Inherited sins

THE STRANGER

Lucien’s pov.

“Who are you?”

“I could ask you the same.”

She folded her arms across her chest, shifting her weight onto one foot as though she’d already decided I was the one who needed explaining.

“This is my apartment,” she stated matter of factly.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Is it?”

She blinked once, waiting.

It went silent, before she let out a quiet breath

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“What question?” I asked.

Her brows knotted together. “You. Who are you?”

“Okay,” I said, tilting my head slightly. “Who are you?”

She looked annoyed before she answered.

“I’m Vivienne Rhodes.”

The second she said Rhodes, something shifted inside me.

So this was Vincent Rhodes’ daughter.

For the first time, I was putting a face to the name.

She looked younger than I’d imagined. She didn’t carry herself like Vincent . I found myself studying her for another second, trying to find some resemblance. She wasn’t arrogant. She didn’t even look like him. Whatever resemblance existed, it wasn’t in her expression.

“I’m waiting,” she said when I didn’t respond.

I looked back at her.

“Lucien Cole.”

Nothing.

Not even a flicker of recognition.

I scoffed quietly.

Of course she didn’t know the name. Her son of a b***h father had buried the past well enough that his own daughter knew nothing about it.

I watched her tap her fingers impatiently against her arm before she spoke again.

“Well? Are you going to explain why you’re in my apartment?”

A short laugh escaped me.

“Your apartment?”

She looked at me like she’d already decided I was the problem.

“Yes,” she replied, her tone sharpening. “My apartment.”

“That’s interesting.”

A frown settled on her face.

“What’s interesting?”

“I’ve been living here for weeks.”

Her mouth parted slightly before she caught herself.

“What?”

“My father gave me the keys today,” she said, taking a step closer as she waved the keys in front of me. “He gave me this penthouse. He didn’t mention anyone else living here.”

I shrugged.

“Then your father must have lied about the apartment being yours.”

Silence.

Her eyes widened just enough for me to notice.

“Did you just call my father a liar?”

“I said he lied,” I deadpanned.

“Unbelievable.”

The corner of my mouth lifted.

Interesting.

She wasn’t backing down.

Most people would’ve started doubting themselves by now.

Vivienne Rhodes only seemed more determined.

Without another word, I walked toward the kitchen.I half expected her to stay where she was.Instead, the sharp click of her heels followed me across the floor.I reached into one of the cabinets, grabbed a glass and filled it with water. The apartment fell quiet except for the sound of the tap running.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught her jaw tighten.

“Are you seriously going to ignore me and get yourself a glass of water?” She asked

I finished the glass before answering.

“I was thirsty.”

She let out a disbelieving laugh.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve.”

“I’ve been told.”

I set the empty glass on the counter.

She marched over until there was barely any space between us.

“I don’t know who you think you are.”

I leaned back against the counter.

“Lucien Cole.”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Her finger came up, stopping just short at my chest.

“You don’t know my father.” “I know enough.”

She lowered her hand with a frustrated sigh but didn’t move away.

“I’ll call my father.”

I shrugged.

“Go ahead.”

She frowned, waiting for a reaction that never came.

“And his lawyers.”

Nothing.

“Or the police.”

Still nothing.

Her eyes searched my face,as if looking for even the slightest hint of panic.

She found none.

Instead, her gaze dropped for half a second.

I followed it.

A smile tugged at my lips.

“Can I get dressed first,” I asked, “or is this interrogation happening exactly like this?”

Colour crept into her cheeks almost instantly.She looked away with a scoff.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“So I’ve heard.”

She rubbed a hand over her forehead before letting out a long sigh.

“Fine. Go. Get dressed. I’ll still be here when you come back.”

I studied her for a second.

She wasn’t leaving.

Not until she had answers.

I gave a small nod and walked toward my room…

The apartment fell silent behind me, except for the sound of my footsteps.

As I reached for a clean shirt, my mind wandered back to her.

Vivienne Rhodes.

She wasn’t anything like I’d pictured.

For years, she had only been Vincent Rhodes’ daughter to me. A name on paperwork and a part of a plan I’d spent years putting together. I’d always pictured her as spoiled and arrogant, the kind of person who thought the world owed her something just because of her last name.

Instead, she’d stood her ground without flinching.

She was stubborn and quick to challenge me.

I pulled the shirt over my head and buttoned it slowly.

None of that mattered.

Whatever kind of person she turned out to be changed absolutely nothing.

She was still Vincent Rhodes’ daughter.

And Vincent Rhodes was still the reason I was here.

Just as I reached for my watch, her voice drifted faintly from the living room.

“Dad?”

My hand stilled for the briefest second.

I wasn’t trying to listen.

I already knew exactly who she’d be calling.

By the time I stepped back into the living room, the call had ended.

Vivienne stood near the kitchen island, her phone hanging loosely in her hand. The anger that had been written all over her face minutes ago hadn’t disappeared,it had simply been replaced by something harder to read.

Confusion.

She looked at me for a moment, almost as if she was trying to figure me out herself.

“He wants to speak to you.”