Wolf's Den

"You useless piece of trash!" he shouted as he swept all the documents off the mahogany office table, sparing only the computer. With only three people in a spacious office with all windows and doors closed, his voice was terrifying.

"Dad, it's just one inferior student. Why are you so worked up about this? This is unlike you," Damian pleaded, he was traumatised from the frequent abuse and a mere raise in his voice made him tremble. "Please! I won't do this again!"

The man rose up from his leather chair and in a blinding fury smashed Damian straight at his right cheek. He fell down in one hit, clenching his stinging face with tears streaming down from the fear.

"I would not care about that small fry. It's just that you provoked someone else larger than you. That's your mistake. Failure to know your capabilities. What incompetence! You can even just stay put and not cause me trouble."

He continued to kick the downed Damian repetitively. He could only brace it as he took hits to his torso.

"Agh, ugh, please… I've… learnt from… agh… mistakes…" he tried to mutter while gasping for air in between strikes.

The third person in the room interrupted the beat-down. "Mr Donald, I believe that's enough and we should get to the main topic," the well-dressed man reminded him calmly while flipping through the stack of documents on his arms, impervious to the scene in front of him. "You have a meeting with the Trade Minister in an hour. With the traffic conditions currently, we would need to leave in 30 minutes."

"Tch, alright Sebastian. I'll get to the main point. Stand up, you useless son. I don't understand why that woman would get me this sorry kid," Donald stopped the pummeling and straightened his clothes. He examined his shiny black oxfords to make sure no blood got on it for the meeting later.

"I have one thing that could make you at least somewhat useful. I have arranged a marriage to the daughter of Shinra Corporation. This union will improve my reputation and influence in the corporate world. Besides, I would need assurance if the Macchia family decides to dispose of me."

Damian was shocked. He did not hear of any of this. He does not want to get married to someone he did not know but he was too terrified to disagree. Despite that, he clenched his fists and swallowed his fears.

"I refuse. I'm already in a relationship with someone else", he objected with a determined fire in his eyes. Both Mr Donald and Sebastian were taken aback.

Mr Donald smirked and leaned on the table with his arms crossed. "Hmm, why don't you tell me more about this person and why she would be better than my candidate?" He was entertained that Damian would finally have the guts to stand for himself.

"Her name is Sylvia Ardent, a schoolmate and part of the disciplinary committee. I really like her! I really really do!" his face was red but his expression steadfast.

'She's the one who reported you. Dumbass.'

The Ardents, huh? If that's true, it would not be too bad if they're in a relationship. The Macchia family are placing me in a precarious position and if I could peel their guards away to my side, it would be really convenient.

"Fine, I'll allow it", Mr Donald relented and Damian's eyes lit up. He was going to burst out in celebration if it wasn't for the place and people around him.

"But with one condition." The word 'condition' immediately punctured his mood and went back to his worried state.

"The condition is that if you were to end your relationship, you are to listen to everything I say without questions or objections. Understood?" Mr Donald gave the expression of a trickster.

His years of rigorous negotiations and plotting developed his ability to read people as if they are transparent. Nothing escapes him. Either way, it's a win for him. He had nothing to lose and every deal he makes is an advantageous one.

"I… I understand", Damian swallowed hard and agreed but in his head, he was racking his brains.

'How am I going to convince her to play along?!'

"If you understand, then get out of my sight. I have more important tasks to attend to."

Damian hurried out of the room but as he exited and about to close the heavy oak doors, he heard some snippets of their conversation.

"How are the preparations doing? Years of planning and I will not let anything stop me."

"Yes, the preparations are going well. One-third of the board is already on our side. A few more others sitting on the fence could have some… encouragement."

The door clicked shut after that last word. Damian was curious, this sounds more than the usual schemes. Something big is up. But he shook the thought away, it does not concern him.

Suddenly he realised, why did his dad with all the conniving, agreed to his choice? Sylvia is just a normal student from school without any notable background.

'Who is she? What's going on?!'

Back in the office, both of the men could begin discussing freely after the door closed.

"Is it a part of your plan to let him overhear that part?" Sebastian questioned.

"Yes, it'll fit into our plans later. People who are curious and think too much are actually simplistic. We can easily predict their next movements. He won't be able to resist to dig further and sow misinformation."

--------------------------

Sylvia gave a loud sneeze. Someone must be talking about her.

"Are you fine? Did you get sick? What if all these scratches caught an infection?" Luna was concerned for her after all that bravado, Sylvia was bruised all over.

"I'm alright. Ow! Ow! That hurts", Sylvia exclaimed as Luna tended to her wounds with ointments and bandages.

"Ha! Not so tough after all", Luna poked at her but Sylvia replied with a catatonic stare. "Alright alright, I'm sorry and I'll be more careful. I've always told you to not be reckless but you never listened", she shook her head in resignment.

"Oh right, you reported Damian's behaviour back to the family?" Luna remembered and asked.

"Yeah, I hope they teach him a lesson so he can learn to fix his atrocious behaviour."

Luna could only nod slowly.

"But don't worry, our identities are still a secret. A strict order was imposed on this and even Mr Donald can't afford to ignore it. Damian will stay ignorant in this especially after what he did earlier. With that attitude, he'll end up a single man forever. Only idiots will like him."