Wing of a Butterfly

Chapter 12

Vegas sat almost motionlessly in the meeting room, silent, unless spoken to. He saw how on the opposite side of the conference table Kinn glanced at him from time to time, his frown growing with each glance as the meeting progressed. Vegas just couldn't put himself to act even a little bit interested when he knew that the last years of work would be taken away from him soon. Everything he worked for, the connections that he tried so hard to build and maintain, the respect he earned from his people, all of it will be for nothing. His father will take over and will tear down everything to reform it to his own liking.

Would he even be able to stay at the mansion? Would he and Macau have to move back to the compound? Vegas already spent the last week looking into locations that he could buy for the Kittisawat brothers. He won't be able to do anything if his father ordered him or his brother to come back to their childhood home but he won't let Porsche or Chay spend even one night under the same roof as Kan. It would mean terminating the contract that he made with Porsche years ago but it would be the only way he could keep them safe.

"Is there anything that you would like to discuss?"

His uncle's words made Vegas tense before he clenched his fist under the table and purposefully relaxed his posture. From the corner of his eyes he saw how his father turned his body toward Korn, soundlessly signalling that he had something to say. Vegas held back a grimace when he saw the expression his father was wearing and was almost jealous how well the man pulled off the open and friendly look while he knew that his thoughts were anything but.

"Since we need time to replan the route between Pyay and Chiang Mai after the coup, I will be staying in Bangkok for much longer periods now." started Kan. His older brother nodded at him, clearly waiting for him to continue. "In the last years our partnership with Mr. Chea proved to be very profitable and the business reached a stage where it would need someone with more experience to be able to handle it properly." Vegas saw from the side how his father smiled a little like he was talking about a favour he would do for the family "We decided that I'll take over the deal and manage it in the future. I think we will soon reach the point where we can open new shipping routes."

"I don't think so."

Vegas saw how his father tensed at his older brother's words, the two men looking at each other with clear tension even though their body language stayed the same. He saw how Kinn glanced between them, clearly worried about how a possible argument would turn out.

"You think we shouldn't open new shipping routes?" questioned Kan with a little smile "Of course we could wait one or two years before it becomes clear if we truly have an overabundance of product that our current partners cannot handle. Meanwhile I will start working with Mr. Chea to handle any issues that we currently have."

Vegas nodded as his father turned towards him, clearly wanting him to back him up but he was watching how his uncle slowly clicked his fountain pen shut and put the documents before himself into the dossier before holding it out to Chan wordlessly. The bodyguard - the only one present in the room - stepped away from the wall to take it then put his hands behind his back to take up a new position not even three steps from the table, basically towering above Kan. The other man glanced at him for a moment before looking at his older brother as Korn leaned back in his chair comfortably while he started to speak.

"As someone with more experience, I'm sure you know that these kinds of deals are more than just an agreement made over money." Korn looked at his brother almost without blinking "Your son built connections in the last years that lead to a business that will become one of our main operations for the next decade if we handle it properly. To change the central figure of this deal when it's at such a volatile state would be a grave mistake." Korn stopped for a moment, before adding "Let's not forget that you have no connections in Cambodia and your last endeavour was... less than fruitable."