Chapter 2 A means to an end

Chapter 0002|A means to an end

I heaved, my eyes still at the penthouse just noticing how empty it was and now just paying heed to the absence of her rottweiler, Daisy.

Ignorance made you feel at peace, I should know this because I had lived in a damn bubble almost all my life until just a prickle from the pin of I didn't know if it was the first time, dad had told me mildly though in Russia with an endearing smile that I still don't know what it served for, that I was just a stepping stone for my brothers to be great men.

A means to an end.

Or perhaps it was the day he slapped me because I called out his business partner for being plain stupid and a male chauvinistic piece of shit while drinking from a goblet and looking at him from the rim of my glass, putting my expensive education to good use and finding soothing vocabulary that is supposed to make an insult from a 14 year old sound polite.

Knowing was the worst kind of pain. Grasping, understanding and expecting today has been a nightmare but here I was in the know that all my missed birthday parties that Madam Judy never runs out of excuses to make up for my Dad and brother's absence, the truth was that they'd rather be anywhere else than cutting a chocolate-covered cake with a stupid girl wearing a birthday hat and taking pictures with a bunch of strangers because I never had friends.

"You sure you'll be fine?" Nicholas whispered and I met his eyes wondering if he truly cared or if he was just playing the role. Just wanted to hear what he expected all along. I would always be fine, why wouldn't I?

And as usual, his eyes were just bored of playing the same big brother routine. The same way he looks at me whenever he begrudgingly and half-heartedly without a damn care in the world tries to fit into the big shoes of being a protector and a big brother so he sleeps better at night though, in reality, the truth was that he wouldn't know what that is even if it hits him square in the face.

I smiled reassuringly at him, trying not to make him realize sooner that he was a sorry excuse of a brother and full of shit because weren't we all?

He held my hands and I fought the urge to retract them.

"I know I don't say this often but we..." He met my eyes. "Are here for you. Anytime, kiddo."

"Of course," I whispered with a little smile teasing the corner of my lips.

I scoffed internally, you're right. When you say we do you mean Mason my senior with two years, the goofball of the family who deals with what comes with being a part of our family and as a way of disguising his scars is totally unserious all the damn time. I once thought with his foolish "friends" who were never familiar because they never stuck long enough he made me look good. Perhaps if I read more, got all A's and never got into problems perhaps I'll be accepted as something more than just an entertained privileged nuisance but the fact that I was offered a scholarship to Ivy League schools didn't change a fuck. Never did.

Or did he mean Ashton who made a mannequin seem more human, friendly and approachable? With his short replies if he was feeling like being nice, barked out orders and disdainful expression?

Do you mean those brothers? Yes, I know you guys' hands are full with holding on to your messed up cracks to worry about me.

JASON'S POV

I frowned as Clara, a personal detective I pay 200 dollars per hour dropped a copy of the Daily newspaper in front of me.

I eyed Jake who with a stiff nod of his head and an intimidating glare directed at Clara, an award-winning detective and also a woman in her mid-fifties who visibly reacted to his heated stare, he grinned as he approached the door of my office before leaving.

I was almost amused that regardless of how much Clara wanted me to believe she was, fearless and unmoving which came with the job description it was visibly obvious in her cobalt blue eyes the fear in them and her almost unnoticed wobbling as she made her way to the plush leather chair in front of me.

Almost being the keyword because nothing was at all amusing about spending resources and energy. And of course years of staring at a blank wall as an angry teenage weak boy with nothing but unbridled anger gnawing in your insides, for nothing.

But now, as Mayor and with an expanse of more wealth than can be imagined that I had acquired legitimately even before climbing the ladder of power, it didn't help that a part of me still felt like I was back to being just 15 when Romania Slovakia was invincible and untouchable because he still was and almost all my efforts to destroy him yielded nothing but just more proof of how much a criminal Romania was who had done an if I must admit impressive job of covering his illegal drugs and ammunition cartel with make-believe paper companies so here I was staring at a common tabloid I can get from across the street slammed on my mahogany centre table like it was a flash that contained all of Romania's nefarious deeds.

I met her smug grin with a blank face wondering how this woman could be an award-winning anything if she could really look so pleased with herself for delivering a newspaper to my office, something that Darren my niece and also godson who just turned three can do with ease and nobody gives him an award, well except his mother, my sister.

"Do you have anything for me, Sylvia?" I asked with a pointed glare wanting to believe that Sylvia was just kidding with me and didn't make me cancel my lunch appointments so I can have this discussion with her considering how ecstatic she sounded over the phone with my assistant a week ago, so yes it was unprofessional and any of my worker who ever has a perceived misconception of thinking I was a man who had time to spare to entertain such frivolity as a joke won't have a job anymore but I was ready to make an exception if she brought out the real major information that brought her here that could lead to Romania's destruction.

She arched her brow at the offensive newspaper I haven't touched and with a crease on my brow and tamed exasperation that didn't creep into my face because of years of practising keeping the undercurrent of my simmering anger off my body movement and face since mystery was the greatest rivalry, an enemy of a man can keep. You can't destroy what you don't know, can't figure, don't understand but instead, you reserve awe, fear, respect and reverence to a point you forget that they are mere men and perceive them as gods hence my lack of unclenched jaw and flared nostril indicating my annoyance as I picked up the paper deciding to humour her.

But inside of it wasn't the expected lines of praises that created a picturesque well to do businessman, loving father and, role model that makes me sick to my guts but it was a picture, a reveal of Romania's hidden treasure that had raised lots of questions since although everyone knew he had a female child he did a great job hiding her from the world until now.

I skipped a few lines of the normal ass licking bullshit crap that had nothing to do with even the faintest reflection of the truth and I finally saw why Daddy dearest was freeing his spoilt princess from his mighty fatherly wings. She was getting married to his business associate in his paper company which translates to second in command in his monetized terror over Russia.

I gazed at her picture again. Amelia my hands subconsciously traced her block written name as I couldn't help but wonder what our little princess would think when she knows what Daddy dearest who watched her play the piano in middle school with tears of pride on his face does for work.

The protected sheltered delicate one I thought intrigued and looking at her picture once more the speculations that she was deformed or physically impaired seemed like a huge joke. With cascading blonde hair, expressive blue eyes, an almost perfectly symmetrical face and a petite figure completely hidden by the hideous grey sweater she had on along with an obvious make-believe smile for the camera that lacked in mirth, our little Amelia was beautiful and that was an understatement.

"So I was thinking if he is becoming more open about his personal life and a daughter that he had deliberately refused to place a face to her infamous name unlike his other sons then he just might start becoming even more revealing and make a mistake that would also__"

I blocked out Sophie's voice not only because I thought she was a terrible detective even though she led me to a shiny lead, but also because I knew this was a deliberate attempt by the Russian bastard to flaunt his shiny little daughter now he was assured she was off the market. He wanted men to ogle at her like a glorious exhibition but yet, not able to do anything about their desires.

Personally, I didn't care for the spoilt little princess but the sins of the fathers are always visited on their children anyways for generations and I am too late to change history after all.

I inputted the details of the masquerade party that was supposed to be celebratory for the engagement of his daughter on my phone and although it was supposed to be strictly by invitation and in a thousand years that would be impossible since not only do I absolutely not run in the circles of such lying scumbags and entitled criminals, Romania wouldn't also want to sniff my shadow in such a happy occasion but unluckily for him being the Mayor of Moscow grants special affluence that gives you access to almost everything.

In English, that simply meant I know a guy.