CHAPTER FOUR — WELCOME TO THE FAMILY 

Days moved faster than I thought and soon, it was weekend. I sat on my reading table, my fingers resting on the cursor of my laptop.

I can't believe I've spent one week in a strange house. I was already bored to death.

A thought nudged at the back of my mind and I shook it off frantically.

Slowly, my hands moved to the cursor and I tapped on the browser icon, cursing myself as I typed a name on the G****e search engine.

Lucian Banks, potential heir of the Banks Legacy and CEO of Paragon Gaming.

Paragon Gaming was formerly known as Enamor Gaming. The CEO of Enamor resigned and another smaller company acquired them and changed the name to Paragon which within six years grew to become the largest gaming company in Australia with its headquarters here in Melbourne. Their games were top-notch and madly loved by people. Especially the simulation game they made—Syntaxe—it made people crazy.

“Geez!” I exclaimed. “Mr annoying is Paragon’s CEO? Jesus is Lord!”

I quickly brought out my phone and dialed Erik’s line and he picked almost immediately.

“Dude, guess what I just discovered.” I said, still scrolling through the Wikipedia information.

“Your mom added you to the Bank's will?” 

He teased me.

“Bro, you're seriously materialistic. How could you even think of that?”

“Well, I don't deny my nature.”

I chuckled lightly for a few seconds, my face returning into serious mode.

“My older stepbrother is the CEO of Paragon Gaming. Did you know about that?”

He laughed like a maniac for the longest time. “You didn't know? And you wanted to wo—”

“Shut up, Er.” I cut him off abruptly. I was ashamed.

“Whatever helps you sleep tonight.” Erik ended the call, not in anger though.

….

Weekend faded quickly and Monday approached really quick. I tried to focus on school, on coding, and on keeping my distance. Lucian buried himself in work, sometimes leaving the house for hours, sometimes locking himself in his private study. 

Yet, despite the minimal interaction, the tension remained, thick and suffocating.

A soft knock sounded on my door and I quickly shut my laptop, walking over to the door.

Charlyn stood by the door with a subtle smile on her face.

“Hi?” I greeted nervously.

“Hi .” she replied casually. “I wanted to speak to you about something. Are you up for a glass of wine or are you studying?”

Glass of wine. By this time of the night?

Normally, I'll pass but this is Charlyn. The sophisticated Charlyn Banks. I quickly made a mental note to drink as little as I could. After all, I had lectures the following morning.

“Uh, I think I’ve been studying for the longest. A drink would be really nice right now.”

She nodded slightly. “Come with me then.”

I walked slowly behind her, admiring her walking steps. Even in the night when she's in a night dress, she still looks effortlessly elegant.

We took the stairs to another part I never knew existed in the Villa. An attic.

She entered the passcode and the electric doors slid open in hushed whispers.

What the—Isn’t this a wine attic?

“Woah!” I exclaimed, walking in with widened eyes. 

“You know, this attic was my mom’s idea.”

I paused and turned back to her, my brows raised in suspension. She walked past me, moving to a cabinet to pick up a bottle.

“My mom enjoyed drinking but the Banks family had a really conventional thinking concerning drinking as a woman. So she always sneaked into here with her bottles to drink. Dad eventually made this secret winery for her.”

“Nice. She must have loved it.”

“Mmhmm.” she nodded, walking towards me with a bottle of Château d’Yquem.

I gave the bottle a subtle stare but she noticed it.

“Yeah, it's a 2022 Château d’Yquem bottle. Dad got it at an auction.”

“Must be very expensive.”

“Not really. Just around three hundred thousand.”

Wow! Wealthy people don't know what the Lord has done for them.

She poured the wine slowly, pushing the glass toward me without ceremony.

“You don’t have to like it,” she said lightly. “I just thought you might.”

I hesitated, then took a sip and relaxed, just a little.

“I've always been against my dad remarrying since mom died. But then my dad met your mom last year.”

My eyes narrowed down to hers. She was staring back at me.

“I was kind of angry, you know. Jeanne has always fangirled your mom, so she was cool with the whole thing. But you see Lucian,” she let out a slight chuckle. “He was and is still upset with the whole marriage stuff. My baby brother is undyingly filial to his mom.”

Baby brother? So you mean she’s actually older than that jerk?

I smirked in realization.

“We eventually found out they love each other and decided to give them a chance to love again. I understand you're insecure, but you need to accept their marriage.”

“I have, actually. I don't have a choice for real.”

“Well, you do.” she paused. “Your mom cares about you. We all do too.”

“Maybe y'all but Lucian.”

She laughed softly, bringing the glass to her lips and draining it all in a few seconds.

“You're right. He doesn't.” Charlyn muttered, standing up from her seat. “Welcome to the family, Ezran.” she added.

….

I returned to my room, grinning widely. I picked up my phone from the table, opening my I* account as I fell on the bed.

“Charlyn Banks.” I spelt out her name as I typed it on the keyboard.

Her profile popped up and I scrolled downwards, awe filling my chest.

Creative, smart, wealthy, elegant. Charlyn was literally the It-woman! I quickly tapped on the follow button, adding to her over a million followers.

My eyes roamed to her very few follow lists and my eyes found Robert and Jeanne. I followed them too, still admiring their pages. I found Mr Annoying right under Jeanne’s profile.

My fingers were itching to follow him too, but my pride wouldn't let me do so. Shutting my pride down and my eyes slowly, I pressed the follow button.

I kept on convincing myself it was a mistake—but I did find all his socials and followed him.

Almost immediately, I received a notification and my heart stopped working.