Tangled Inheritance: A CEO's Seduction

Lia

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF MARIO VOLKOV

I, Mario Volkov, of sound mind and memory, hereby declare this as my final will, revoking any previous wills or codicils.

FIRST: I bequeath my entire estate, both real and personal, to be equally shared between my two children, Lia and Charles Volkov.

SECOND: Specifically, I assign to my daughter, Lia Volkov, and my son, Charles Volkov, an equal share of my 50% equity in the Diamond MineCompany. Additionally:

(a) I leave my vacation home in Hawaii to Charles.

(b) My personal art collection is bequeathed to Lia.

(c) The yacht, "The Pearl," goes to Charles.

(d) Lia inherits my beach house in the Hamptons.

(e) Charles receives my townhouse in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

(f) My villa in Tuscany, Italy, goes to...

The reading went on, and my mind drifted back to happier times, memories of laughter with my father. Only when my name was mentioned did I refocus on the will being read aloud.

"...Lia Volkov is appointed as the executor. If she is unable or unwilling, my son, Charles Volkov, will serve as the alternate executor."

FOURTH: If any provision of this will is declared invalid...

I zoned out again, and when the reading concluded, I looked up, still grappling with the shock of my father's sudden passing. I had postponed visiting him in the winter, intending to see him in spring. Little did I know it would be his last winter. The regret was sinking in.

"I'm growing my company, Dad. I just need a bit of time. Christmas is our busiest season. I'll see you soon. I promise. Oh, and don't forget I love you," I had cheerfully said, unaware of the looming tragedy.

Now, more than two weeks after our last conversation, all I had left were the words of his will. The lawyer droned on about documents and execution, but I couldn't care less at that moment. My only desire was to leave this city, clouded by memories, and begin the process of healing.

"Yes, Miss Volkov," my father's lawyer said expressionlessly.

I rose to my feet, ignoring my brother. We had nothing to say. In the lobby, I put on my sunglasses, ready to leave, but my name was called. I hesitated but eventually turned around.

"Lia," the voice echoed across the space. Reluctantly, I stopped and faced him. He was exactly as I remembered – tall, broad, and attractive, yet undeniably unpleasant.

"Yeah?" I responded with feigned boredom as he approached.

His annoyance was evident, but he kept his tone even. "Can I have a few minutes of your time? There is something extremely important that we must talk about."

Vaguely recalling my father's will assigning 50% equity in Diamond Mineto my brother and me, I wasn't surprised that this CEO and co-owner of the company was seeking a conversation. The warpath was expected.

"I'll assume your sudden urge to talk involves my Diamond Mineshare, but I'm not in the mood to discuss any of it. Talk to my brother if you must. I don't care."

His intense gray gaze narrowed disapprovingly, but I remained indifferent, walking away. Unexpectedly, his hand gripped my arm, its strength halting me. Glancing at his tanned hand, sculpted like a Greek statue but warm against my skin, only fueled my irritation. The hand of a jerk should be cold and claw-like.

"Excuse me?" I muttered with gritted teeth.

"I understand you want to leave the city immediately, but this will only take a few minutes," he said calmly, releasing his grip.

His forceful demand for my attention did little to improve my tolerance, but respecting my role as an equity owner and considering my father's legacy, I forced myself to calm down.

"Go ahead," I instructed coldly.

"I'll get straight to the point. I want to buy you out. Since you likely have little interest in running the company, I'm more than willing to take it off your hands. You can't sell until two years of working here, but...."

His words faded into the background as I stared at him, angered by the timing of his proposition. Despite running my own company and understanding his perspective, the insensitivity irked me, especially given our past interactions.

"I haven't read the will," I impatiently stated. "So I can't decide yet."

As I turned to leave, he halted me once more. "Can I contact you in the future for an update?"

"No," I replied. "My father just passed away. Please leave me alone. If I decide, I'll reach out." Though my words sounded calm, inside, it felt like screaming into the wind.

This time, he didn't attempt to stop me. Escaping New York's pain, shock, and hurt consumed my thoughts. Perhaps leaving the city would bring a change for the better soon.

"So, let me confirm," Jane inquired. "You're planning to sell your company to them, continue being in charge, and use their funds to expand it?"

"Yes," I affirmed, pulling out two blazers from my closet and showing them to her. She deliberated between the stripe and pattern and settled on the pattern.

"I don't know," she pondered. "That seems... exceedingly favorable?"

"Yes," I agreed, smiling.

"Hmm," she mused. "And if I feel this way, then the other equity owners won't feel any different, especially since you're not close with them, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, the concerns I had earlier resurfacing.

"Hm," she uttered again, and I sighed.

"We have to figure it out. At least I have to figure it out. It's my dad's company, after all, and I don't want to neglect it the way I neglected our relationship."

"That's unfair to yourself," she remarked. "He understood you. He was a businessman, and both of you were always busy, struggling to find time together."

"Yeah," I acknowledged, attempting to focus on packing, but she continued.

"So, since you can't sell your equity before two years pass, you'll work there until then?"

"I don't know if I'll sell even after the two years," I explained. "My initial plan was to remain uninvolved, as I never intended to sell. However, with his offer to buy my company, I have a reason to consider moving to New York."

"Ah," she nodded. "It's clear to me now."

"Hmm," I replied. "What will forever be unclear to me, though, is why my dad gave equity to my brother as well. He could have simply handed over the properties. He knows Charles has no interest, ability, or contribution to run a business."

"He's graduated college, right?" Jane asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah, he's been idling away his time since then, but my dad hasn't had the heart to cut him off."

She chuckled. "But you've mentioned that you might be the bigger letdown to your dad since at least Charles finished college while you did not."

I sighed as she pointed this out.

"You're right. That's why I worked so hard, but at the same time, it kept me away from him because I always felt that no matter how well I did, he wouldn't get over that disappointment.

Anyway, let's not talk about these anymore. I'm running late."

"When does your flight leave again?"

"10 am."

"Hm, we have four hours more," she yawned.

She continued assisting in selecting and folding items into my suitcase. However, my mind remained in turmoil, so I halted and lay down beside her on the bed.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I need to clear my head," I said. "It's too cloudy. I feel like I'm not thinking straight."

"Alright," she said, giving me her full attention. "What exactly is the problem?"

I briefly went silent as I tried to sort through my thoughts, but she introduced her own topic before I could.

"Does your cloudiness have anything to do with that... person who's going to be in the picture?"

"Who?" I asked.

"The CEO," she replied, and I frowned at her reminder, then sighed.

"Alessio goddamn motherfucking Lacronte. He's one of the reasons this move is making me anxious. He was the one who told me about the offer to buy me out, but he can't exactly be trusted."

"You've called him a slime and sleaze ball every single time you've mentioned him over the past few months. Are you still not going to tell me why you detest him so much? I mean, has he done anything so far to cheat you beyond the fact that he offered to completely buy you out?"

"Also, did he make the same offer to your brother? Why didn't he take it?"

"I don't know if he made the same offer to Charles, but even if he did, why would Charles sell?" I asked. "Charles's lazy, but he's not an idiot. Staying connected to the company assures he keeps his wealth and access to resources. If he leaves with a buyout, then he has to manage it himself and grow it. Why the fuck would he want to do that when he can keep doing the bare minimum and ride on the backs of others?"

"Okay, well, he doesn't sound like he's going to be your ally in this."

"I'm not going there to fight," I said. "I'm just there to consider my options with Standard Rock. My father gave almost his whole life to building that, so it's the least I can do."

She nodded. "That's great and all, but can we please go back to Alessio? You two knew each other when you were younger, right? I mean, his father owned the company along with yours, so there must have been meetups and gatherings or something?"

I didn't respond.

"Lia," she called. "I need to know why he, amongst everyone else, grates on you. I mean, his sister owns equity, and you've mentioned that she's nasty. Then you're not close to your brother. In all of these, Alessio seems to be neutral and maybe even an advocate in your favor, yet you can't stand even the mention of his name."

"It's not that bad," I said, and she laughed.

"I'll hold up a mirror so you can see how your expression changes when he's brought up. Like now."

She began to search for a mirror in the bedside drawer, and I shook my head.

"You're so nosy."

"Of course I am. You're generally a peaceful person, so it makes no sense. There has to be something else that makes you despise him, and I need to know what it is."

Exhaling, I pondered her remarks, then acquiesced.

"It wasn't a significant issue or anything too grave," I explained. "Just a bit bothersome."

"Of course, it's not serious; you wouldn't be so emotional otherwise. What I'm sure of is that it was embarrassing for you, and this is why I have to hear about it, or else you're going to miss your flight today. I'm not letting you leave."

Amused, I continued gazing at the ceiling as I summoned the memory, and she approached to poke me.

"Speak," she urged. "You're going to be late."

"Fine," I conceded. "There were many of those... joint festivities you mentioned since our fathers owned the company together."

"Okay," she acknowledged.

"So," I proceeded. "During one of those, I was in the library trying to get away from all the noise when I heard someone come in, so I hid. I thought it was the housekeeper trying to get me to come downstairs to meet the other guests."

"However, I later found out that it was Alessio and some woman."

"Oh?" she inquired. "And?"

"Well, what else could have happened? He had sex with her right there?"

She gasped.

"In front of you?"

"No," I replied. "There was an inner reading room, and he took her there. Took her on my bloody reading daybed! At first, I wasn't even sure what was going on, so I went to take a look."

"Of course," Jane said, and I smiled.

"Well, I saw Alessio, and he saw me."

Her mouth fell open. "Really?"

"Yeah. Our eyes met, and when it did, I thought at the very least that he was going to be startled enough to pull away from her, but he didn't. Instead, he had the nerve to invite me to join them instead!"

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. "You're joking."

"I kid you not," I replied. "I can even recall verbatim what he said. He was like– hey Tom, rather than peeping, you should come join us?"

"Was he still doing that when he was saying this?" she asked.

"Bastard didn't miss a beat, and she was noisy as well. Too excited to realize there was someone else in the room. I was so embarrassed I nearly died."

Jane burst out laughing, then covered her mouth. "What did you say?"

I cringed, remembering the scene as if had happened yesterday. "Not even if you were the last man on earth," I admitted with a sigh.

Jane's eyes went wide again. "Oh my! "You really said that?"

"I was young," I replied.

"What did he say?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "He threw his head back and laughed."

"And this... is the guy you're going to work for now."

"I won't be working for him," I frowned. "I own the same amount of the company as he does."

"But he's the CEO, right?"

"Right," I concurred slowly.

She gave me a look. "That would make him your boss."

I glared at her.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have to work for two years before those rights are vested to you, and before then, you'll be working under him, right?"

I grabbed the pillow and put it over my face. I would have screamed into it, but I didn't have the energy.

She couldn't care less about my sudden realization of the horrid situation that was awaiting and was instead spinning her own fantasies.

"So... you once watched him have sex with someone. And both of you remember this. Hmm... Was he good, by the way? Did the girl look like she was enjoying herself?"

"Way too much," I spat angrily. "I couldn't get her stupid whimpering out of my head for years after that."

"Wow, sounds like he made a massive impression on you?" she asked.

I threw the pillow aside. "No, he didn't. All I remember is that supercilious, arrogant, uncaring smirk on his face when he caught sight of me. I turned around and hurried the hell out of there as soon as I could, but as I was in the corridor I heard her, you know, reach her grand finale."

She laughed. "She was loud, huh?"

"The volume was just freaking ridiculous."

"Is he an attractive person?" Without waiting for my response, she retrieved her phone and started to Google him.

"Don't," I groaned, but she didn't listen.

"I need to put a face to him," she mumbled and continued. In no time, she found his pictures and began to scroll through them, her eyes widening with every passing second.

"Wow," she gasped.

Shaking my head in defeat, I got off the bed and returned to my packing.

"How old was he when you walked in on him?" she asked, her eyes still glued to her phone.

I thought back to the past. "I was eighteen."

"He's thirty-one now," she said. "And you're twenty-six, so back then he was..."

She lifted her gaze to do the math.

"Twenty-three," I supplied.

She nodded. "Yeah. Twenty-three. Damn."

"Damn what?"

"I'm sorry Lia, but judging by these photos, and if he is still as delectable as he was back then..."

I stopped and waited for her to complete her statement, my eyes narrowing in warning.

"I'm going to make a prediction right now. You're either going to have a hell of a time there, or it's going to be a complete nightmare of cold showers for two years."

Annoyance surged through me at her words but rather than rage at her for mentioning the possibility, I decided to be rational.

"Ugh... I'd rather cut off my arm," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Blinding yourself seems like the only escape from your fate," she remarked. Suddenly, noticing my sour expression, she quietly approached and joined me in folding. "I'm just being a bit silly, sorry," she apologized sheepishly.

"Don't worry. I'm just concerned about the complexities this mess might bring. Joining Diamond Minecould benefit my company in various ways, but I'm hesitant. I plan to decline the buyout offer; I need to know the reason behind it from him directly," I explained.

"Maybe he wants you to work for him, killing two birds with one stone-buying you out and gaining both the company and its owner," she suggested.

"That makes sense, but what's in it for him?" I pondered.

"Perhaps he needs an ally?" she proposed.

I paused, considering her words. "True, but why would he want me as an ally when he has his sister?" I questioned.

"Is their relationship good?" she inquired.

"I have no idea, but I doubt it," I admitted, continuing with my packing. "Alessio is offering ten million," I added.

She gasped. "Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?"

"Exactly why this trip to New York worries me. There's surely a catch," I concluded.

Alessio

I resisted answering the phone as much as possible until I had no alternative but to pick it up.

"Sir," Elias stated.

"Yes," I responded, and he conveyed his update on Lia's planned arrival.

"Okay," I acknowledged.

"Offer her the choice of an apartment or the hotel upon landing. Ensure David is on-site for her needs. I'll call her later to arrange the meeting," I instructed.

"Yes, Sir," he replied, and I hung up.

Matthias, our lawyer, remarked, "You don't seem thrilled about her visit."

"What's there to be enthusiastic about?" I responded, expressing my frustration with Lia's involvement.

"She's been difficult since her father passed away, and now I have to deal with her, essentially buying her cooperation," I explained.

Matthias chuckled, suggesting that our fathers may have had ulterior motives in dividing the company equally among us. He proposed it might be a chess game where the best man wins.

"You're confident you can regain the equity from the others eventually," he said.

"Why wouldn't I be able to?" I retorted. "I've suspected this, and I'll annihilate their deceitful plans."

Matthias agreed, emphasizing my impact and legacy beyond just money. I sighed, signing documents, and he brought up legal matters regarding the dividend increase battle with Lia.

"I'll see how she responds tonight and how things go," I explained, acknowledging the potential offense when she learns my intention to buy her vote.

"I'm paying extensively for it," I added, noting the hidden financial aspect from the others for now.

"It'll still be a balanced two against two," he remarked.

"Two against two is an improvement over two against one. Last time, when they pushed for a dividend payout increase, I gave in due to other pressing matters generating the money they wanted a larger cut of. Now, I'm ready to fight and ensure their loss," I explained.

Matthias agreed, acknowledging their increasing greed, and I emphasized my determination to oust each of them from the company.

"Even Lia?" he questioned, and I paused my writing.

"Why do you keep bringing her up?" I asked.

"Because she's not foolish," he noted. "And if you're acquiring her company, kicking her out won't be that simple."

"I might be able to. Everyone and everything has a price; I just need to know hers," I replied.

"It's substantial. She resisted coming to New York until the ten million was offered," he mentioned. "But when she learns that you ignored the bylaws and gave in to their demands without her input, won't she be offended and uncooperative?"

"She better not be," I retorted. "It's her fault for staying away. I'll explain everything to her directly and gauge her maturity as a businesswoman."

Matthias smiled. "I wish I could witness your meeting with her. She's not often in the spotlight, but I've heard impressive things about her."

"If you were there, I'd smash you or she would before I get to you. I'll update you tomorrow," I joked.

He laughed, and I shook my head. "Alright," he said, rising to leave and return to work.

Lia

"So," Jane's voice came through the phone, "What's your outfit choice for dinner with Mr. Edgy?"

"It's not a date, just dinner," I sighed, displaying the plain halter-neck black dress and a power suit in my hand.

"So, what is it then? A welcome to the Big Apple, or straight into business discussions?" she inquired.

"Who knows, but it's not a friendly dinner. More like a meeting between..."

"Enemies?"

"That's extreme. Not getting along with someone doesn't make him my enemy."

"But you've assumed you won't get along with him, even though you haven't seen him in so long or interacted with him."

"I've had enough indirect interactions with him over the year to know I won't get along with him," I responded.

"Really?" she dryly questioned, and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, really," I confirmed, settling on the halter-neck dress.

"I've concluded that I absolutely don't like him," I confessed to Jane.

Amused, she asked, "Which outfit did you pick?" as I assessed the provocative yet decent halter-neck black dress in the mirror.

"I chose the dress," I replied, and she laughed.

"This is gonna be a great show."

"What do you mean?"

"That's a provocative dress," she remarked, and I admitted, "You're right."

"So, is that your message?"

"Part of it," I acknowledged, appreciating how the dress hugged my curves.

"And the rest? What's the full message?"

"Essentially, 'tempt me, but on second thought, no, thank you,'" I explained.

"The ring to that is a bit off," she commented, and as I let my hair down, I responded, "It's the best I can do for now. I'm running late, will talk to you later."

"Sure, have fun," she said, suggesting not to wear underwear.

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Not wearing underwear, and with all that material rubbing against your skin, you'll have quite the experience tonight," she provocatively advised.

I was silent, considering her ideas, then shook my head at her obscene suggestions and ended the call. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I decided to follow her advice and go all the way out for the unexpected encounter.

Despite these frivolities, my real reason for being there lingered, but I embraced the excitement. Memories of his taunts and his previous encounters haunted me, and I was eager to see his reaction eight years later.

Confident in my provocative stance, I headed to the restaurant, but the closer I got, the more uncertain I became. Despite the serious business at hand, my thoughts swirled. I considered turning back to change, but looking at myself again, I decided against it. I looked and felt great.

The nipple idea was over the top, but as long as I didn't get turned on or the room wasn't too cold, I reasoned I'd be fine.

Our appointment was at 8 pm, and I arrived five minutes before. In the hotel's restaurant, I saw him already seated on the phone. His eyes followed me as I walked over, and he only nodded lightly when I arrived. Inappropriate attire for a business meeting, I was seated, and he, in a suit without a tie, looked surprisingly handsome. The Google pictures didn't do him justice, and my previous grief had hindered proper observation.

Now able to meet his gaze, I couldn't deny the striking nature of his eyes, which seemed even more gray than my recollection. The prolonged stare made me increasingly uneasy.

Recalling his sly remark from years ago and his recent curt behavior in persuading me to join the company, I reminded myself that his attractiveness was merely superficial. I was facing a cunning and ruthless individual, and I needed to adjust my approach accordingly.

Contrary to my mental stance, my nipples seemed to have a different opinion, as I soon noticed them protruding against the soft fabric. Letting out a sigh, I set my purse down and took hold of the menu, preparing to handle the consequences of my actions as professionally as possible.