you cal

under. He paced around the length of his off

not to cal

t tense. "Just calm down. It was for your own g

st?" He scoffed,the sound sharp and without a

ir, clearly frustrated now. "W

cutting him off. His voice dropped, but the emotion in

rising to match his friend's. "You were hurting, man. Drowning in it. What w

in denial. "And now what? Am I supposed to be happy?, is this suppos

o. You've been hiding for so long hiding everything even after finding out

the couch, his face buried

ragile. But this?" He gestured toward the chaos that had unfolded. "This is the

s," Fred added, voice low, "mayb

But the storm in h

st control. He ha

ied him more th

y is," Fred said, his voice quiet but firm. "And if nothing els

htened. He di

ved your whole life she ended up in the hands of your stepbrother. I can't imagine what that

ground, but the muscle twitchin

eading to bed. I'll leave you to process th

the hallway, pa

ed, his voice soft and broken

d. "Goodni

aint hum of the ceiling fan. Leo remained se

lionaire businessman, his father had left behind not only

a charming widower, polished, well-spoken, and the kind of man who smiled too easily. In

d doors, it was

eath in his own home. His stepfather's kindness was an act, a mask worn expertly for his mothe

y wealth, yet starving for warmth.

er's pretense die

tepfather had been playing. The man didn't even wait for the

d fractured the moment Leo's stepfather tried to gain guardianship after his mother's death. But her final act of love was denying that re

nd up a global powerhouse and the number one company in the country. In his wi

er refusal to hand over legal guardianship blocked his stepfather

oms, headlines, and power plays. But he rose above it. At

den, his own stepbrother, had chosen sides. Not when be

l who could've been his peace ende

a, it was during their sen

laughter echoing as she entered with her friends. Her curls bounced with each step, and her

fr

ting down the minutes until he could go home. He was the typical nerd: sharp, quiet, book-smart, and pa

eautiful girl he'd ever seen. A soft glow seems to follow

hed from afar, mesmerized and enchanted by her beauty . And when the lights dimmed and the slow songs began,

ident golden boy, smi

one in lilac." He whispered, his gaze

d him on the back. "She is. Don't

oy who never seemed to try too hard yet always got what he wanted. Growing up, Leo had looked up to him. Jayden

s mother died,

er. It felt like betrayal. And when Leo asked about Zara again five

ork," he said with a dismissi

chest twisted. That was when the

ly dinners, echoing his father's cruel opinions, bru

ned two years later, not just ignoring the request