8~

~May 4th

Colin made an effort to close his mouth as Alexandra left with Jalen.

"What in the world, am I supposed to do now." He asked, Noone in particular.

"Didn't you hear her?" Thalia asked, pouring herself another cup of coffee.

"She said to do your job for once."

Colin sighed."Im pretty sure that was directed at you."

Thalia didn't respond, instead she averted her eyes slyly as she sipped from her mug.

The natural light from the wall of windows overlooking the city, dimmed a little bit.

"It's going to rain soon." Colin observed.

"Ah."

There was a bead of silence.

The air seemed thicker and devoid of the usual jokes, for something more somber.

"Is she going to be okay." Colin asked, his eyes on the screen of his laptop.

Thalia walked closer to the window, staring at the clouds as she contemplated.

"Who knows?" She shrugged.

"We can only look out for her...and do a better job of it this time."

***

He would no doubt make this hard, Fiona constantine thought.

Her brother, Rodan Constantine had the business sense of a high school bully. She woud have to find a way to subdue and use him at the same time.

She tapped her temple slightly with her french tipped nails, a headache already forming.

Her intercom buzzed.

"He's here." a voice flowed through.

She took a deep breath and tapped the little button next to the machine.

"Send him in."

Rodan came in, legs swinging into her office with just a little bit of an arrogant gait.

The first born son of Roberto constantine. The supposed heir to a 5th generation dynasty...and he was an idiot.

He sat in the seat across from her, crossing his long legs and leaning back, getting comfortable.

"Well color me surprised, little sister." He smirked. His signature constanine green eyes glowing with mischief.

"I expected you to be home licking your wounds but here you are...doesn't it bother you...so called favourite daughter, Golden Child of the constantine family cheated majorly."

Fiona simply stared blankly.

"Or don't tell me, you anticipated this scenario?"

Fiona opened her desk drawer and brought out a few documents, placing them infront of him.

"I prepare for all scenarios." She replied, placing a pen on the table.

"Here you go. Sign them."

Rodan's facial expression turned serious and the muscles under his suit bunched.

"What are these?" He asked skeptically eyeing the papers.

Telling him the gist of it wouldn't matter, he would never be able to fully understand what those papers entail, she thought.

"They are release papers. Temporary release papers. You will be signing over all your shares in constantine enterprises over to me."

"And why would I do that." His eyes danced with barely contained fury.

"Because you need the money, don't you?"

She crossed her legs. "I know about the gambling debts Rodan and the threats from the loan sharks mafia family."

He maintained a straight face towards the accusation, but the fear in his eyes spoke volumes.

"I'm willing to settle all your debts and provide you with a monthly allowance to get you by." She offered.

The color began to return to his face, along with his snarky attitude.

"I could just as easily auction of my shares to the highest bidder and get a way better deal."

He was quick to adjust, she'd give him that. She understood the threat and the very open suggestion underneath.

"Are you sure about that?" She said with an easy shrug.

"If you are...you could try, but this is the best deal you can get for your measly 14% but feel free to consult with anyone, you can even take those documents with you, bear in mind though the offer will be off the table by the end of the day."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"What are you trying to accomplish here? Huh Fifi?"

The childhood nickname still irritated the hell out tof her, and he knew it.

"Sitting here behind this desk playing office. Who do you think you are...the Ceo of Constantine enterprises? Don't make me laugh Fiona. You lost that title yesterday, the moment that will was read, Alexandra won't always play the fool for you."

"Alexandra is a child." Fiona replied calmly.

Rodan nearly laughed.

"Well I guess we'll soon see won't we."

He kicked the chair back and stood up, picking the documents in stride.

"End of the day Rodan." She said to him just as he shut the door.

Fiona sighed and swiveled her chair to face to bustling view of New york through her completely inner transparent office.

Alexandra is a child, she thought.

Simply a child...

Even with that half competent asssistant by her side she will never be able to grasp the full extent of the power she has been given.

No, handed is a better word.

A kingdom has been handed down to someone so...undeserving.

She clenched her arms tightly, in an effort to quell her building frustration.

She'd do whatever it takes even if it meant proving herself to her father beyond the grave.

Now all she had to do was somehow attain a meeting with someone unattainable.

Dimitri.

***

"It finally happened Grandma."

Alexandra had her fingers clasped infront of her as she blew hot air between them to alleviate some of the chill. She drew her coat closer and smiled as she babbled on.

"For a second there I thought he was immortal...it would explain a lot, like his bloodsucking personality."

She managed a choked laugh at he ligt joke, the sound foreign to her ears.

"He left me so much...I have no idea what to do with it though."

"He really was a bastard till the end, he couldn't even give me the one thing I wanted, and instead saddled me with all his responsibilities."

Her fake smile dimmed.

"This doesn't feel good...I had thought his death would put me in much higher spirits, and I don't mean to sound all gory, I didnt mean that I would feel an unabound happiness, but whatever I had in mind wasn't this, this feeling of loss....I don't like it at all. Like the shackles he bind me

in when he was alive got tighter and more suffocating."

"I'm barely keeping it together as it is and I don't want to have an episode, or lose it and fall back into old habits...so I was hoping you could give me a bit of advice, but I guess that's sort of an impossible ask huh...,"

She groaned as she slumped down slowly on the cold dry grass, propping herself up on the marble headstone, her mind succumbing to exhaustion and like a prayer the already darkened sky begun to spit out water droplets drenching her and shielding her with the ecxuse to shed her silent tears in the deserted graveyard.