze.
"You should have been at the company," he continued, slamming his cane against the floor.
"You should have been watching Curtis as he sches with the executives, gathering them like vultures waiting to feast. But you were too busy crying over a woman to realize what was being stolen from you." he said angrily and I finally held his gaze anymore as I bowed my head in sha.
Curtis, so that’s why I haven’t seen him since the engagent banquet.
The na filled with bitterness. I had been so consud with Christy, with her rejection, her mory loss, that I hadn’t even noticed what was happening in the empire my grandfather had spent decades building.
"Do you want to hand over everything to outsiders?" His voice bood.
"Do you want the Black company, our blood, our sweat, to be in their hands while you wallow in self-pity?" he questioned angrily.
"No," I rasped, my chest tightening.
"Then prove it," he said firmly.
"Be the CEO I raised you to be and the heir I molded. Stop letting your emotions control you and take back your power.
If you want to change the mind of the Lancaster family, if you want Christy to ever stand beside you, you need power. Without it, you are nothing but with it, the world bows to you." he said with a serious tone.
His words burned into , igniting sothing I had let die.
I bowed my head.
"I understand, Grandfather." I said with a determined tone.
"No." His voice hardened.
"Don’t just understand, Act.Tomorrow, you walk into that office not as a broken boy, but as the CEO of Black Enterprises. Do you hear ?" he said and I nodded.
"Yes, sir," I said, my voice steadier now.
He leaned back, satisfied, though his eyes still drilled into .
"Do not disappoint again." he reminded before slowly closing his eyes.
I left his room with my chest heavier but my mind clearer.
My emotions were still haywire but beneath them, a new fire was lit.
I couldn’t let Curtis win, I couldn’t let Christy slip through my fingers without a fight.
Pulling out my phone, I called Evans, my assistant.
"Prepare everything for tomorrow," I ordered.
"I’m coming back to the office." I said with a cold and decisive voice.
"Yes, sir," Evans replied imdiately.
I hung up, exhaling sharply. Tomorrow, I will rise.
Tomorrow, I will take back what was mine.
But before I could retreat and rest my head, there was a knock.
It was my mother.
She stood in the doorway, her expression softer than it had been in weeks. Her eyes, red-rimd from tears, carried regret.
"Kendrick," she whispered, stepping inside.
I froze, mories of her slap and harsh words flashing in my mind. The sting was still fresh, not on my cheek, but in my heart.
"I shouldn’t have done that," she said quickly, her voice trembling.
"I was angry, I was scared... but I shouldn’t have raised my hand to you. I’m sorry." she apologized with teary eyes.
She reached out, hesitating, then placed her hand gently on mine.
"Please, Kendrick... try to get along with your father. I know it’s hard, I know he’s not perfect, but this family needs unity. If you’re going to take your rightful place, you can’t do it with enemies in your own ho." she advised.
I wanted to scoff and tell her unity was impossible with a man like Raymond. But the exhaustion in her eyes made swallow the words.
"I’ll try," I murmured, though it was more for her than for .
She smiled faintly, squeezed my hand, and left.
Alone again, I sank onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. My grandfather’s words echoed in my head.
Power, Without it, I was nothing but with it, I could have everything.
And for Christy and for us, I would claim it.
*****
Christy’s POV
The day I was discharged, the world felt different. The hospital walls that had caged for so long finally gave way to the open air, and it was overwhelming.
The sky was brighter and the breeze colder, but inside, I still felt fragile, like one wrong move could shatter .
The Lancaster family house lood ahead, magnificent and intimidating. As the car stopped, I braced myself, clutching my stomach gently, a silent reminder of the life growing inside .
The doors opened, and suddenly I was engulfed by warmth.
Smiles and cheering voices, welcoming back as though I was so missing piece finally returned.
"Welco ho, Christy!"
The dining hall glowed with golden light, the table laid out with more dishes than I could count.
Every mber of the Lancaster family was there as I had been previously inford, their faces lit with relief and happiness.
For a brief mont, I let myself feel it, the joy of being surrounded by family and the illusion of peace.
I smiled, though my heart trembled.
Dinner began, and laughter filled the room. My uncle cracked jokes, my aunts fussed over , and Kelvin hovered protectively like he always did. Mason sat close, his quiet support anchoring .
For a fleeting second, I thought maybe this was what I needed. A new beginning, and chance to start fresh, just as I had told Jasper.
But then the doors slamd open.
Mira walked in.
Every head turned and silence fell. She was radiant, dressed flawlessly, her posture dripping with entitlent but her eyes burned with anger.
"Do you all enjoy humiliating ?" she snapped, her voice cutting through the silence.
"Dragging my na through the mud, treating like a criminal, when I was the one frad!" she yelled angrily.
Gasps rippled through the room and our grandfather quickly rose, striding toward her.
"Mira, that’s enough, you’ve been through a lot and I promise you will be compensated.
Everything you lost, I will return to you double, but tonight, let this be about Christy’s hocoming." he said firmly.
Her fury softened at his words, her lips curling into a smug smile as she nodded, pretending to calm.
Then she turned to .
"Oh, Christy!" she exclaid, rushing forward. Before I could react, she pulled into a tight hug.
Her arms squeezed around like iron, and while her face lit up for everyone else to see, her whisper slithered into my ear, sharp and venomous.
"You better watch your back," she hissed, her tone dripping with malice.
"Because I’m not done with you." she said with so much hatred.
My breath hitched.
The room erupted in chatter and laughter again, but her words echoed louder than everything.
And as I pulled away, forcing a smile, I knew the peace I craved was just an illusion.
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