Chapter 5: The Man Behind the Curtain
970 Words
Kieran Hayes
My father had ruined enough of my life.
He wasn't getting another chance.
"Leave."
The word came out cold.
Sharp.
Final.
The conference room fell silent.
Every executive.
Every lawyer.
Every board member.
Watching.
Waiting.
Richard Hayes smiled.
I hated that smile.
It wasn't warm.
It wasn't kind.
It was the smile of a man who always believed he would win.
"No."
My hands clenched.
"Then I'll leave."
I turned toward the door.
"Kieran."
I stopped.
Not because of my father.
Because of Rowan.
For some reason, his voice still had that effect on me.
I looked back.
His gray eyes were fixed on Richard.
Not me.
Richard.
And something about that bothered me.
Almost as much as the look on my father's face.
Because for the first time in my life...
My father looked nervous.
Twenty minutes later, the board meeting had ended.
The executives practically ran from the room.
Nobody wanted to be caught in the middle of a family war.
Cowards.
That left only three people.
Me.
Rowan.
And Richard Hayes.
The tension was unbearable.
Richard adjusted his cufflinks.
The movement was casual.
Controlled.
Like he hadn't just walked into a disaster.
"Kieran."
"What?"
His eyes softened slightly.
A performance.
Nothing more.
"I'm trying to help."
I laughed.
A short, humorless sound.
"That's funny."
His expression tightened.
"I mean it."
"You don't even know what that word means."
Silence.
For years, I would have been afraid to speak to him like this.
Not anymore.
My father had spent my entire life trying to control me.
My career.
My friends.
My future.
And when Rowan entered my life?
He tried to control that too.
Richard's gaze shifted.
Landing on Rowan.
His jaw tightened.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because my father rarely showed emotion.
Especially not around business associates.
"Mr. Wolfe."
Rowan didn't blink.
"Mr. Hayes."
The atmosphere instantly became colder.
Dangerous.
Like two predators circling each other.
And suddenly I understood.
This wasn't about me.
Not completely.
Something was happening beneath the surface.
Something neither man wanted to discuss.
Richard folded his arms.
"I'd like a private conversation with my son."
"No."
Both Rowan and I spoke at the same time.
The room froze.
I blinked.
Rowan blinked.
For one ridiculous second, we stared at each other.
Then quickly looked away.
Richard didn't seem amused.
His gaze narrowed.
"Excuse me?"
"No."
This time Rowan spoke alone.
Calm.
Controlled.
Deadly.
"Kieran stays."
My father looked furious.
Good.
Maybe hell had frozen over.
Because Rowan Wolfe had just defended me.
Again.
The realization felt strangely dangerous.
An hour later, Richard finally left.
But not before delivering one final warning.
"Be careful who you trust."
The moment the door closed behind him, I groaned.
"What does that even mean?"
Rowan remained silent.
I didn't like that.
"Rowan."
Still nothing.
My stomach dropped.
Because suddenly I knew.
He was thinking about something.
Something important.
Something bad.
"What aren't you telling me?"
His gaze moved toward the city skyline.
For several seconds, he simply stood there.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Remembering.
Then finally—
"Five years ago..."
My pulse quickened.
I hated those words.
Five years ago was where all our problems lived.
"What about it?"
Rowan's expression darkened.
"The night everything ended."
I swallowed hard.
The wound was still there.
Still bleeding.
Even after all this time.
"There was a phone call."
The room seemed to shrink.
"A phone call?"
He nodded.
"I received information."
My heartbeat accelerated.
"What information?"
His eyes met mine.
Cold.
Sharp.
Haunted.
"That you had sold confidential team information."
Pain twisted inside my chest.
The same accusation.
The same lie.
The same nightmare.
"But that's not all."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Rowan stepped closer.
Not enough to touch.
Just enough to make breathing difficult.
"The person who called me never identified themselves."
My pulse pounded.
"But today..."
His voice lowered.
Dangerously low.
"I recognized the voice."
Everything inside me stopped.
The realization hit all at once.
Like a truck.
Like a bullet.
Like betrayal.
"No."
Rowan's jaw clenched.
"Yes."
"No."
Because there was no way.
No possible way.
Not him.
Not my father.
Not—
"The voice belonged to Richard Hayes."
The room spun.
For a second, I thought I might actually fall.
My father.
My own father.
The man who had spent years telling me he only wanted what was best for me.
The man who claimed he loved me.
The man who claimed he protected me.
My father had destroyed my relationship.
My father had framed me.
My father had lied.
And worst of all...
A small voice deep inside my head whispered something terrifying.
You always knew he was capable of it.
I stumbled backward.
Shock.
Rage.
Heartbreak.
Everything crashed together.
"Kieran."
Rowan reached for me instinctively.
His hand closed around my wrist.
Warm.
Steady.
Familiar.
The touch sent a strange ache through my chest.
For years, I had imagined him reaching for me again.
I never thought it would happen like this.
"I need proof."
My voice cracked.
"I know."
"I need real proof."
"We'll get it."
The certainty in his voice should have comforted me.
Instead, it scared me.
Because if Rowan was right...
Everything I believed about the past was wrong.
And if the truth came out...
My father wouldn't be the only one facing consequences.
Someone else had helped him.
Someone powerful.
Someone still hiding in the shadows.
Someone who had just launched a new attack against us.
As if on cue, Rowan's phone rang.
He answered immediately.
His expression changed within seconds.
The color drained from his face.
My stomach dropped.
"What happened?"
Slowly, Rowan lowered the phone.
For the first time since I'd known him...
The billionaire looked shaken.
"Kieran..."
My heart pounded.
"What?"
His eyes locked onto mine.
"The league just suspended you."
To Be Continued...
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