☘︎ Lʏᴋᴀs Vɪᴛᴀʟʟɪs ☘︎
"Overspeed driver on the run. Overspeed driver on the run." The speaker's monotone warning echoes alongside the police sirens, "Heading from London Lane 12 towards the London Bridge."
Adrenaline pumps my veins fueling the exhilarating thrill running through my system. I lean back on the luxurious leather seat of my Porsche 911 with a rebellious grin on my lips and press the accelerater harder, zooming the sports car past the mild traffic with a blinding speed.
"Vehicle Number 7364, I repeat, pull over to the right." The sirens grow nearer, the speakers blarring at me to stop.
Notching up the speed, I swivel the car past the London Bridge in all its nightly glory and into the palm-trees lined roadway of Lane 13 aka the Vitallis territory.
The moment my father's mansion gates come into view, I grab my phone from the dashboard, dialing the speed-dial number, "Hey, Geet! Tell the security to open the gates. The good ol' cops are following close behind me for speed-driving. Could you be a darling and take care of it?"
"On it, Sir. Everything will be handled within an estimate of 4 minutes and 30 seconds max." Geet, the head of my father's elite security and scandal control team, answers with an unbelievable robotic calm.
"You're a fucking life-saver, Geet!"
"No problem, Sir." She waves it off monotically as if it's no big deal and hangs up.
I suppose taking care of a mere speed-driving crisis is a mediocre task for the elite team afterall.
Only the closest of the Vitallis Co. members know the kind of scandals Geet's team have covered up for my father and the board of directors of Vitallis Group over the years. Varying from sex scandals, illegal dealings to as far as murder cases, the elite team had buried it all down.
It was a fucked up way to make the best of all fields from I.T. to Defense to Law and Journalism and what not work solely to burry down things, collect blackmail material on influential people and spy on the board members. But my father pays them high enough that no outer agency could ever even dream off affording them, unless they wish to go bankrupt.
My grin widens as the tall coal-black gates flair open the moment I inch nearer only to shut behind me, instantly blocking the cops from following as the elite team attend to them, settling the speed-driving crisis.
The tires of my Porsche 911 screech against the rough stone tiles of the driveway as I halt in front of the main door of the four-storey mansion.
Shrugging out of my blazer, I sling it over my shoulder and emerge out of the car, rushing past the greeting servants with the adrenaline rush still fresh in my system.
Although my fleeting joy comes to an abrupt stop the moment I step foot inside the mansion and my father's deep authoritive voice greets me,
"Ryson Group exceeded our shares."
David Vitallis is sprawled on the plush velvet settee in front of the television screen, dressed in a black suit with a glass of expensive wine in his hand and a sharp calculating look on his angular face.
What?
"You didn't know, did you?" My father rises from his lounging spot, swirling the wine within his glass.
I stay silent, sobering up instantly as a grim feeling holds me captive when my mother descends down the stairs and glances between father and I in confused concern.
"Tell me, son." My father steps in front of me, gripping my left shoulder as his champagne coloured eyes meet mine, "Did I not groom you since childhood, gave you the top-most training and sent you to the best of business universities so that you could excel in leading Vitallis Group?"
Fists clenching at my sides, I meet his gaze square in the eyes that are a mirror of my own, "You did."
"Then how the hell did that woman out-do you?!" His infuriated yell has my mother flinching.
I itch to tell my father that he underestimates the viles of a woman. That he's so far up his mind that he doesn't know that if a woman so wished, she could conquer the world.
But it takes only one warning look from my mother and a subtle shake of her head for me to hold my tongue.
With an internal sigh, I state defeatedly, "I'll make sure the shares go higher, father."
David Vitallis stares in observative silence. Giving me a curt nod, he steps back, his anger dissipating down a notch, "Pack your bags, Lykas. You're going to New York tomorrow morning."
My head snaps his way in delirium, "Whatever for?"
"Your fiance is critical and undergoing surgery. It is liable you pay her a visit. We cannot let Samuel Davidson think you don't care for his daughter." He shrugs, taking a sip of wine from his glass.
"She's not my fiance yet. We are not even engaged." I grit out through annoyance, "And how will I handle the shares issue if I leave?"
"She will be your fiance. There's a billion dollar deal in question. Besides, once Davidson Group and Vitallis Group merge at your and Mia's wedding, that alone will do the job of increasing the shares and making us an unbeatable industry in London. Ryson Group, after four years will be finally thrown out of competition. I set up this deal with a goal in mind to overthrow Jennifer Ryson." A dark, gleeful look crosses my father's features and his stern sight settles on me, "Go sleep. You're leaving tomorrow."
The energy to argue leaves me at the finalty in his tone. Without a word more, I walk past him towards the stairs.
My mother passes me a hesitant smile to which I merely smile back before venturing towards my room. Locking the door behind me, I slide down to the floor with my head in my hands.
It wasn't like I had a problem with Mia. She's lovely, really. But it was the lack of choice in my own life that bothered me. Every minute of the day, every decision of mine revolved around the benefit of Vitallis Group.
Sometimes it felt like I was merely a passerby watching my entire existence be used as a pawn to success.
A pawn who could do nothing but oblige.
--------᪥♔︎᪥-------
(Pronouniciation)
Lykas : Lie-kas
Kinda drama-infused chapter but it was necessary for an insight into Lykas' life, I suppose😬
So Lykas and Jennifer at the same place? I wonder what will happen?👀
What's Mr. David Vitallis's deal with Jennifer anyways?
YOU ARE READING
The Secret Heiress | ✔️
Romance---▪︎ A Wattpad featured story ▪︎--- Twelve years ago, an incident changed my life. I was sent to London by my father with a new identity; all alone, away from my family and home, away from everything that was me. With a new persona as Jennifer Ryso...
