Chapter 6: The Girlfriend Thief

Damien PoV

Cassian scoffed as I failed to respond to his inquiry. He grumbled like the brat he was and huffed. "Fine, be like that. I'm just trying to help."

"Sure," I muttered, walking away. That jerk was the opposite of helpful. Zara suggested I bury the hatchet with him for the sake of my ambition, but I just couldn't do it. He was just too irksome, even for me.

I ended up taking a different path toward the room I told Zara to settle Shelly and Toren in. Now wasn't the time for Cassian nor the rest of the family to learn who those two were. 

Haha. I couldn't wait to see the family's shocked faces at the funeral tomorrow. Maybe I could even see which of them might've killed their parents. Initial reactions were very telling. Although, they might not be all that easy to make out. The family would have plenty of pissed off members, and some might even be anxious about the potential scandal.

When I finally caught back up with the siblings and Zara, Toren was marveling at a statue of a soldier from the medieval period. "Cool!" he said, his eyes sparkling. "Sis, look! Giant!"

Shelly laughed. "It's a statue, sweetie. Not a giant."

Toren giggled, running around it. "Big man! Like a dino! Rawr!"

"Rawr!" I yelled, chuckling. But I soon gulped.

Zara sighed and Shelly turned towards me, frowning. "Are you spying on us, Damien?"

I grinned and approached them. "No, I was just making sure you were safe."

Shelly looked at me suspiciously. "And, you couldn't have just called or texted Zara? You had to come all the way here to check on us?"

I shrugged. "I was bored, okay?"

Toren giggled and ran to me. "Rawr!"

"Rawr!" I replied, picking him up and spinning him around. "You're a very strong dinosaur! Rawr!"

Shelly chuckled. "You're like a big kid, Damien."

I laughed. "Hey, it's fun being a kid! I never got to be one. So, now I'm making up for it."

She frowned, looking at me with curiosity in her eyes. "You didn't have a normal childhood?"

I shrugged. "Nope. It was all about business, money, and politics. You know, the usual rich people stuff. I never got to play or have fun. I was always studying or practicing some boring skill. I didn't get to be a kid, so I'm doing it now."

She nodded, her eyes softening. "I see."

"Yep," I said, putting Toren down. "Anyway, let me show you to your room."

I showed them to a suite in the west wing. It was close to my room, but far enough away that they would have some privacy.

"Tada!" I said, opening the door. "Welcome to your new bedroom!"

Shelly's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me? This is basically a suite!"

I grinned. "Yep! Just for you and your brother."

She shook her head. "This is too much. I can't accept this."

I laughed. "Don't worry about it. This is only part of your inheritance as a member of the family. You'll be getting more stuff soon, anyway."

She blinked, then sighed. "Well, I suppose I can't refuse. But, I'm not going to abuse your hospitality."

"Hospitality? Didn't you hear? You're part of the family now," I said, grinning. "This is your home. Enjoy it."

Shelly's PoV

I couldn't believe this. The room was bigger than our whole apartment. And, it was full of expensive-looking furniture.

"Look, sis! Big TV!" Toren said, jumping on the big fluffy bed.

I jumped in with him and giggled. "It's so soft!"

Damien laughed. "Of course, it is. Only the best for my family. And, don't worry. I had the bed reinforced to hold up to 400 pounds. You can both sleep in it if you want."

I blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Four-hundred pounds? Toren and I don't weigh that much."

Damien shrugged. "It's just a precaution. If someone tries to break into your room, you can jump on them and crush them. It's a great security measure."

I stared at him. Was he serious?

"Uh, are we expecting break-ins?" I asked, a bit concerned.

"Nah, just a joke," he said, waving his hand.

"Rawr!" Toren roared, as if imagining a dino jumping on the bed.

Damien chuckled. "Indeed, it could support some smaller dinosaurs." He picked up a remote and pressed a button. The lights went down and the curtains opened, showing a beautiful view of the garden. "There, it's all yours now. Make yourself comfortable." He turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and if you need anything, just ask Zara. She'll be your personal maid and bodyguard."

Zara gasped. "Sir, I'm your assistant."

He laughed and waved his hand. "And, you're the perfect person to look after these two. They're family, and I trust you."

Zara sighed and nodded. "If you say so, Sir."

Damien grinned at me. "Well, have fun settling in. I'll be in the shower!" He took off his shirt and threw it on the floor before running off.

I blushed, staring at his bare back. "Does he always do that?"

Zara nodded, picking up his shirt. "Yes. You'll get used to it."

Toren laughed and tried taking his shirt off, but I stopped him. "No, sweetie. You can't just run around without a shirt."

"Aw," Toren pouted, putting it back on.

I sighed and looked at Zara. "So, what now?"

Zara smiled, walking towards me. "Now, you relax. The rest of the family doesn't know about the will, and I advise you not to tell them. Not yet. They might try to get you kicked out."

I gulped. "That's reassuring."

Zara laughed. "Don't worry. You have the protection of the future head of the family. No one will touch you."

I sighed. "Do you think the clan will be safe in the hands of someone like Damien?"

She nodded. "Damien is... eccentric. But he's also loyal and protective. He's a good man, despite his oddities. With you and Toren, he might have a better chance at winning the seat. He needs more allies. And, you're now one of them."

I looked at Toren and ruffled his hair. He did love playing with Damien. Maybe I should trust him. But, could I really trust someone like him to lead?

"I'll try to help him, but I can't make any promises," I said.

She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "I know it's hard to adjust. But you're not alone. Damien has the backing of the late family head. That alone will sway some members. The others will be harder to convince. There is one potential ally, but Damien and him have bad blood."

I frowned. "Who?"

She sighed. "Cassian."