Sweet Hatred Chapter 38: Family matters

The party was already in full swing by the ti I arrived. The villa, an obscene display of wealth, shimred under the soft golden glow of chandeliers, and the hum of laughter and conversation filled the air. I wasn’t interested.

I adjusted my cufflinks as I stepped out of the car, barely acknowledging the valet. Niko walked beside , his phone already in hand. "I’ll inform Miss Aria of the business proposal," he said, his tone crisp and efficient.

The ghost of a smirk curved the edge of my lips at the ntion of her na. It was ti she proved her worth to other than being an outlet for my urges and I wanted to see how she could handle herself.

"Send her the details through email. A call, too. Make sure she understands the weight of this."

"Yes, sir."

Inside, the scent of aged whiskey and expensive perfu was suffocating. My father and his wife stood at the center of it all, smiling, performing. The hosts of the evening. The mont I entered, I caught the subtle shift—the brief whispers, the glance from a bodyguard to my father. He knew I was here.

My father turned, smile widening, arms open as if we were family in the truest sense. "Kael," he greeted. "You made it."

His wife, Sabrina, ever the actress, placed a hand on his arm, her eyes gleaming with sothing I had no interest in deciphering.

"Spare the theatrics," I said smoothly, my voice devoid of warmth. "Why did you ask to co?"

His smile faltered just slightly before he composed himself. And then a dark chuckle. "Just like you, always straight to business." The amusent on his face lessened. "I wanted you to et an old friend." He gestured, and a man stepped forward.

"Kael," the man said, extending a hand. "It’s been years.

I recognized him imdiately. Mr. Stanley. An old business partner of my father’s. He had seen as a child, back when I still played the role of the obedient son, his beady grey eyes always prowling like a predator looking for who to devour next.

"You’ve grown," he continued, a nostalgic smile on his face. "I rember when you used to hide behind your father. Quiet, shy. A stark contrast to now."

I shook his hand, brief and firm. "People change."

"Indeed. You’re just like your father now." He chuckled but my gaze hardened. My father exchanged a knowing glance at him. Then his gaze shifted. "I heard about your ti in the military. Lieutenant Colonel, wasn’t it? A fine rank. One of my cousin’s served years ago—"

"I’m sure he did," I cut in, my tone leaving no room for further discussion. "If that’s all—"

"Actually," Stanley interjected, "I was hoping you’d et my daughter. Ash. Though unfortunately she couldn’t make it today because of a project she’s overseeing at Kazakhstan. But we were hoping to visit you at your office soon."

My father’s eyes glinted. "Ah! Yes I was just about to say—you two would make a fine match and you can get to know her Twin, Sylas."

I acted as if I hadn’t heard him. "Regretfully, I must take my leave," I said instead, turning on my heel. I murmured over my shoulder. "Enjoy the evening,"

As I walked away, I exhaled a quiet breath of amusent. Was that old geezer’s plan? To hook up with a nepo brat? Touché

"You should stay," my father called after . "Andrew will be here soon."

I halted for half a second before slowly turning my head. My father knew exactly what he was doing. Andrew and I had never seen eye to eye, and he relished any opportunity to throw us into the sa space, knowing full well the outco.

My silence was answer enough. I walked away.

As I stepped outside, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, eyes narrowing slightly at the screen. A missed call from Aria.

The corner of my lips twitched, barely noticeable.

Reminding of her punishnt? Or testing her limits?

Interesting.

The flight back to New York was long, but I spent most of it working, my mind occupied with numbers, projections, and the unreadable expressions of n who thought they were better at this ga than I was.

By the ti we landed, the city was already draped in midnight shadows, the skyline glittering like a promise only fools believed in.

I leaned back in the car, phone in hand, as the driver navigated through the quiet streets. A smirk tugged at my lips as I scrolled through my notifications.

Niko had sent confirmation that Aria received her assignnt. No questions, no complaints. For now.

I dialed her number.

The phone rang twice before she picked up. "You must be really amusing to yourself Sir." Her voice was clipped, professional. Amused, I let the silence stretch just long enough to make her squirm.

"You’re still at the office."

She let out a breath, and I could picture her adjusting in her seat, frustration simring beneath that carefully composed exterior. "Whose fault is that?"

I chuckled. Low, deliberate. "I thought you wanted work, Firefly. To climb your way up to the top like an ant."

"You dumped a whole project on with no warning," she shot back, exasperation bleeding through. "What was I supposed to do, ignore it?"

"Now, that wouldn’t be very responsible of you." I shifted, my voice dropping just a fraction. "You want to prove yourself, don’t you?"

Silence. A charged pause. I could almost hear the way she clenched her jaw.

"...Of course I do," she muttered.

"Then don’t complain. This is another chance."

She made a frustrated sound, and I bit back another smirk. "Did you call to get on my nerves... Sir?"

There it was. That fire I enjoyed too much.

"Didn’t you call first? Besides that I wanted to hear your voice." My words were smooth, effortless, a confession without vulnerability. I didn’t need to see her to know she was flustered. "And to tell you to stay pretty for ."

She huffed, pretending not to be affected. "Goodnight, sir."

I chuckled again, dark and knowing. "See you soon, Firefly."

The line went dead.

***

I stepped into the building of HQ, my stride unhurried but commanding, the weight of my presence shifting the air. The dim lighting of the lobby cast long shadows, but my gaze cut through the dimness like a blade. And then I saw it.

From across the space, Aria. Not alone.

A man had his hand on her wrist—firm, possessive. Too familiar. He leaned in slightly, speaking low, sothing she didn’t seem to like. Her body was stiff, her expression unreadable, but I saw the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers curled as if resisting the urge to rip the skin on his face off.

I didn’t move. Not yet.

I wanted to see what she would do.

Then it happened. Her eyes flickered, catching sight of through the open space. A split second of recognition, of calculation. And then, as if my presence had ignited sothing within her, she reacted.

With a sudden, fluid motion, she tore her wrist free from the man’s grasp, her expression shifting from contained irritation to sothing sharper, sothing more lethal. And then she did the last thing he—or I—expected.

She walked straight to .

Not hesitated. Not wavered. She closed the distance between us with an effortless confidence, and before I could utter a word, her hands frad my jaw, and her lips crashed onto mine. For the first ti.

The kiss was sothing.

Bold, demanding, reckless. A statent more than an act of passion. The sharp inhale of the man behind her barely registered because my focus had narrowed to the heat of her mouth, the way her body pressed against mine in complete, unshaken certainty.

I let her have control for half a second before I took it back.

My hand moved, gripping the curve of her waist, fingers pressing just enough to make her aware of my hold. I deepened the kiss slightly, deliberately, just enough to feel her shiver against before I pulled back. Slowly. Deliberately.

Aria’s voice broke out first in a hushed tone. Her eyes glistened with fury and sothing else—desire. "Get rid of him."

My gaze narrowed for second, soaking in the sight of her. Then I spoke, my voice was cool, edged with amusent that didn’t quite reach my eyes.

"I hope you weren’t expecting her to greet you the sa way."

Silence.

The man—whoever the hell he was—although looked familiar—stood frozen, his expression caught sowhere between disbelief and sothing closer to humiliation.

Aria remained still against , her breathing slightly uneven, though her expression was already smoothing into sothing unreadable. Smart girl.

I kept my hand where it was, keeping her close, making my claim clear without a single word. My gaze remained locked on the man, waiting, watching, daring him to test the waters.

He didn’t.