TIME TO ACT
1128 Words
The early rays of sun seeped through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Travious Corporation building, casting long shadows across the sleek dark floors of the boardroom.
"Congratulations once again, Mr. Travious." Eli Malika, the head of the association said, while Viktor responded with a polite nod before Eli walked out of the boardroom with his associates.
Once they were gone, Viktor walked to the window and stood with his back to the room, gazing out, over the activities of the city below with his arms folded tightly across his chest.
He looked every bit the dominant force he was, unshakable, cold, and unreadable. The kind of man who could finalize a billion-dollar contract with the great Northern Traders Society, an association most corporations couldn’t even approach.
Leonard and Elordi, his assistants, stood on either side of the large conference table behind him, exchanging a glance.
“You sealed a billion-dollar contract, Viktor,” Leonard finally said, breaking the silence. “That’s not just another day at the office. That’s a reason to celebrate.”
Viktor didn’t turn. “I don’t have time for unnecessary galas.”
Elordi smirked. “It's definitely not going to be unnecessary and hosting a gala now would make a statement, not just to the humans, but to the supernatural world as well. It will speak power, stability and prosperity.”
Still, Viktor said nothing. His gaze remained fixed on the city view outside, but his jaw tightened.
“And,” Leonard added carefully, “if we extend the invitation to Thompson’s Enterprise, there’s a chance she might attend.”
The silence that followed was heavy.
Viktor finally turned, his eyes sharp and unreadable, but there was a flicker of something behind them, restlessness or maybe even hope. He didn’t need to ask who she was.
“What if she doesn't come," he said coolly.
“But her family might,” Leonard replied.”
Viktor narrowed his eyes. "I'm not mated to her family."
"I know, but it might make a difference," Leonard said walking close to the table.
Viktor didn't respond, he simply returned to the head of the table and sat.
Elordi took a seat too. "Viktor. You've waited long enough, it's time you start acting. You either bond with your mate or keep her close... or you might lose her before you even have the chance. If we send the invite directly to the company... There's no way she won't hear about it. One way or another.”
Viktor’s expression hardened again, but the flicker in his eyes didn't fade.
“Send it, tonight,” he said. “If she doesn't come, I will go to her.”
A smile flashed across Elordi's face but it disappeared too quickly.
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Later That Evening...
Bianca and her family gathered at the long dining table, except for Kaira. They sat in their usual positions, Bianca at the head of the table, her husband, Mark, quietly sitting beside her more of a property than a partner. Lex sat at one end of the table with casual elegance, while Laura sat at the opposite end, with her posture straight.
A knock at the dining room door broke the practised rhythm of their forks.
“Special delivery, ma’am,” the butler said as he stepped forward, placing a black envelope with a gold design beside Bianca’s plate.
Bianca arched a brow. “From whom?”
“The seal bears the crest of Travious Corporation,” the butler replied.
A subtle tension passed through the room.
Bianca opened the envelope, scanned the contents and blinked.
“They’ve invited us... to a gala,” she said, her voice breaking due to surprise. “To celebrate the closing of a billion-dollar deal.”
Mark looked up with an intrigued expression. “Well, that’s a really big honour.”
Laura raised her wine glass and took a sip. “They’re the most powerful and successful corporation on this side of the globe. Why us?”
Lex leaned back, his eyes never leaving Bianca’s face. “Or,” he said slowly, “maybe it’s not about us.”
Bianca stiffened. “What do you mean?”
Lex lowered his voice, trying to measure the weight of his words “Viktor Travious’s assistants asked about Kaira at the hotel a little while back and now we get recognized by them all of a sudden.”
Bianca dropped her fork softly on her plate. “That’s absurd.”
“Is it?” Lex asked, tilting his head. “She just started working at the hotel and Viktor had an important meeting. The same day his assistants started asking questions, I'm already growing suspicious of Kaira and now his company suddenly wants Thompson’s Enterprise at a celebration attended by global powerhouses?”
“Coincidence,” Bianca said with a hint of uncertainty in her tone. “Maybe they’ve taken note of our recent performance.”
“They’ve never noticed us before,” Lex said flatly. “And let’s not pretend you didn’t wonder the same thing when you opened that letter.”
Bianca’s fingers curled tightly around her wine glass.
“She is not part of Thompson’s Enterprise,” she said. “She knows nothing about how much I've given to keep the company moving. I won't let her attend.”
“I agree," Lex said cautiously. "but maybe we should think it through”
“No,” Bianca snapped. “This gala is a strategic opportunity, and we will treat it as such. Your sister, your father, and you will accompany me. Only us. Kaira stays here where she belongs. Out of the spotlight and out of the way.”
Laura’s lips curved into a tight smile, but Mark had a hint of guilt in his expression.
Bianca’s eyes sparked. “I will not have that girl ruin everything we’ve worked for. Do you understand me?”
Lex didn’t reply, he simply nodded.
Just beyond the stairwell, Kaira stood still in the shadows, her heart pounding. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. She had only come down to take her food because she didn't want to have any encounter with her aunt or the rest but she didn't think they would still be eating.
She had heard everything.
Every single word.
Her aunt’s hatred and how she claimed her father's company and hard work.
Lex’s quiet suspicions.
And Viktor’s name. Again.
Why couldn’t he just leave her alone?
She turned and walked back into the dark stairs with her thoughts spinning. She had wanted to be invisible in this house and simply find a way to live a quiet life. But they just won't let her.
And maybe, just maybe it was finally time she stopped running from the legacy her father left behind.
- Writer
