Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Kane's POV

“Are you saying nothing can be done to resolve this? Anything at all?”

The weight of the document felt heavy in my hand as my legal team babbled on, apologising and spouting jargon that did nothing to calm my anger, or the fear clawing at my chest.

I am about to lose what my entire lineage had worked for to my bastard stepbrother, all because my father couldn’t keep his zipper closed, coupled with the fact that I was surrounded by incompetent lawyers.

“Somebody better say something, or else you’re all fired!” I added more forcefully this time.

Every one of them, down to their team leader, had their mouths agape in shock. Maybe they thought I had been joking from the start because now, they started sweating profusely.

“It’s impossible, Mr Kane, to fight this contract!” My family’s lawyer blurted out his pupils dilated, which pleased me greatly, in a strange way.

“Your grandmother had it locked airtight.” Another lawyer said with a gulp. “I’m afraid you might lose control of the business to Mr Adrian, unless you fulfil the conditions of the contract.”

Fulfil the terms of the contract!

I let out a bitter chuckle, turned to the side to fix the last speaker with disdain, so hard it made him tremble and bite his lips in regret for uttering such a statement.

“Are you proposing I abandon my beloved wife and get a mistress, just so I can bypass the contract? You’re out of your damned mind!”

“That’s the only way si…..”

“Enough!” I cut him off before he could say more. “You all are dismissed from my office, the company, unless you come up with a reasonable solution.”

And I watched in disappointment as twenty lawyers hurried towards the door, bumping into each other to escape my wrath as it should be.

As silence descended and I was left to my thoughts, I ran my fingers through my hair and jerked my tie to the side, ruining the billion-dollar image Claudia had spent hours perfecting.

They wanted me to divorce my wife on the grounds of childlessness. To pressure me into having a child before the next twelve months. Only God knows why my grandmother thought it was brilliant to make a grandchild the clause for getting full control of the M$M.

A devious gamble.

Grandmother never loved my wife. She claims Claudia wasn’t any different from my father’s gold-digging ex-wives, including my biological mother. All efforts to convince her were abortive, so when we couldn’t conceive, it made my grandmother more anxious.

It was purely evil of her to have her lawyers contact me about her will, twelve months before the expiry date. A ticking time bomb, meant to force my hand.

Fuck!

I groaned aloud in disbelief, even in death, Grandma was still a force to reckon with. I wonder how Claudia would take this news on our anniversary. She’d be devastated, as I am.

Nice one, grandma.

My grandmother was the only one who had given two shits about me growing up. I understand she wants to see me live well, but this was just going too far. She fails to understand that I love my wife and I’d move mountains for her and if that means getting a surrogate mother, so be it.

Knock, knock.

The insistent knock on the door yanked me out of my spiralling thoughts. “Come in” I answered absentmindedly.

Mrs Hawkins walked with her eyes fixed on the scheduled clipboard clipped firmly in her hand. “The delivery from the Cartier jewellery store has arrived, and I had it sent to the driver.”

A big smile graced my lips. Today is my fifth anniversary, and I had my grandmother's gold necklace specially customised for Claudia, and I couldn’t wait to see her beautiful smile when she saw me come home in the middle of the day.

‘You had better make next year's anniversary worth my forgiveness, or I'll make your account bleed,’ she had joked, no. Threatened last year.

I chuckled aloud not minding the utter look of surprise on my secretary’s face. Claudia wouldn’t know what hit her.

“Hmmn.” Mrs Hawkins cleared her throat. “You have a meeting with the M$M shareholders by 2 PM, sir.”

“Cancel it,” I responded.

“Sir?”

She looked incredulous. Her eyes filled with questions which she dared not ask. I smirked and stood up as dignified as possible.

“As a matter of fact, have my schedule cleared for the next 14 days. I’m taking a vacation.”

I sauntered out of the office leaving her mouth hanging open. I was a chronic workaholic boss who had never left work early nor taken a sick day off. I know how unbelievable my actions were to her.

My walk down the elevator was an interesting one to say the least. There were whispers and gasps. “Is he sick? So Mr Kane is a romantic, so sweet.” I heard some swoon.

At the lobby, Maxine, my driver mirrored their shock. “Home?”

“Yes, I believe I just said home, Maxine.” I repeated, as I couldn’t conceal my amusement. “It’s my anniversary, and I believe that alone grants me a vacation, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, Boss.” He chuckled.

The ride home was pure bliss. I pictured Claudia smiling, wrapping me in her arms as we celebrated our marriage. The moment we drove through the gate, into the driveway, two of our househelp rushed towards me.

“Good day, sir.” They greeted, slightly bowing. “Let us take this inside.” One of them said, reaching for the Cartier’s jewellery box and the flowers I was carrying.

“No. I’ll be delivering this to my wife myself.” I answered, my eyes darting to the garage. My eyes caught a black Chevrolet parked next to my truck.

I don’t own a Chevrolet, but Claudia must have bought it, as she has unlimited access to ‘my daddy card’ as she calls it.

I walked into the mansion shouting her name. “Claudia, where are you?” She wasn’t at her favourite spot, in the living room where I expected her to be, watching the latest episode of The Kardashians.

Odd.

I stopped the next househelp that crossed my path, mildly panting. “Where is my wife?”

At first, she looked startled. And I could have sworn a bead of sweat popped onto her forehead.

“Madam… is in the ...bedroom, sir.” She stammered, looking everywhere else but not me.

Her reaction was disturbing, and I blamed it on the iron fist she had trained the staff with, insisting they never look us in the eyes when speaking to us and the like. I hated those rules, but I learned to ignore them since the mansions were Claudia’s jurisdiction.

“Thank you,” I muttered.

I took the stairs two at a time, my heart pounding with excitement. I couldn’t wait to see her. Kiss her. To tell her about the impromptu vacation.

I was about to burst through the bedroom door when I heard voices inside. A man’s voice and Claudia.

A jolt of irritation ran through me. Who is that man? What was he doing in my bedroom with my wife?

I had one rule; no strangers allowed in our room. Claudia knew this, which is why I took it upon myself to clean our bedroom.

I reached for the doorknob, but the word that seeped from the room stopped me dead in my tracks. “Baby, why are you still with him? I need you at home, your son needs you with him.”

My world tilted. Claudia has a lover? A son? It felt like a bucket of ice had been poured over me. All these years of trying for a child, my wife had a child with her lover? I tried to wrap my head around the information. But nothing prepared me for her next words.

“I know baby, but this is important for our future. Remember, you forced me into this sham of a marriage. So trust me to finish the job. I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”

Her words were followed by loud laughter, a loud kiss and a sigh. My legs buckled beneath me. I felt like I was going to throw up.

I wanted to storm in and kill the man. But then I froze when I heard his next question.

“He has no idea, does he?” The voice drips with arrogance.

“Know what?” Claudia mocked. “That he’s infertile?”

“That he's infertile?” Claudia laughs, the one I used to find melodious before, now sounds like cracking glass. “Please. The infertile simp couldn’t get me pregnant even if he spent a lifetime trying.” She snorted, each word shattering the little pride I had left.

Am infertile? The word punched me in the gut.

Five years of trying, and all this time…. My hands shakily fell off the doorknob, a heavy lump settling in my chest.

“I assure you, he’ll remain heirless,” Claudia continued casually. “Until the contract expires. Then all of the Ravellios' wealth will be yours, Adrian.”

“And Nick our son?”

“Will be the one true heir.” She answered.

Claudia wasn’t cheating on me with just any man, but my stepbrother. My heart was breaking into a million pieces, and I just couldn't take it anymore. I staggered down the stairs, my mind blank and my eyes devoid of emotion.

The maids I’d seen earlier were peeking out from the kitchen, their eyes filled with pity.

I felt a bitter laugh escape me, but it was soundless.

To the world, I was untouchable, a mini god. If only they knew how worthless, I truly was. Tears welled up, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't cry like a simp as I have been called.

I beckoned to the maid I'd spoken to earlier. “Lock this in my study room, and inform everyone not to tell Claudia I was home. I’ll look into your paychecks.”

I didn't wait for a response. I walked out the front door, into the awaiting car. Maxine's face was unreadable. He must have known. They all knew.

“I’m sorry, boss.” He muttered softly.

“Drive.”