FAR GONE

Chapter 9

Lucien’s eyes pinned me, sharp and skeptical. His voice finally cut through the heavy silence.

“How should I believe you, Kael?”

The corner of my mouth tugged upward. I’d been expecting that. “I heard your birthday is in a few days,” I said evenly, watching his brows twitch. “The contract will be signed then.”

For a moment, nothing. Then Lucien leaned back and threw his head back in laughter. The sound filled the entire room, a mocking echo that rattled the quiet tension. His laughter stretched until it bordered on cruelty, and then he wiped his eyes, smirking.

“Fine,” he said at last, the grin lingering on his lips. “That will be the best gift I’ve ever received on my birthday.”

I could’ve stopped there. I should’ve stopped there. But my chest tightened with the weight of what I had carried into this room. My throat worked as I said, “But…”

The single word hung like a blade in the air.

Every head turned toward me. The shift was almost physical—chairs squeaked, eyes burned into my skin. Even Lucien’s laughter froze, curiosity sharpening in his gaze.

I drew in a slow breath. “I’d like to ask something from the Chairman.”

A hush blanketed the room. No one so much as shifted. Their attention pressed down on me like a mountain.

Across the table, the Chairman folded his hands, unreadable as ever. His voice was steady, almost challenging.

“Then say your terms, Kael.”

I felt Aria’s gaze flick toward me, a silent question. My jaw tightened. This was it. “If the contract is secured, then I ask you to give my brother Darren control of the subsidiaries—”

Murmurs exploded before I could even finish.

The subsidiaries weren’t just branches. They were the veins pumping blood into the heart of the company, the lifeline every shareholder clung to. Giving it away was like handing someone the kingdom’s crown.

I pressed on, firm. “Make Darren the head there.”

“Absurd!” someone hissed from the side.

“He’s lost his mind!” another barked, the words tumbling like stones thrown at me.

Curses layered over one another. I caught phrases—as lowly as Darren, does he even know what he’s saying, the Chairman will never agree to this.

The heat of their disdain didn’t shake me. I stood tall, my voice unyielding even in the storm.

Lucien, of course, was the one to slice through the noise. His smirk was back, sharp as a blade. “If he gives it to Darren,” he said, leaning forward, “then what benefit does the company gain?” His tone carried the smug certainty of a man who believed he’d cornered me.

I looked him straight in the eye. “What every businessperson in this room craves,” I said, my words low but steady, iron under silk. “Profit, growth, and leverage. And I’ll get it for you, Lucien.”

Victor suddenly scraped his chair back, the sharp sound cutting through the silence of the table. He shot up to his feet, his face dark with fury as his voice thundered.

“Kael… do you even know what you’re talking about?” His eyes blazed, veins standing against his neck. “Are you saying that bastard Darren is worth enough to head this family? You’re asking us—us Delacroix—to be under his wing?!” He spat the words like venom, his lip curling in disgust. Then his eyes locked on me, narrowing. “You’re nothing but a deluded fool, Kael. A leech who thinks too highly of himself.”

I clenched my fists under the table, forcing myself to keep calm, though his insults stung sharper than knives.

“Victor.” Lucien’s voice cut like steel. His gaze was steady, piercing through Victor like a blade. “Sit down. Or I will personally send you out of here.”

Victor froze, his rage simmering, but the weight of Lucien’s tone forced him back into his chair. He muttered under his breath, but he didn’t dare push further.

Lucien then turned his attention to me, his expression unreadable. “Kael, what you ask for is not something I can rush to give an answer,” he said evenly. “You’ll have it—but later. For now…” He glanced at the dishes before us. “Let’s focus on our food.”

The rest of the dinner passed in heavy silence, the air thick with resentment. When it was over and we rose from the table, the rest of the family stormed out with cold glares, leaving a trail of anger behind them.

As Darren, Mira, and I stepped outside, Mira finally broke the silence. She crossed her arms, her voice sharp but laced with concern. “Can the two of you tell me what happened to the car? And what exactly all that talk inside was about?”

Darren sighed, his gaze shifting to me. “That’s what I was about to ask Kael,” he said. Then his tone hardened, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “Why did you ask Lucien that, Kael? Don’t you know what kind of man he is? He’ll see you as nothing but obsessed with his company.”

I met his gaze firmly. “I doubt he’ll let it go,” I said. “Not with the offer I gave him.”

Mira’s eyes widened slightly. “Kael… are you really sure about this contract? About everything you’re staking on it?”

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. My voice carried no doubt. “I’m sure.”

I checked my watch and exhaled slowly. “I need to go now. Visiting hours at the hospital are almost over. Luckily, it isn’t far from here.” I gave them both a small nod. “I’ll take my leave.”

I walked away, my chest heavy, until I reached the hospital. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air as I entered the ward. My steps slowed when I spotted them—my wife seated by the bed, and next to her, Liam… my son.

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening as I whispered, “Liam…”

He looked up at me, his small eyes widening. “Daddy?” His voice was soft, uncertain—yet full of hope.

That one word broke me.

I rushed forward and dropped to my knees beside him, wrapping him in my arms as tears spilled freely down my face. “Yes, Liam. Yes, I’m your daddy. I’m your father…” My voice cracked, trembling as I pressed him against my chest.

The walls blurred around me as I wept openly, holding him like I’d never let go. For so long I had carried weight, fear, and silence—but in that moment, all I was… was a father.