Mikhail

6

Noah held the icepack against his jaw, flinching at the cold against the wounds I had inflicted on him without regret.

I relaxed into my seat, body and mind craving rest after tonight.

"You continue to place yourself in dangerous situations," my father bellowed, "you humiliate the heir to the business in front of people more powerful than you're capable of understanding!"

"And is he not the heir solely because he's willing to continue trafficking people?" I tilted my head up at him with a sarcastic smile, "my mother is dead because of it. He's in no other way qualified to continue our legacy, father. I am, through means better than-"

"A leader's job isn't fighting around, Nat," Noah grunted out, hissing then at the pain the movement in his jaw caused him.

I breathed out and focused on the lit fireplace in the drawing room, the fire crackling peacefully.

"How were you planning on leading, when you let yourself be treated like a doormat?" I shot him a small look, shaking my head with disappointment. I knew I was right, and so did the two men.

"You're too stubborn for your own good," my father advised, catching my attention back, "adjust to your role instead of aiming for more. It'll only end badly."

"My mother raised me better than that," I glared at him as well, unable to comprehend how both were disrespecting not only me, but the memory of her.

"You act as if you're the only person who has lost someone they loved," he grew angry once more, nearing me threateningly from the middle of the dimly and comfortingly lit room, "my brother is dead because he wanted my position, something he could never have had."

I got up and straightened my posture, standing my ground against his blazing gaze, "I will not be gaslit. If you know what's best for our family, someone who trusts their instinct and gets jobs done is the obvious choice to continue your role."

"I will not argue about this any longer," he turned his back to me, slowly but surely breaking every last piece of my heart.

"I can't stand by and watch you ruin the lives of thousands of people and their families," I pushed, "there isn't anything lower than what is done to those young men and women. Noah," I then glared at my injured brother, "you should be ashamed of yourself. How you sleep at night is beyond me."

He looked down at his lap like a child, frowning to himself and saving whatever reply he would've mustered up through nonexistent courage.

"You needn't concern yourself with-" my father began, but I cut him off furiously.

"I will burn each and every person responsible for treating them like animals," I gritted out, fists clenching by my sides, "I could easily be one of those women. Can't you even try to imagine the pain?"

"Your mother did, and look where that got her," he spat out, turning to me again.

I laughed angrily and shook my head at how deranged I found his stance, "you're wrong. She's dead because you stayed in that business, where having the upper hand means life or death. We're one of the strongest and most powerful families. The more pies we stick our finger into, the more risks we'll face."

His jaw clenched, but averted his gaze. I relaxed, sensing that he too knew my point was incredibly valid and that of a born leader.

"You go along with what dad says, Noah," I looked back over at the man sat in the corner, icepack on his jaw and blood staining the collar of his dress shirt, "you need to think ahead. Unless we continue to adapt and modernise, everything we've built will crumble."