Chapter Twenty-four
1802 Words
“You slept with him?!” Jack fumed pacing up and down the living room.
Stefan and Nelly sat at one end of the room, forcefully dragged into the heated conversation.
“Jack relax. It’s not like you haven’t piped down people before, clients, exes, I’m surprised you even imprinted on a girl who is not even a member of our clan.” Rose said in defense.
“You’re one to talk Rose. Well at least I did no sleep with the sister of the enemy!”
“She’s quite young, you’d be put in jail for p********a although I’m hearing that they need such disgusting act normalized.”
“Stefan you’re not helping.” Nelly said to him.
“Stefan is right, unless you want to sleep with his evil step mom.”
“Hello oo, I’m sitting right here.”
“Sorry, I always forget that there’s a new member of the pack.”
“Rose we have had clients withdraw their transactions with us because of your stupid display of foolishness!”
“Clients will return. In fact,” she said turning her iPad to him. “We have had over a fifty percent of clients in our new hotel in Spain.” She said showing him the bar chart.
“What? How did that happen?” Jack asked taking the iPad from her.
“Here,” she turned on the television. “Trending news worldwide.” She increased the volume of the television.
It seems as though doom has chosen his perfect family to torture. Not too long after the warehouse belonging to the Reeds had exploded in fire, their biggest hotel, the main establishment in Spain, has just exploded as well. Sources say it was as a result of some hidden weapons in the basement of the building. Definitely topping the scandal between the Reeds and Blancs that surfaced the internet early this morning.
“You caused the explosion?”
“Why won’t I? How dare he do that me?!”
“Rose.”
“What?”
“You slept with the enemy. This will not cut out for anything.”
“I don’t understand what your problem is! You are the one that was trying his hardest to get me to befriend Storm.”
“I told you to be friends with him not gulp him down your throat!”
“Here we go.”
“You sick bastard! You know, all of this would not have happened if only you carried me alone.”
“Two leaders cannot co exist in the same space.”
“Excuse me?! Oh by all means necessary, keep your position as the leader of the pack. Even if it were possible for a Luna alpha to take over, I would totally reject the offer.”
“Then you must listen to me.”
“And you must listen to me as well Jackson Blanc. I am sick and tired of you treating me like the little girl of years ago. For goodness sake Jack, I am flipping twenty-five. If I decided to screw the son of the enemy, then I flipping will.”
“Doing it at the cost of our brand? Our name? Rose you are not the only one in this. Father would be highly disappointed in you.”
“Yeah, well he is not here.” Her phone chimed, alerting her of a message from Dennis.
“This discussion is over.”
“It is not over until I say it is.”
“Well, you might as well hold the meeting amongst the favored children of the Blancs. I’m out of here.” She said snatching up her purse from the table and slamming the door on her way out.
“Did you guys just see that?! Did you guys just see how she just walked out on me?!”
“Oh Jack, you need to come down from your high horse and meet people at their point of needs. Your sister is definitely in need of someone to talk to, to shoulder the pain with her but every single time you’re screaming down the roof on her head.”
“Whose side are you on Nelly?”
“No side. You’re both filled with so much pride , and blinded by rage and revenge. Stefan is the only one here that seems to have his head buried low.”
“Yeah, well he doesn’t have to shoulder the responsibilities of the entire family and ensure that it all comes out perfect.”
“You’re the only one striving for this silly perfection. What more do you need?! You’re established. Why not bring Rose into the family? Indulge her in the affairs of all the companies. My source tells me that your sister has gotten her hands stained with blood. There’s no turning back now.” Nelly said as she kissed him on the cheek and left the house.
“Jackson.”
“Yes nana,”
“Come with me.” Jack followed her into her study.
“Yes, Nana?” He said standing in front of her.
“Sit.”
“I have work to do, I don’t want to waste any more time.” She gave him a death glare, not breaking eye contact with him. “I guess work can wait.” He said sitting in front of her.
“Tea or coffee?” She asked.
“None.”
“Tea it is.” She said pouring some tea into the cup on the table. She passed it to him,
“It’s best taken when served hot, so gulp it down now.” She advised. Reluctantly he took a sip of the tea,
“What’s the matter ? I have things that require my attention.”
“The disrespect.” She spat in his face.
“Nana?”
“I’m your grandmother. How many times do I call on you to have a chat? The one time I call you and I’m wasting your time?”
“It’s not like that…”
“Shut up.” Jack looked at her in shock. “You’re shocked? You’re surprised that someone can shut you up? Can you now understand how that feels?”
“What are you driving at?”
“Your wife is right. You’re so egotistical,”
“I did not expect to be insulted.”
“I haven’t even begun with you. I could make this issue a council meeting,”
“Why Ma? It’s not that serious.”
“You’re dividing your family. The very family that you are expected to hold together in love and lead with honor,”
“Me? Really?! You’re not going to be saying this to Rose? Just me?”
“Is she the alpha of this pack?”
“No, but,”
“No buts. Let’s start with simple questions. What is Rose’s favorite color?”
“White.”
“Wrong, green.”
“She likes green?”
“Have you not seen her room?”
“I never noticed.”
“How will you? Now, does Rose like roses?”
“Easy, no. She’s allergic to them.”
“You’re not as bright as you look. Rose likes roses and she hates the fact that she can’t hold them because she is allergic to them.”
“Where are you going with this?”
“You have been so engrossed in perfection that you’re driving your family away from you. She slept with the enemy, so what?”
“The enemy. The man responsible for the death of father.”
“You didn’t believe that at first?”
“I was only trying to protect her. I know it was him. I saw him that day, hiding.”
“You what?!” Jack turned around to find Rose at the door.
“Rose? I thought you had gone?”
“You saw Dominic at the crime scene and did not bother to tell me?! Or any one else?!”
“Well…”
“Of course Stefan and Nelly knew.” She stormed out of the study in anger wiping away the tears in her eyes.
“I just screwed it up right now, didn’t I?”
“Why have you truly blocked Rose out of everything? And don’t tell me that it’s because of your father because we both know that you’re not one to stick to his instructions.”
“Rose is competitive. I always thought that she would get all the praise, and I’ll just be stuck in the background.”
“You’re jealous of Rose.”
“That’s a strong word but I guess that it best describes my situation.”
“Rose has been hurting all these years because you could not handle your jealousy.”
“I feel terrible now.”
“No you don’t Storm. You would go on with this even after today. You think that she is a threat. Let me tell you, today she’s sleeping with the son of the enemy. Tomorrow, she’s pointing a gun to your head, standing with the enemy.”
“So, we cut her off completely?”
“You fool. You pull your sister close. And then she brings the enemy closer. Rose is wild. Look how she destroyed the building just because he leaked a photo of her, imagine what she will do if she is on the opposite team? She will ruin you. That fear of yours will become a reality before you even realize what is happening.”
“I don’t know if I can do that,”
“Then fold your hands and watch as she kills you just like the enemy killed your father.”
“I’m sorry,”
“Why are you saying sorry to me? I have seen enough in your generation to last me a lifetime. Rose deserves to be aware of everything and decide if she wants nothing to do with it. Making that decision on her behalf does not solve the problem or make it go away, but rather it worsens the problem and gives you even greater tragic outcomes.”
“Do you think she’ll want to speak to me after today?”
“She just needs some time to cool off. Take it easy on her. She’s your sister for goodness sake. You listen to Nelly more than Rose. That’s an opening for the enemy to attack.”
“It’s always as if we are battling for power,”
“She is battling to be recognized and acknowledged by her own brother. You are the one battling for power. Learn the difference.”
“I never saw it that way.”
“You wouldn’t. You’re blinded by your own feelings and emotions.”
“Thank you.”
- Writer
