"How have you found working in the company?" Vicente looked healthier and full of life— much different from the hollowed out old man Avery had met.
"The atmosphere is nice, work is a bit stressful, but it's nothing I can't handle." Avery said as he focused on the task of helping Vicente cut his steak into smaller pieces.
"I knew you had your mother's fire in you," Vicente laughed, "the marketing director hasn't stopped blowing my phone since the moment you secured a marketing deal with Lumineer Tech; something that SparkDigital has been aiming for in years." Vicente smiled proudly.
Avery chuckled, dipping his cutleries into his plate of food.
Vicente's brows furrowed slightly, he had noticed Avery's love for vegetables— not that it was wrong to eat healthy— but even he who was an old man would sometimes cut slack and take a bite or two of junk food— it was rare to see a person of Avery's age stick to such a green diet.
"Avery, is there something you aren't telling me?" Avery's hand stilled for a second, his cutleries faltering.
He hadn't wanted to worry Vicente by dropping his heart condition on him, God knows the old man had enough to be anxious about, there was no need for Avery to add to his anxiety— knowing Vicente, he would conclude that Avery was dying.
"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" Avery chuckled gently. "I have got a date tonight." Vicente stilled from the shock.
"What? With who?" Vicente asked.
"It's someone you know," Avery paused dramatically, "Amara's grandson." He added.
"Sloane?" Vicente arched a brow. "Is Amara forcing you to do this?" Avery laughed at the question.
"Goodness no." Avery chuckled. "I am a full grown man, how on earth would Amara force me into meeting her grandson?" Vicente grunted, there were many things Amara could do.
"I assume you are aware about his accident?" Vicente asked.
"Yes." Avery nodded. "Amara told me." He added.
"Sloane's a man with a bright future ahead of him, he managed to build so much in such a young age an I couldn't help but wonder what he would achieve in the future, who would he become?" Vicente sighed. "Unfortunately the accident happened, Sloane's too young for the burden he now lives with, but I guess many people didn't want him to grow, wanted to pluck the thorn out before it started poking them."
"It's just a date, we will see how it goes from there." Even though he was running out of options.
"What brought up the whole dating business anyway?" Vicente shot him an inquisitive look.
"My dad— Callan— wants me to get married, he's been arraigning blind dates—"
"How dare he?" Vicente fumed.
"Calm down grandpa, anger isn't good for your health." Avery sighed. "He's my legal guardian, legally he has the right to arrange my marriage now that I am of age."
"I am sorry Avery." Vicente felt bitter, all he seemed to have for Avery were sorries that couldn't solve anything.
"It's not your fault." But it was— all his wealth and power— yet Vicente was unable to help his grandson—twenty-three years later and Callan still had his family on a leash.
"Tell me more about Sloane." Avery could see his grandfather's self-guilt eating at him and hoped to diverge his thoughts.
"I watched Sloane grow: from a chubby baby who only knows how to cry, to a mischievous child who nearly burnt down the house, to a rebelling teenager who wanted the world to bend his way, to a young man who fumbled for his way in the world and finally to a confident man who knew what he wanted, but that's the Sloane of the past." Vicente's eyes glazed as he lost himself in thoughts.
"I have seen Sloane after the accident— once— and that darkness in his eyes is the type that eats you alive; it devours your flesh, bones and consumes your soul— Amara's hoping to save him, but Sloane is spiralling down a dark path I don't think he's ever coming back from." Vicente sighed. "Frankly I don't want you to get involved with Sloane."
"But it's either him or the men Callan wants me to marry." Avery smiled faintly. "I guess the devil you know is better than the angel you don't."
"I wished you could marry someone of your own choosing." Vicente frowned.
"We can only wish." In a world were Omega's were literally owned, marrying by choice seemed laughable.
**********
"I heard Avery has joined the company." For a woman just casually having tea in her garden, Isabella looked too dress, too proper— not a single strand of hair out of place— but Ian was already used to his mother's antics; Isabella would rather die, than be caught in clothing that didn't show her class— elite.
"Yes, he joined a few days ago." Ian replied carefully.
"I also heard he's managed to secure a major marketing deal with some Lumi company." For a woman who didn't step foot in the company, she was awfully informed about the current news.
"Yes." Ian squirmed in his chair as his mother's blue eyes landed on him with a gentleness he knew was just a facade.
"And what are you currently doing to get him out of the company?" Her eyes grew sharp, casual posture long gone. "Let me guess, nothing." Her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Mum, Avery is my brother—"
"Brother?" Isabella spat out the word as though it burnt her tongue. "He's no brother of yours, he's the enemy." She yelled.
"But—"
"How can you be so stupid Ian, I raised you better than this." Isabella looked as though someone had punched her in the gut. "So Avery's acting all nice, and now you think he's a good person." She laughed— cold and empty.
"I have got to give Laura's son some credit for his craftiness, can't you see he's only acting nice so that he can lower your guard and strip you off everything." Ian pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Mum I think you read too much into things, perhaps Avery's really changed." Ian knew opposing his mother didn't end well, but the relentless scheming had become tiring.
"You are so stupid, you must have taken after your father." Ian pressed his lips at the insult. "Who do you think owns SparkDigital? It's Avery's grandfather, and he intends to transfer his shares to Avery, once Avery has inherits his mother's shares he will become a majority shareholder." Ian's eyes widened at his mother's words.
"Shocked?" Isabella laughed. "What do you think Avery's been doing these past days that he hasn't been causing trouble for you— he's been building a relationship with his grandfather who he hasn't talked to in years." Ian clenched his hands so tightly that his nails dug Into the skin of his palm.
"Callan's not a man capable of love, he only favours people for the value they can give him, and once you slip from your position as heir we both know your father won't see you any more worthy than an Omega he can sell to the highest bidder." Isabella's words cut into Ian as sharp as knives.
Ina knew his father wasn't capable of love; from a young age his mother had thought him to how to be the favoured child— be smarter, faster, cuter and more obedient— Ian had seen the price the unfavored child had to pay— he had hid behind the door and shed silent tears as he watched as Callan's belt had whipped scars into Avery's body— merciless and harsh.
"Without the company Dylan will leave you." Ian shot up from his seat; like a venomous snake ready to strike.
"He won't." Ian's voice was firm with conviction, even as his mother's glare forced him to cower.
"You don't know the world like I do, you haven't seen the ruthlessness it's capable of." Isabella's smile was bitter. "Let's say Dylan really doesn't leave you, what about the Russell family? You think they will approve? What kind of person do you think they want Dylan to marry— someone with power, a person who can add more connections and fame to their name, someone who can stand beside Dylan and represent the Russell name— not some used to be heir." Isabella's words were unforgiving even to her own son.
"Life has given Avery a head start, if you want to beat him you have to be ruthless— mercy is a trait of the weak— and the weak are always eaten." She smiled.
"I have worked too hard, crawled too much to return back to the gutters we came from; I have toiled too hard to lose this life because of a spineless son who refuses to fight." Isabella gripped Ian's arm with such a force he winced. "Or have you forgotten were we came from? The life we used to live? I am the one who gave you this life, I shielded you and protected you when your incapable self would have been crushed long ago." She released him with a harsh shove.
"Avery's going to take everything from you— this life, your position, your fame and Dylan— beneath all the glam Ian, we are just the mistress and her illegitimate son."
"No." Ian sobbed. The past seemed to come back— the poverty, the filth, the names.
"Oh look, it's that prostitutes son." The women at the street would laugh when he walked past them.
"It's the Ford's bastard son." The children would taunt.
"I won't let Avery take it away from me." Ian gazed at his mother's like a young helpless deer eager for direction.
Isabella leaned closer, her lips brushing against the shell of his ear, "the show me Ian, just how far are you willing to go."