The News

The building is icy cold and I shiver as soon as I step foot inside but my mother walks in front of me with all the confidence in the world. I try to mimic her, but I’m too hungover for that. My head hurts every time her heels go clack-clack.

And much sooner than I’m ready for, we arrive at a glass-walled boardroom.

I can see three men inside. Men I know very well.

“You can do it,” my mother says without looking at me before opening the door for me.

I swallow my fear down and walk inside, repeating her words: you can do it, you can do it.

Damon and Aiden are seated at the table and I can feel their eyes on me as soon as I enter, but I don’t pay attention to them yet.

My eyes land on the man who stands up with a smile to greet me.

Harry. Forty-five years old. A tall and athletic body, warm amber eyes, neatly styled light hair and a face that belongs in an action or superhero movie. Harry is still as handsome as the last time I saw him, but that’s no surprise.

This family’s genes are my biggest enemy.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he says, opening his arms as he approaches me cautiously, as if he wants to hug me. There was a time when I thought he could be the good father figure I never had, but his face makes it impossible for me to see him that way.

He looks too much like his sons, and that means there’s nothing familiar between us.

Not at all.

“Daddy,” I say anyway and fall into his arms, accepting his warm embrace, “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too, have you been okay?” he asks, taking my arms to move me slightly away from his body and examine me. He doesn’t look very pleased with what he sees. “Have you been eating?”

“Or just drinking yourself away?” Damon asks from the table, but I do my best to ignore him completely.

“Yes, daddy. I eat a lot,” I reply, “And I’ve been super duper okay. That’s what I keep trying to tell my mom.”

Harry grimaces as if he doesn’t believe me but before he can say anything else, someone enters the boardroom like a whirlwind.

“Holy shitballs,” the little brother, Dean. Just as gorgeous as everyone else in here except for me, “Lily?!? What are you doing here? This is very serious business stuff only.”

“Dean,” Harry groans.

“I don’t really know,” I mumble and shrug. It’s been many years, but I still don’t feel comfortable around him after everything that happened. However, Dean doesn’t seem to care and he hugs me tightly, lifting me off the floor for a second, “Agh, stop.”

“I haven’t seen you in, what? Two years, three years? Since our parents’ ten-year anniversary,” he keeps going, not realizing -or not caring- about my lack of enthusiasm in conversation.

“Dean, stop,” Harry orders in a low tone that forces him to shut up, “Take a seat. Darling, take a seat, too. There’s a new chair here just for you.”

“Oh, okay,” I murmur and start looking for a chair. My mother is sitting next to Harry’s chair. Damon is sitting on one side, Dean on the other. The only empty chair is next to Aiden, right across from Harry and my mom. Fuck my life! “Hey, Aiden… how has it been?”

“Hi, Lily,” Aiden murmurs beside me, trying to meet my eyes, but he won’t be able to because they’re fixed on my hands in my lap, “It’s been alright.”

“Good, good,” I murmur and then I look at Harry again, not even trying to engage in conversation with Damon because I know he wouldn’t say anything nice anyway, “So, can someone tell me what’s going on?”

“Well, darling,” Harry starts, at the head of the family table next to my mom. They’re holding hands, “I’ve been thinking, it’s about time you take part in the family business. You’re twenty-six and we think you should have some….”

“The family business?” I repeat, cutting him off, “Do you want to give me a job in one of your companies? Why?”

“Because you’re my daughter, isn’t that reason enough?” Harry asks, making me feel guilty. Harry has many, many flaws… he’s an absent father, a cheater, a very selfish man who only cares about money and his businesses. But I know that despite all that, he has always loved me as a daughter. And he never found out what happened with his sons, so there’s no reason for me to hate him. I just hate how much his face reminds me of those two, “I’ve given all my kids a chance to prove themselves. So far, they’ve impressed me and they’re all doing really well. Now I want to give you that same chance, Lily.”

“But I don’t know how to do… stuff,” I murmur. And I know I’m not helping myself at all, but my mother said I should maintain the ‘facade’ of being dumb, right? That won’t be difficult for me, “I didn’t even graduate from college.”

“We will all help you. You have three big brothers who were once in your same position,” Harry says. My face falls in horror at the mere idea of having to spend time with these three demons. Then the main demon starts laughing, “They WILL help you. Even Damon.”

“Of course, little sis. I’ll help you out,” he says in that evil tone he does so well. I take a deep breath and look at my hands again.

I can do it.

I can do it.

“I have a baby company, for my baby girl,” Harry continues, sounding like he really wants me to accept, “It’s called Horizon. It handles the production of Altamira merch for the new stores around the city, three of them. I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but they’re quite popular. Altamira has become a hotspot for tourists. So you would be in charge of the merch production and distribution. Making sure everything is in order with the stores and your employees, but that’s it. If you say yes, I’ll fire the CEO effective immediately and put you at the head of the company.”

Holy shit. I forgot how quick Harry is to please his children. Even me.

“Starting… when?” I ask.

“Whenever you want,” he says, “You can think about it…”

“No, she can’t think about it,” my mom snaps, “She’s twenty-six, unemployed, and she has absolutely nothing to do other than get drunk every chance she gets. She can do this. You will do this, Lilian.“

“Daddy is right, we’ll help you out,” Dean offers with a smile that reminds me of the good old times, back when we were inseparable.

I sigh and look at Damon; his eyes are still heavily set on me but then he looks at Aiden with an evil smile that makes my body go cold.

“Okay, yeah,” I finally say, “I’ll do it for you, Daddy.”

“Amazing!” Harry gets up and walks to me again, to hug me. He was never this touchy and lovey before, but I guess age has softened him a little bit, “I’ll throw you a welcome party tomorrow; you have to meet the investors and your new colleagues.”

“That sounds so fun,” I mumble, hugging him back. I’m annoyed, but I have to push through.

Still hugging Harry, I look back at the table.

The three Carrington boys are looking at me.

Two of them have seen me naked and used my body, but the three of them are going to pay for that.