Ryke Sterling stared at the city from thirty stories above. People scrambled about like little ants going about their daily activities.
Greendale was as they called it The City of the Rich and with the money came numerous scandals making headlines.
His lips curved a little as he remembered the one currently topping the news.
"Logan Steele is on the verge of losing his company".
Slowly he turned, making his way to his bar. One of the rules of the company was, never drink on the job.
He poured himself a drink, bringing it to his lips.
The perks of owning the company, he thought.
Logan was a good man, he almost felt sorry for his current predicament but like his father used to say.
"Only the mighty survive in the world".
Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day. He couldn't wait to see how it would all play out.
***********
The news came at her everywhere she turned. It was just written in a different way.
"Billionaire Logan Steele signs away his company".
"Steele Co-operations, A Lost Legacy?"
"Logan Steele on the verge of losing his company"
"Sterlings: The Future of Steele".
"Crystal, did you hear what I just said?".
She snapped out of her thoughts to meet her best friend's eyes.
"I'm sorry Bels, what was it?".
Isabella signed sadly, "I asked if Logan has come up with a plan".
"He hasn't left his study in days. He won't tell me anything. Nobody is telling me anything", Crystal finished angrily.
"He will figure it out. He is the smartest person I know".
Crystal looked down at the last headline, "I really hope he does".
****************
"Sir you have Logan Steele here to see you".
Ryke's lips curved, "Let him in Kimberly".
He would admit, he had a lot of respect for the man standing in front of him.
Logan lost his parents at the age of sixteen, thrusting him into the business world. He had single handedly taken a multi-million company and made it into a billion dollar company while shouldering the responsibility of raising his little sister.
But unfortunately it takes little to make or break a man. In his case, it was a tiny mistake.
One might be wondering why he was going after Logan's company.
Steele Co-operations dealt with the production of machineries, Sterlings was one of the biggest accounting companies in the world. They were not competitors but in the business world, you go after what you can or in this case, what you want.
He finally raised his head to acknowledge him.
"Logan Steele, how is it that we had not met prior to this. It's a shame it has to be under such circumstances".
Logan glared, "Cut the crap out Ryke and tell me what you want. I would say you wanted my company to get the competition out of the way but we both know that's not what this is about. Our companies are in no way related. So I ask again, tell me what you want".
Ryke sighed, "Tasha was right. It is always business with you".
Logan's face turned red at the mention of her name making Ryke's lips curve higher.
Even though his father had been a complete asshole, he had been right about certain things. One of which was, "Women are vile creatures that will destroy you if you give them the chance".
An evidence of the point was standing in front of him.
"You can sit Mr. Steele"
"What do you want Ryke?" asked Logan reluctantly, taking a seat.
Ryke closed his laptop, "I'll tear up the contract that you signed handing Steele Co-operations over to me".
"In exchange for what?".
"I have a new contract, my lawyers already had it drawn and sent to me. All you need to do is sign it and you can be on your merry way with your company still in your name".
He stood up, handing Logan a sealed contract.
He watched with a small smile as he read through the details. It would be any second now, five, four, three, two, one.....
"You can't be serious", Logan sprang out of his seat.
Finally losing all sense of humor, Ryke said, "Three days, that's all I'm giving you before I start tearing down Steele Co-operations".
Logan threw the contract at him as he walked out angrily.
"Three days Logan".
***************
Crystal scattered the last pieces of the bread crumbs.
The birds all gathered round to peck at them. She watched and wondered what it would feel like to be like them.
She would be able to spread her wings, soaring in the sky without a single care in the world.
She would be free.
"Mum used to stare at the sky too with that same wishful look. The birds don't have it as easy as you think".
She turned to her brother sharply, "How did the meeting go?. Did he agree to your terms?. Are we going to lose the company?"
"Snowflake, I told you it doesn't concern you".
"You can't say that Lo, I know it's your company but I'm a Steele too, it's a part of my legacy too".
"Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine".
He came closer, pulling her in for a hug then pecking her forehead.
"Everything will be fine Snowflake. I promise", he whispered into her hair.
She tried to make herself believe Logan's words as she tossed and turned in bed that night. Logan had gone through tough times, but never had she seen hopelessness in his eyes before.
Throwing the cover off, she got to her feet grabbing her running gear.
"I don't know what to do". Logan paused, "I heard he was a bastard but this is just taking it to another level". He paused again, "He gave me three days to sign my sister off as his property. He went quiet, "I don't care if it's just for a year or a single minute. I'm not letting him anywhere near Crystal".
"What?", Crystal burst into the study, "He wants you to do what?".
"I will call you back Derek". Logan ended the call and turned to face her.
"You should be in bed. You have school tomorrow".
"I've had enough. You are done keeping me in the dark. First of all, you go and sign a paper handing him the company, I still don't understand how that was possible. You are the smartest person I know. Now you are hiding the fact that Ryke Sterling wants to buy me in exchange for the company?"
"Crystal you are blowing-"
"No you don't get to interrupt me. We are a team Lo, or at least I thought we were".
Logan sighed, running a hand through his hair, "You want to know what's happening. Okay then. Sit and I will tell you everything".
**************
The rain poured down, hitting the sheets angrily. It had come out of nowhere. It reminded him of her.
Crystal
Another of father's words rang in his ear, "A plan will always work out when executed properly. It might take a bloody amount of time but remember, it will always work out".
He had laid out his plan, following his father's advice and executed it strategically.
It took two years for it to actualize but here he was.
He closed his eyes as he remembered how it all began.
~~Two years ago~~Kimberly walked in holding a bunch of documents."Sir, I have all the papers ready. All you need to do is sign them so demolition can begin".If there was one thing about Kimberly, it was that she was efficient and almost never wrong which was why he had hired her immediately after she graduated.He would admit, she was a sight for sore eyes but he would never break one of his rules and that was Never mix business with pleasure.He nodded at her. A silent indication that she could leave."Kimberly", he called out.She paused but didn't turn."I will be going to look at the place myself".Ryke couldn't recall why he bought the land particularly. Oh actually he could, it was because of the restaurant standing built on it.The place was colorful, everyone and everything around it radiated happiness. It looked like it needed someone to help down the spirits.Some might call him sad, he didn't actually care. He was a realist and one thing he knew, "The word is a sad and d
"I've never been this up close", Bels gasped"Me too. You think they will let us in?'"You didn't know if they would let us in when you dashed off like superwoman?"Crystal glared at her. "Sorry sorry. I know now is not the time for jokes".Turns out getting in was not much of a hassle. The security guards just let them in after they stated their names."It's even bigger inside"."Why are you acting like this is the first time you've been to a billion dollar company"."Logan's company might be big yes, but girl this just hits differently".Crystal rolled her eyes."Do we even know where we are going?""If his ego is as big as they say it is, then we are heading to the top floor".Immediately they stepped out of the elevator, someone called her name."Crystal Steele?".The woman in front of her was beautiful. She looked like she was in her late twenties with dark blonde hair pinned upwards, no piece falling out of place. Olive green eyes that were smiling kindly at her."Owww. What was
There were very few things that irritated Ryke. People that talked to loud, Women that didn't understand the difference between a one time fuck and a relationship, People that wasted his time, Prolonged conversations but most of all, it was not getting what he wanted. He stared out his window with a frown on his face. To say the meeting with Jacob Morgan had left him irritated would be an understatement. "Mr. Sterling. It's finally nice to meet the genius behind Sterlings, Jacob said as he extended his hand for a handshake. Jacob Morgan carried himself like he had seen it all. Considering that he was a man in his late seventies, he would be deserving of that right. Peppered gray hair and beards with hazel eyes that looked kind when he smiled. "Mr Morgan. The honor is mine", he took his hands. " Why don't we get down to business. I went through the documents personally. Only the best for a company as good as Sterlings and I have to say I was very impressed. Well I hadn't expect
The bright light hit her eyes as she opened them, almost blinding her. She looked around trying to decipher where she was. She couldn’t quite explain it but she felt a sense of warmth surrounding her, like everything was right in the world.“Why are you standing all alone my little swan?”.Crystal’s head whipped around so fast that it could have snapped off. Her mother stood in front of her with a beautiful smile and her eyes sparkling with mischief.“Mum”.Crystal’s legs moved before her brain could catch up and she was throwing herself into her mother’s open arms.“Mum”, she said again crying into her mother’s chest.She finally recovered herself, “How are you here?. Am I dead?. Where’s Dad?. What is this place?”.Jessica laughed softly, the sound floating into the air, “You don’t have to worry my little swan. Everything will be fine. Come I want to show you something”.Her mother led her through a passage. They walked for a while, coming to a stop eventually.Crystal gasped. The
Crystal lay on the bed facing the ceiling.“If you think dying is your way out this contract then you’d have to think again”.She didn’t need to turn to know who it was. She had been having recurring dreams with the owner of the voice starring in most of them.“If you’ve come to irritate me, then you can save it for later. After all, we have the rest of our lives to spend together”.Ryke smiled, he realized he had been doing a lot of that lately. That mouth of hers. He couldn’t wait to discover what else they did apart from spit fire."It's funny how easily your brother signed you off. One might think he was eager to get rid of you", Ryke said, trying to rile her up more.It worked.Crystal glared at him, "Don't talk about my brother. You know nothing of our relationship".Ryke sighed, "You are acting like a petulant child. I know you are only eighteen but you mustn't act like it"."Since I'm such a child, why did you force me into a marriage and what are you even here?""Stop raising
The hospital was awfully quiet. The only sound that could be heard were the low beeping of the machines that were probably supporting people's lives. Crystal rolled and tossed in bed bored out of her mind. Why hadn't they discharged her yet?. Maybe she could have gone with Ryke then when they got outside, she would have screamed kidnapper then run off. Logan and Isabella had come back trying to talk to her. They had nothing to say that would make the situation better so she had sent them away. "Why is your hair so white?. Is that a medical condition?" Crystal turned to meet beautiful olive eyes staring back at her. They belonged to a pale looking little girl. She couldn't be more than nine or ten years old. "What?" "Your hair, were you born with it?", the girl said, stepping forward. "Uhmmm yes. Shouldn't you be in bed?" The little girl giggled, "I should but I like it when Nurse Mary runs around the hospital trying to find me. She could use the exercise". Crystal laughed.
The stench of chemicals was becoming unbearable."I need to get out of this hospital". Crystal removed the tubes stuck in her arm. She was about to sneak out of the hospital room when something caught her eye.She picked it up. Ryke had left his business card.Did he really expect her to call him?She threw it and it landed on the bed. "On second thought, I need to call him and give him a little bit more words".Crystal managed to make it out without anyone seeing her.The hospital really needed to up their security.She couldn't call Logan because she really didn't want to owe him any favors, Isabella wasn't the best person on her radar. She quickly programmed Ryke's number in her phone and then she began to walk.She felt a pang. Where was she really walking to?Her home was basically not her home anymore since she had been given to someone as a property.What was happening?"Are you lost? Come little girl I'll show you the way".Crystal turned swiftly. There were three huge men st
Voices floated around her.What was that awful smell? and didn't she just leave the hospital.She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the bright light."You are awake".She tried to get up to face the owner of the voice but she felt a sharp pain in her leg."The Doctor said you shouldn't try to move too quickly. You got lucky. The bullet didn't do much damage but you still need time to heal".She looked at him talking so casually like he wasn't the reason a psycho bitch shot at her."Aren't you going to say anything?"Crystal stared at him still staying quiet.Logan rushed into the room, Isabella following suit."Oh my God Crystal, are you okay?", Isabella asked going to get side."Snowflake are you okay?"Why were they asking her that stupid question. She was shot, she's in the hospital. Of course she's not okay.So she kept quiet still.Logan turned to Ryke angrily, "It hasn't been up to a day and you already got her shot"."I do not need to explain anything to you. Now if the two of you