CHAPTER 5
1216 Words
Kairo sneaked into the private quarters of Lord Harrison's private quarters.
He pulled his plain, sweat-stained shirt and apron of a houseboy; and now in place of rags, he wore a perfectly tailored charcoal suit with dark velvet lapels and golden cufflinks.
He was amazed at the speed with which he switched from a peasant to an elite in under five minutes; and more surprised at how the dumb household couldn't spot any similarities in the two characters.
Lord Harrison's meeting with Lady Celesta will have to wait; for right now he has a family business to brush with Lord Delancey himself.
So as he opened the door that led to Delancey's estate, he found his host, cigar in hand, pacing beside the fireplace with the rest of his clan seated around him like loyal security guards working overtime.
Lady Delancey sat poised, fingers laced in her lap, a practiced smile on her face. Besides the table sat Donald, the arrogant spoilt bastard of a son, swaggering in overconfidence, sipping brandy as if his destiny was tied to the bottle.
Kairo stepped in like a ghost in silk, his presence silencing the room with a smile so calm it dared them to underestimate him.
“Ah! Lord Harrison,” Lord Delancey exclaimed, stepping forward, masking desperation with charm. “Come in, come in. You’re just in time, we were discussing the winery."
“Indeed,” Harrison said, taking a seat across from the old lord. He had heard rumors about delayed shipments and a possible downturn in quality.
Market shares also dropping. It was critical. They were sinking faster than a leaking boat in the middle of a rainstorm.
Lady Delancey stiffened. “It's a temporary turbulence, I assure you.”
Harrison leaned in a voice like velvet-wrapped steel. “Temporary, yes. But bleeding, nonetheless. And I don’t invest in wounded businesses unless I plan to own them.”
Silence struck the room. Sir Donald cleared his throat. “What are you proposing, then?”
“Partnership,” He responded smoothly. “I pump fresh capital into the wine business, but in return, I want full control of the export logistics from routes to customs clearances to pricing. All of it.”
Lady Delancey raised an eyebrow. “That’s... significant.”
“It’s a generous offer, My Lady,” Harrison said. “Because I know what this brand used to be. I can make it rise again, or we can watch it drown like a dead fisherman.”
Lady Delancey interjected, trying to read him. “And what would our family gain, beyond the obvious?”
Harrison turned to her, his smile never cracking.
“Prestige, relevance, and security should old enemies rise again. And besides, this is a good alliance as we are soon to be in-laws."
"Old enemies?" For a heartbeat, her mask slipped. “I don't know what that means?”
He sipped the offered wine, leaning back into the cushion. “Every empire has ghosts, and unfinished business has a way of knocking twice.”
He set the glass down, precisely. “Consider my offer as an act of generosity and benevolence, not for anything else but for the fact that I'm being betrothed to your daughter. That way, family business gets to remain in the family”
Donald shifted in his chair, the muscles in his jaw twitching. “I still think we’re moving too fast,” he muttered, eyes locked on Harrison in disdain and bitterness. “Father, can we just pause and reason this out? We barely know this man.”
Lord DeLancey did not tolerate the tantrums of his son. “Enough, Donald. Your sister is betrothed to him, and the man just offered to double our export reach in under a quarter.”
Lady DeLancey added, her tone syrupy and sharp, “Besides, Lord Harrison understands the legacy. Something you seem to have trouble appreciating.”
Harrison smiled, slow and deliberate.
“I only want what’s best for the future of the DeLancey empire. My investment strategy requires no equity from the estate. Just placement, position your wine line under my casino’s premium tier, give it a new luxury label, and I guarantee the Asian market will flock in.”
Lord DeLancey nodded slowly, clearly impressed.
“Lucrative… and low-risk. I like the way you think, Harrison. Reminds me of my younger days, before all this,” he gestured vaguely to the room, and perhaps to the weight of legacy itself." Lady DeLancey interjected without taking her eyes off Harrison.
“Vision like yours doesn’t come often. The DeLancey name could use it, especially with… the direction things are heading.”
The most unimpressed was Donald, he didn't enjoy the way this idea was growing. A rich dude suddenly shows up and has suddenly become the pride and darling of the Delancey family, a standard for how an ideal son-in-law should look.
They were stabbing at his ego and reputation, the only thing he had to save was his shame. Standing by the fireplace like an Egyptian statue in a tailored suit, and arms crossed tighter, the implication stung.
“So we’re just replacing family now?” Donald snapped. “He makes one fancy pitch and suddenly you seek to replace me?”
Harrison didn’t flinch, he hadn't expected Donald to be this stubborn; but for all he knew, Delancey was not the man who'd surrender a family business into the hands of a badly nurtured, badly raised entity like Donald.
He was his son, yes, but he'll be wise enough to know when blood ends and business begins.
“With all respect, Donald, I’m not replacing anyone. Just proposing a partnership which means more money and power.”
“Partnerships don’t involve being written into estate plans,” Donald said, voice rising. “Let’s not pretend this is just business. What do you want, Lord Harrison?" Lord DeLancey raised a hand, just one finger, and Donald fell quiet, lips pressed tight.
“Enough! Your emotions are valid, but should I remind you who created this mess in the first place?.”
Lady DeLancey leaned forward now, voice like honey spiked with steel. “The world is changing, Donald. We can’t afford to run a business on your failure. Lord Harrison has proven himself and he’ll be family soon enough. You'll either work with him, or you'll go back to the Church."
Church? The last time he was sent to the family church, the priest had tortured him with morning masses and prayers. Now he simply resigned to his fate and left the room, slamming the door.
Lord Harrison played cool. Donald had always been the emotion-driven-tantrum-throwing young man.
Truly, the universe gave Delancey a fool in place of a son; reasons why his business, relationships, connections, and other real-time pursuits had always been steps behind. But for all he knew, he'd come around, he always does.
“I only want what’s best for the family circle,” Harrison said softly. “If I marry Celeste, then this empire becomes mine to protect and nourish.”
Lord DeLancey finally smiled, a rare thing, slow and grudging. “Good man. Let’s build something indestructible. I'll arrange the paperwork immediately."
All he had to do now… was keep smiling.
- Writer
