HONOR ME

SIXTEEN

ANDRÉ

I dragged a hand down my face and groaned internally.

Rhea.

Rhea.

Rhea.

"Rhea is my friend."

Father scoffed.

"Like anyone believes that."

I ignored him.

Charlie looked between us.

"You and Rhea are supposedly seeing each other behind Skyler's back."

Her expression remained unreadable.

"Is that true?"

Charlie and Rhea had crossed paths several times, so she knew her well.

The irony wasn't lost on me.

Rhea was supposed to be my wife.

Before Skyler.

Before the contract.

Before everything changed.

Father had originally wanted an alliance with the Morgans, but something shifted between the families. The deal fell apart, and eventually, he formed one with the Smiths instead.

And just like that...

I became Skyler's husband.

"No."

My answer came instantly.

"It is not."

No hesitation.

No guilt.

Because it was the truth.

God himself knew that.

"Very well."

Charlie leaned back in her chair.

"But you're going to marry her after you turn twenty-nine."

My head snapped toward her.

"What?"

I looked at Father.

Then back at Charlie.

"No."

My voice hardened.

"I'm already married."

Charlie whispered something to Alfonso.

The lawyer nodded and immediately left the room.

A few minutes later, he returned.

With Rhea Morgan following behind him.

I stared.

Seriously?

"Kill me."

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Charlie didn't react.

"We know your plan."

Her eyes remained fixed on mine.

"Divorce Skyler immediately after receiving your shares."

My jaw tightened.

"Here is the condition we have agreed upon."

Rhea stood silently beside Alfonso.

Father folded his arms.

"Marry Rhea and receive your shares."

He paused.

"Stay with Skyler..."

His expression turned colder.

"And you forfeit them."

The room went silent.

I stared at them.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Nobody answered.

"This is bullshit."

My voice echoed through the boardroom.

"I am not a child you can manipulate into doing whatever you want."

"Charlotte agrees. Don't you?"

Father looked toward her.

Charlotte remained quiet for a moment before finally nodding.

"Rhea seems like a good choice."

Her eyes shifted toward me.

"And I heard Skyler is interested in someone else."

My jaw tightened.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, forcing myself to remain calm.

"Rhea Morgan."

Father called her name.

She stepped forward.

"Mr. Larsen."

Her voice was soft.

Almost too soft.

"Do you agree to marry André Larsen?"

Of course she did.

This was exactly what she wanted.

But when she looked at me, she wore that innocent expression, as though she didn't want any of this.

As though she wasn't standing there accepting the opportunity.

Then she nodded.

I inhaled slowly.

Once.

Twice.

Trying to keep my anger under control.

Father cleared his throat, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"So that is settled—"

"And me?"

My voice cut through the room.

Everyone turned toward me.

Charlie and Father exchanged looks.

"Does my opinion not matter?"

I leaned forward.

"It is only fair that you hear it as well."

My eyes moved between them.

"After all, I am the man involved here. I'm grown enough to manage my own affairs."

Father stared at me.

Then suddenly...

He laughed.

A loud, humorless laugh.

He reached for his bottle of water and took a drink before slowly twisting the cap back on.

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head.

"Grown enough, you say?"

He leaned forward.

"If you claim you're grown enough to act like it, André."

His expression hardened.

"This is simple mathematics."

He gestured between us.

"Leave Skyler. Marry Rhea. Receive your shares."

Charlie spoke next.

"This is in your favor, if you think about it."

The fact that she agreed irritated me more than I wanted to admit.

"Your mother is supposed to be here."

Father stood.

"Hopefully, she'll be able to talk some sense into you."

He adjusted his tie.

"You have until the handing over ceremony to decide."

Charlie stood as well.

"I'll be in Japan for work until then. We might not see each other before the decision."

I looked at Father.

"Don't act like you care."

My voice sharpened.

"You're supposed to be the smart one here."

His expression changed instantly.

"Don't speak to your elder sister like that."

He stepped closer.

"You good-for-nothing boy."

The words hit harder than I expected.

"You're my greatest disappointment."

And then he walked away.

Charlie followed.

Rhea followed behind them.

Leaving me alone with Alfonso and the remaining board members.

Father had said worse things.

Much worse.

He had called me a mistake.

A disappointment.

A burden.

But somehow...

This one hurt differently.

"André."

Alfonso's voice pulled me back.

He had moved closer.

"Albert Morgan has agreed to become business partners with Rudolph if you accept the marriage with Rhea."

I stared at him.

"Your father and your sister understand how much this would benefit Larsen Inc."

He sighed.

"I understand why you feel it's unfair, but apparently Larsen Inc. may struggle within the next decade, and Albert Morgan is their last option."

I said nothing.

As I stood, I couldn't help but wonder if Alfonso was telling the truth.

Or if he was simply another person playing Father's game.

Either way...

I wasn't staying there to find out.

Maybe it was running away.

Maybe it was accepting defeat.

But what was the point of fighting a battle I couldn't win?

I walked out without saying another word.

**SKYLER**

"Feels good to have you back, love?"

Dad muttered as he flipped the pancake in the pan.

I sat on the kitchen stool, knees pulled close to my chest, holding my mug between my hands.

"You called your mom yet?"

"No."

I took a sip of my coffee.

"Trying to get away from s**t for a while."

He didn't question it.

Instead, he simply nodded.

"Understandable."

Dad turned around and placed a plate of pancakes in front of me before taking the seat across from me.

"You've grown so much, dear."

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Now you're married."

I rolled my eyes.

"Life, I guess."

He chuckled, lifting his mug to his lips.

It had been four years since I last saw my father.

And somehow...

He still looked the same.

A few aging lines had settled across his forehead and cheeks. His hair had turned gray, but his smile was brighter than I remembered.

"You don't look your age."

He studied me.

"You'd pass for a forty-year-old man."

I laughed.

"I was being honest as fuck."

He burst into laughter, throwing his head back and placing a hand over his stomach.

"Nothing a little black dye can't fix."

"I'm seventy-six, bear."

He shook his head.

"You've gone too far."

I finished the last of my coffee and placed the mug down.

"I'm serious, Dad."

He only smiled.

"Enough about me."

He leaned back.

"Tell me something else. How's life treating you?"

The exact topic I was desperately trying to avoid.

"I'm good."

I forced a smile.

"Life's been good. What more could I ask for?"

He nodded slowly.

"If life's been so good..."

His voice softened.

"Why did my daughter show up at my doorstep early in the morning with tears running down her cheeks?"

My smile faded.

I looked away, swallowing the lump forming in my throat.

I wasn't going to cry.

I refused to prove him right.

"Ups and downs, you know."

Dad sighed.

"Your husband?"

My fingers tightened around the mug.

"Everything okay?"

I wanted to scream.

I came here to escape.

To forget.

Yet somehow, that was the one thing everyone wanted to talk about.

"Yep."

I nodded.

"He's been good to me."

The hesitation in my voice betrayed me.

Dad noticed.

Of course he did.

"Anything else you want to say to your father?"

I shook my head.

"No."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"You know you can talk to me, dear."

"I know."

My voice came out quiet.

But knowing someone was trustworthy didn't mean you had to tell them everything.

For a while, I avoided his gaze.

Until finally...

I looked up.

And there it was.

Comfort.

The kind only a parent could give.

His eyes didn't judge me.

They didn't demand answers.

They simply waited.

Like he could see every secret I was trying to hide.

"I’m scared."

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Dad stayed quiet.

"I’m scared to fall in love because..."

I swallowed.

"Even though I'm married, it's a contract."

My voice cracked slightly.

"And I find myself liking him."

I stared down at my hands.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do with that."

Dad didn't interrupt.

He just watched me.

Waiting.

"Why?"

I looked up.

"Why?"

That was all he said.

No dramatic reaction.

No lecture.

Just one question.

And somehow, that made it harder.

Living with someone as dramatic as Mom had made me expect some big reaction.

Something loud.

Something overwhelming.

But Dad was different.

"I don't know if he's going to leave me after he gets what he wants."

I took a shaky breath.

"I know that's what I'm supposed to want."

My eyes burned.

"But I don't."

Silence.

"I don't want him to leave anymore."

Dad tilted his head slightly.

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

A laugh almost escaped me.

Because he was right.

How ironic.