"I've never seen you this excited for a Baron party."Annie entered from the door into the room and Sofia darted a look through the mirror back at her. She was dressed in a sheer burgundy gown that Oscar had bought for her back in Italy. If there was anything that the Barons were known for, it was how to throw a party.And tonight was officially the night that Aaron would take over the company. He would publicly announced as CEO and all the shares and stakes would be in his name. It was the moment everyone was waiting for and a time that could never be short of drama.Sofia hadn’t seen Oscar that night neither had she seen Theo but at least Annie checked in from time to time, especially with the information they both had that could very much change everything. “You look fantastic” She complimented, taking a seat by the edge of the bed and Sofia had a nervous expression across her face as she turned around. It was obvious the confidence was all a veneer for Annie herself who was dress
"Frances—" Sofia was halted by her hands in her face and Theo walked out of the room, leaving the two women alone. Francesca inched close enough that her lips grazed the lobes on Sofia's ears. "Don't try me tonight" She warned. "Stay out of my motherfucking business or you'll get hurt, Sofia""You try and be smart but you'll only wound yourself most" Francesca threatened before pulling away. Her jewelry glinted in the lights and Sofia followed them until both their eyes were locked in squarely and there was an evil grimace across her lips.Francesca cat-walked out of the room and was met with the flashing lights of the press, waiting on her. She was about to be crowned queen of the Baron empire and as outrageous as it sounded, this was more of her night than it was Aaron's. Sofia clutched her chest as the echoes of her vicious words flooded back to her.She needed to see Annie that moment.And although she had already made it abundantly clear that morning, there was absolutely no way
"It's been a really long time brother." He grinned.Dimitri’s raucous voice might have been overshadowed by the chaos which ensued in the halls but it was still as clear as day to Oscar. He arched his brows, unconsciously folding in his fists out of anger. He remembered denting Dimitri’s nose a while back and thought he’d at least spend some more time in intensive care.But somehow, here he was.And besides the few scars across his face, he was fairing even better than Oscar. “You won’t want to beat me in public” He gritted through his teeth, pushing into Oscar’s chest as he leaped forward. Both their eyes navigated the score of cameras and reporters at each post and corner of the room and then Oscar looked back to the gnarly smile across his lips.“They’re cameras everywhere.” Dimitri rubbed his hands together.“There’s no way you would be getting away with it this time if you hurt me” He brushed into his shoulders. “By the way—“ During his brief pause, Oscar threw another look at hi
“Oscar”“Can we sit down and talk?” Ronald’s voice halted his son in his tracks and Oscar couldn’t help but dart a worrisome look to his mother. He could sense the brewing tension in the air that could be cut by a knife.And everywhere fell silent as Cynthia picked her bags to leave.So silent that even as she closed the door, one could hear the soft noises that came from her sobs. Oscar’s heart jackhammered in the uncertainty of what his father had to say and it took a moment for him to calm. “I’m really sorry for tonight” Oscar muttered because even though they hadn’t been on the best of terms, he still knew how much this meant to Ronald and how much he wanted this. So putting aside everything, he still apologized and that brought a faint smile across his father’s lips, cementing the decision he was about to make that night.“I made a mistake” Ronald took a seat right to him.“It was doomed from the moment i realized i had to give everything to Aaron when it should have been you” H
One Week Later.The row of chairs were silent and the winds rustled the leaves of the flowers along the aisle. There were a few people, most of whom were the closest family to the Baron and then a handful of reporters. Everywhere was silent and the atmosphere was as thick with tension and grief.There was a coffin meters away from the front chairs where Cynthia alongside Oscar was sat. He was in a glistening black tuxedo which matched his mother’s dress. He was doing a better job at holding back his tears than she was. Cynthia was a wreck, having her head buried into her handful of tissue paper. The silence was deafening through her ears and she especially would have breathed a sigh of relief as the emcee finally mounted the stage.He grappled the microphone and cleared his throat.“I would like to welcome you to this celebration of the life of Mr Ronald Baron” This was the moment—this was the moment Oscar dreaded his whole life but somehow, here he was. He was in it.No amount of hop
“Theodore.”“Would you like to say something?” Cynthia, who was barely holding unto the microphone stood ahead on the stage and looked to the youngest Baron. At the call of his name, Theo lifted his gaze before subsequently looking around him. He was nervous and one could tell from the way he pointed at himself before falling out of the chair. It wasn’t rocket science to figure out he was a bit drunk—the bottle was even slightly peeking out of his pockets.He staggered his way to the podium but before he said anything, thankfully he was sober enough to realize he owed Cynthia an apology. Because she might not have been his birth mother, but there was no reason to disrespect her the way he did.“I’m sorry for the other time” He whispered and she let it go with a nod. She had bigger worries than something her already been forgiven for. Cynthia was his stepmother but she was the opposite of stereotypical given how she raised Theo like he was her child—like the rest of them.Things weren
“Shit.” That was never a good sign.“Shit!”“Shit!” Though Oscar knew the last thing he was probably supposed to be doing was driving himself across the highway, he still hopped into his Mercedes as the only way he could get out of there.The day had already began bad given it was his father’s funeral but there was no way he had an idea that it would turn out way worse.His fingers clenched around the leather steering wheel and he tried so hard to quiet the ravaging thoughts in his head. He was breathing heavily and on the edge of his seat. His eyes were blurred and his feet was still pressing into the gas out of anger.He sped at past a hundred and twenty kilometers per hour and even the building ls beside him had turned into a hazy blur. The sound of his revving engines were the only way to silence his thoughts and for a moment, Oscar didn’t care if he were to die then and there. The pictures of Sofia and all their moments flashed behind his eyes and he could feel himself grow angri
THREE WEEKS EARLIER.“We have put a call through to your sister, Mr Baron” The nurse fled back to the ward with the phone still in her hands and her gaze fell on a persistent Dimitri who still insisted to leave that very day. “She said she will come and get you. I’m not sure you’re perfectly fine—““But i can walk!” He yelled at the top of her voice and the nurses backed away in fear. “I can walk and there’s legs would get me home” Dimitri spat as he could do as little as speak a few days ago. He grabbed his bags and launched it across his shoulders.“Keeping me here is wrongful detention. Not when i’ve been discharged”“You forced us to discharge you” The nurse that spoke up was the bravest of them all and Dimitri inched closer to her with a threatening look in her eyes. “Get out of my way” He snarled and before she could even move, he bumped into her shoulders. As he sauntered down the halls, they exchanged a look of relief between themselves.The monster was finally awake.“Fucking