Chapter 8: Listening just fine
1008 Words
“So, it wasn’t that b!tch Joanna after all?” Carl asked, exhaling a puff of smoke as he leaned against the balcony rail.
Ryan ran a hand over his jaw. “Nope. What can I say? She declined. The whole cripple stunt worked, but then…” He trailed off, almost hesitant to finish. “I got hooked. Joanna got replaced.. with Charlotte.”
Carl paused, taking another drag from his cigarette.
His gaze lingered on Ryan’s face, studying him like he was trying to decode something.
Whatever he saw didn’t seem to sit right with him.
“She’s a beautiful lady,” Carl said eventually, his tone deliberately neutral.
Ryan smirked, shifting uncomfortably under his cousin’s scrutiny.
He straightened, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to shake off the tension.
“She is,” he said carefully. Then, eager to redirect the conversation, he added, “Didn’t realize you’d already left the mansion. Why’d you call me here? Something important?”
Carl took his time flicking the ash from his cigarette before answering. “Yes, it’s important.”
Ryan’s brows furrowed. He could feel the shift in the air, something unspoken brewing beneath Carl’s calm exterior. “What is it?”
Carl turned to face him fully, his expression unreadable. “You don’t have to continue with the marriage anymore.”
Ryan blinked, caught off guard by the statement.
A wave of defiance surged through him before he could even process it.
“What?”
“You heard me Ryan.” Carl’s voice was steady, almost casual, but his eyes betrayed the weight of the words. “It’s over. You don’t have to keep pretending.”
“I don’t understand,” Ryan said, his confusion giving way to irritation. “What do you mean?”
Carl sighed, like he was explaining something obvious to a child.
“The secret’s out. Our grandfather knows about the switch. He’s furious.” He flicked the cigarette butt over the balcony edge. “If I don’t take your position as Charlotte’s husband, our inheritance is gone. Stripped. Done.”
Ryan laughed, the sound sharp and humorless. “Is that right?”
“It’s not a joke, Ryan.”
“Yeah, I got that, Carl. Thanks.” Ryan crossed his arms, his jaw tight. “But you think I’m just going to.. what? Walk away from this? Walk away from her?”
Carl tilted his head, his sharp gaze narrowing. “Are you listening to yourself right now?”
“Yeah,” Ryan shot back. “Are you?”
Carl’s expression hardened, his lips pressing into a thin line.
“I’m listening just fine,” he snapped. “I’m listening to you put your own selfish desires ahead of our family. Of our future.” He stepped closer, a dangerous glint in his eye.
Ryan didn’t respond.
The two cousins held their ground, their gazes locked in a silent standoff.
Neither was willing to give an inch, tension crackling between them like a live wire.
Ryan knew Carl too well. Too many times, his cousin had found ways to manipulate him, to push him into corners and make him comply.
Their relationship had always been like this.. uneven, teetering on the edge of rivalry and resentment.
Carl had always had his way, from stealing Ryan’s position in school debates to weaseling out of joint family responsibilities, leaving Ryan to clean up the mess.
And now this.
Stepping into his marriage, pretending to be him. That had been tolerable.. Ryan had allowed it for the sake of the larger game they were playing.
But stripping him of everything? Sure, it wasn’t real.. not in the traditional sense.. but it was his choice. She was his choice. And Carl thought he could strip that away with a few calm words and a smirk?
Not this time.
Carl leaned back slightly, taking in Ryan’s expression, and for once, he didn’t look so smug.
“What’s the hesitation for, Coz? You’re acting like this is personal.”
“It is personal,” Ryan bit out.
Carl raised a brow, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Personal? A nonsense marriage with someone you barely know? Really?”
Ryan’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “You think I don’t know what you’re doing? You’ve been playing games with me since we were kids. You think this is just another move on your chessboard?” He shook his head, stepping closer. “Well, not this time. Charlotte stays.”
Carl smirked, but it lacked conviction.
He flicked at his lighter, the flame sputtering to life and then dying.
“You act like you’ve got a choice in this. Like you’ve got some kind of power. Newsflash, Ryan.. this was never about you. It’s always been about what works best for the family.”
Ryan scoffed. “The family? You mean you. You’ve been playing games for years, Carl. But let me be clear.. this game ends here.”
Carl’s smirk faded, his expression hardening. “You’re forgetting who calls the shots, cousin.”
“No,” Ryan snapped, his tone sharp enough to cut. “I’m remembering. That’s why I’m not walking away from Charlotte or this marriage. Not for you. Not for Grandfather. And certainly not for some inheritance I don’t need.”
Having said that, without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing down the empty hallway.
He didn’t need Carl’s approval, nor his threats.
For the first time in a long time, Ryan felt something he hadn’t felt in years.. control.
Ryan reached his car, his jaw tight and his chest heaving with pent-up frustration.
Carl’s words echoed in his head, but for once, they didn’t hold any power over him.
He slid into the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel as if it could anchor him.
His phone buzzed on the passenger seat. He glanced at the screen: a message from Dave.
Got everything on Charlotte.
He sighed and text back: Meet me at the office immediately.
- Writer
