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Lahat ng Kabanata ng My CEO brother wants me : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

94 Kabanata

Prologue

Lucien sat by the window of the long black luxury sedan, his arm resting against the door as he stared outside. The city moved past them in a blur of lights and glass buildings, but he wasn’t really looking at any of it.Across from him, his mother kept glancing his way.“Lucien,” she said gently, “about what happened earlier…”He didn’t turn. “I told you already,” he said. “I couldn’t control it.”Seraphina sighed softly and leaned back in her seat.The outburst that morning had been bad. A shattered vase. Raised voices. One of the house staff had to be sent home in tears.It wasn’t the first time, and they weren't sure it would be the last.His father, Alaric, sat beside him, calm as always, hands resting on his cane.“Your therapist made another recommendation,” Alaric said.Lucien didn’t react, but he was listening.“He thinks it might help if we adopted a child,” Alaric continued. “A young girl. Someone who could stay close to you. Someone you could bond with.”That got Lucien’s

Chapter One

AVA I stepped off the private jet and stopped without meaning to. A line of black cars waited on the tarmac. Three of them. All shiny and expensive. Men in dark suits stood beside the doors, already waiting for me. I let out a slow breath and smiled bitterly to myself. I didn’t know why I expected anything different. Six years away, and part of me still hoped someone would come for me. Seraphina, Alaric. Maybe even Lucien. Just one familiar face to say welcome home. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and walked closer. One of the men nodded politely. “Welcome back, Miss Elara.” Not Miss Hale. My smile faltered for a second, but I nodded anyway. “Thank you.” Another guard opened the door of the car in the middle. It was a Rolls-Royce. I paused for a moment, my eyes tracing the smooth lines. I had always liked cars. Still, it didn’t make me feel any better. I slid into the back seat, and the door closed behind me. The car moved almost immediately. As the road stre

Chapter Two

AvaI took a breath and walked down the stairs.I didn’t see him yet, but I heard his voice. It was deeper than I remembered, the kind of voice that didn’t need to be loud to be heard.“I’ve been busy,” he said.Seraphina clicked her tongue. “Busy is not an excuse, Lucien. You disappear for months and think visiting now fixes it.”“I call,” he replied.“Once in a while,” she shot back. “You didn’t even visit when Ava was still abroad.”I slowed my steps without meaning to.Alaric sighed softly. “You two have been having this same argument for years,” he said. “Let him breathe.”I reached the bottom step just as Seraphina looked up and saw me.Her face softened immediately. “There you are.”Lucien turned, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.He was taller, somehow impossibly taller than he was six years ago. I didn’t even know how that was possible. I had seen him on screens, interviews and articles. The media loved him.But none of it came close.He was wearing black from head t

Chapter Three

Lucien’s POV I watched her run upstairs. The sound of her steps faded quickly, but the tension she left behind stayed in the room. My mother exhaled slowly. “Lucien, why did you have to do that like that?” I didn’t answer. She turned toward me. “She just got back. It’s too soon.” I folded my napkin neatly beside my plate before responding. “I’ve waited long enough.” My father leaned back in his chair, watching me the way he always did when he was deciding whether to argue or not. Seraphina shook her head. “I know you have,” she said. “But you could have waited a little longer. Ava is only twenty two.” I looked at her, then responded, “That means she’s old enough.” She pressed her lips together, clearly unhappy with that answer. Across the table, my father sighed. “And how exactly do you plan to get her to agree?” he asked. “You saw how she ran upstairs.” I leaned back in my chair. “She’ll be fine.” Seraphina frowned. “Lucien.” “She’s overwhelmed,” I

Chapter Four

AvaThe moment he left my room, my legs gave out. I didn’t even realize when I sat down on the bed.My heart was still racing and my thoughts were running faster than I could hold onto any of them.Marry him?Lucien?I placed my hands on my face to try to calm my breathing. But the more I thought about what he said, the more the past started rearranging itself in my head.Small things, things I never questioned before, like the day he told me not to call our parents Mom and Dad.I was nine.We were having dinner, and I remember calling Seraphina “Mom”. Lucien’s voice cut in immediately.“Don’t call her that.”I had looked at him, confused.“Why?” I asked.“Because they’re not your parents,” he said flatly.I remembered how quiet the table had gone.Seraphina had tried to smooth it over, saying I could call them whatever made me comfortable but Lucien didn’t agree.Back then, I thought he was just being rude and cold. I thought he didn’t like me.Never in my wildest dreams did I think

Chapter Five

“So you’re back with your rich family now?” Maya, my blood sister, said. I could clearly hear the resentment in her voice.“Maya,” I said softly. “Hi.”She laughed. “Hi?” she repeated. “That’s all you have to say after disappearing into luxury for six years?”My fingers tightened around my phone.“I didn’t disappear,” I said carefully. “You knew where I was.”“Oh, I knew,” she replied quickly. “London...private university...private jet rides... living the dream.”“Must be nice,” she added.Guilt flickered through me, but I kept my voice calm.“I didn’t choose how things happened.”“No,” she said. “You just benefited from it.”I closed my eyes briefly.“Maya-”“Do you know when I left the orphanage?” she cut in.“Yes,” I muttered. “Five years ago.”“Eighteen, Ava. I was eighteen." she repeated. “I stayed there until I aged out. No rich family came back for me.”Her words weren’t loud but they hit hard anyway.“I tried to stay in touch,” I said softly.“You called sometimes,” she corre

Chapter Six

AVA When I stepped out of the house, I saw the black Rolls-Royce from yesterday parked at the entrance. The same one that had picked me up from the airport. The driver stood beside it, along with one of the Hale security men. Both straight-backed, professional, waiting like they had been there long before I came out. The moment they saw me, they bowed. “Good morning, Miss Ava,” the driver said. “Good morning,” I replied. “Where are you headed, ma’am? The boss told us to prepare the car.” I frowned slightly. He knew I would go out. Of course he did. I exhaled, then answered, “Greenfield.” He nodded immediately and moved to open the back door, but I stopped him. “I can’t take this car.” I said. He blinked, confused. “Ma’am?” “It’s too much,” I explained. “I’m going to apply for a job, not attend a gala. I can’t show up in a Rolls-Royce.” Understanding dawned slowly on his face. “I see.” He straightened again. “Please follow me, Miss Ava.” He led me past t

Chapter Seven

LUCIEN The boardroom was quiet. I stood at the head of the table, resting one hand on the polished surface as I looked over the presentation slides projected on the wall. “This is what you consider acceptable?” I said. No one answered. I tapped the remote, switching to the next slide. “Your projections are inaccurate. Your risk assessment is weak. And your contingency plan…” I paused briefly. “…is almost nonexistent.” Across the table, executives shifted uncomfortably in their seats. No one dared interrupt. “What exactly do I pay you all for,” I continued, voice even, “if you cannot perform at the level this company requires?” One of the senior managers opened his mouth to talk, then thought better of it and closed it again. Good decision. I was about to continue when my phone buzzed against the table. Several people glanced at it, then immediately looked away again. Everyone knew I hated disturbances during meetings. If it wasn’t urgent, someone was going to regret it.

Chapter Eight

AVA Lucien. It had to be him. Foolish of me to think his influence wouldn’t reach here, when he practically controlled the economy of Port Elam. Greenfield included, apparently. I looked at the lead interviewer, then at the others. They wouldn’t meet my eyes for long. I exhaled and forced a small smile. “It’s fine,” I said. “I understand." The interviewers looked relieved, maybe because I wasn’t making it difficult for them. “I’m very sorry, Miss Carson,” the lead interviewer said again. “You’re a very qualified candidate.” “Yes,” another added quickly. “Under different circumstances, we would have-” “It’s alright,” I cut in gently. There was no point hearing the rest. They weren’t rejecting me, they were simply complying with someone more powerful than their hiring policies. I gathered my folder and stood. They all rose too in polite response. “We do wish you the best in your future applications,” the lead interviewer said. I nodded once. “Thank you

Chapter Nine

AVAHe walked in without saying a word.When I finally turned to face him, I noticed he had already taken off his suit jacket, and he was watching me.The surprise from the picture earlier vanished instantly, replaced by the anger I came here with.I stepped toward him.“Did you call Greenfield?” I asked. “Did you tell them not to hire me?”He didn’t answer which only made my anger worsen.“Of course you did.”His gaze stayed on mine.“So this is what we’re doing now?” I continued. “You control where I live, where I school, and now where I work too?”He finally spoke.“Yes.”My breath caught. Not because I didn’t expect it, but because he didn’t even try to hide it.“You had no right,” I said.“I have every right.”My brows pulled together in disbelief.“On what grounds?”“You’re mine.”My anger flared hotter this time.“I am not yours, Lucien.”He took a step closer.“You walked into my world today,” he said calmly. “You should have expected my influence would be here.”“That doesn’t

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