Kendrick’s POV
The city stretched endlessly below as the elevator doors slid open to the top floor of the Black Group.
Floor-to-ceiling windows curved around the office like a crown of glass, catching the sun’s reflection and throwing it across the polished marble floors. The skyline glittered, sharp and rciless, and for the first ti in years, I felt like it belonged to .
My grandfather’s words made realize that I had really let him down. After wasting years traveling to find a cure to my condition, I returned and made myself a weakling that anyone could bully.
They all forgot who I am and it is ti I reminded them.
The air in my office was cold with the scent of leather and steel hanging in it.
I looked at the black oak desk which my grandfather had custom made for when I took over the company.
Behind it, I could see the city clearly, the floor-to-ceiling windows made it feel more surreal.
I shrugged off my coat and laid it across the arm of the chair. My tie was knotted tight against my throat, but I welcod the restriction, it reminded of control.
I pressed the intercom.
"Send Curtis in."
I ordered coldly and within seconds, the glass doors opened.
Curtis ca with a deep frown on his face, he was dressed in an expensive suit as usual and was acting like I had disturbed him by calling him over.
I just kept observing every single one of his expressions and he was also doing the sa.
" What’s with the sudden invitation?" He asked with a nonchalant expression.
I didn’t bother to reply to his nonsensical question. I slid a folder across the desk toward him, my gaze never leaving his face.
"Open it." I ordered with an authoritative tone.
He hesitated, then flipped it open.
Numbers, Transfers and Shell accounts. His embezzlent lay bare in black and white.
His face was drained of color imdiately and I saw a flash of panic.
"I don’t... this isn’t..." he stuttered with a panic expression.
"Don’t bother making up any excuses." I cut him off instantly.
"For years, you have siphoned money, thinking no one would notice. While I was distracted, you fattened yourself like the leech that you are, but that ends now." I said with a tone of finality.
"Kendrick, you can’t do this because father would never let you do anything to " he said with a smug expression as he flung the folder back on the desk.
"Father?" I leaned forward, my palms pressing into the desk.
" Why don’t I rember having a father? You have been given everything by my grandfather and yet you betray the very company that feeds you because of greed. You disgust ." I said with a disgusted tone as I stared at him.
The words hit him hard as his face imdiately twisted with restrained rage.
"I actually have a right to this company because my father has invested years of hard work into it" he argued angrily.
"You’re fired and security will escort you out. If you resist, I’ll press charges. And Curtis—" I paused, letting the silence dig into him.
"Pray you never cross again" I said with a smirk and his face changed and I could finally see the emotion that I really wanted to see on his face.
Fear.
His knees almost buckled. For a mont, I thought he might beg, but when he saw the fire in my eyes, he turned and walked out without another word. The sound of the glass door slamming shut behind him was the sweetest note I had heard in years.
One snake down.
I exhaled slowly, adjusting my cuffs. Power didn’t just taste sweet... it was intoxicating.
But my victory was short-lived. The door slamd open again, harder this ti.
Raymond.
He stord in without knocking, his face red, his chest heaving.
His usually slick black hair was disheveled, and his suit wrinkled from anger. He looked at like I was still the fragile boy he could bully as he pleased. He was about to learn how wrong he was.
"What the hell do you think you’re doing, Kendrick?" His voice was thundered.
"You fired Curtis without consulting ? You undermine decades of loyalty? You think you can just.... "He continued ranting loudly.
"Yes," I interrupted coolly, leaning back in my chair.
"That’s exactly what I think." I replied him with a smirk.
His eyes widened as he wasn’t used to being cut off by .
"You ungrateful brat—" He slamd his fist on the desk.
"I have worked in this company and I bled for it. You dare to treat your brother.. "he continued.
"This company was built by my grandfather, you are just a shaless man that got married to my mother to beco rich," I snapped, as I got up from my chair.
"You and your dogs thought I would stay silent forever. But I’m not that boy anymore and I see through your gas."My voice rose, cold and sharp
His nostrils flared in anger .
"Watch your tongue, Kendrick. You’re still nothing without . Without my na, my connections, you’re a ghost." he yelled angrily.
A bitter laugh slipped past my lips. "Funny. I thought I was nothing without my mother too but look at now." I said with a mocking voice which made him stunned.
The mont I ntioned my mother, his expression faltered but he quickly composed himself.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice to a blade’s edge. "You’ve hidden behind power for so long, you forgot what truth feels like. So let remind you that Celeste is pregnant with your child."
The color drained from his face and I would have punched him at this mont but I held back as I couldn’t let my emotions control ever again.
I saw in his eyes the fear, the sha, the secret he thought he had buried so deep no one could ever dig it out.
But I had and now it was a weapon that I can use against him.
"You don’t know what you’re talking about," he growled, but his voice cracked.
"Oh, I know." I circled him slowly, like a predator.
"I know everything, Raymond. Every lie, every betrayal and the world will know too, if you ever try to cross again." I warned him with a smirk.
He clenched his jaw so tight I thought it might snap. "You wouldn’t dare."
"Try ." I said with a smile.
"You have three days to get your little pregnant mistress out of that house or else everyone will know your little secret" I threatened him with a smile.
The silence stretched, thick with his rage and my certainty. Finally, he spun on his heel and stord toward the door.
At the threshold, he paused. "This isn’t over, Kendrick."
"It is for you," I said softly.
And then he was gone.
The office humd with victory. Two enemies down in a single morning. But the adrenaline that rushed through wasn’t clean. Beneath the triumph, a shadow lingered.
Christy.
Her na never leaves my mouth and despite all my control, she was the one weakness I couldn’t scrub from my soul.
Even here, at the pinnacle of power, her face haunted . The way her eyes had widened the night of the party. The way she had trembled. The way she had looked at like I was the one that had pushed her back into hell.
I clenched my fists, forcing her back into the back of my mind. There was no room for softness now.
The door opened again, this ti quietly. Evans stepped in, his expression calm, his posture sharp as always.
"Mr. Black," he said, placing a tablet on my desk. "News just broke, Kelvin Lancaster has been arrested."
I allowed myself a small smile. "Good. How are they reacting?"
"Panic," Evans said simply. "The Lancasters are scrambling. Their enemies are taking the opportunity to harm them and Politicians are already distancing themselves. It’s only a matter of ti before the entire house crumbles."
I nodded, my gaze drifting back to the skyline. "And Christy?"
Evans hesitated. "She’ll co to you. Sooner than you think. You’re the only one who can save her brother."
The words twisted sothing deep inside . Half of wanted her to beg. The other half wanted to pull her into my arms and erase her fear.
I pressed a hand to my temple. "Leave ."
Evans bowed slightly and left.
The silence returned, but it wasn’t peaceful this ti but chaos disguised as calm.
I sat at my desk, staring at the city again. Power was mine and so was my revenge on Raymond and the others. But victory felt hollow without her.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
I glanced at the screen and it was an unknown number.
I lifted it to my ear. "Hello?"
Nothing Only breathing, shallow and trembling.
My chest tightened as I took in a deep breath.
"Christy," I whispered.
The line went dead.
And for the first ti all day, my mask cracked.
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