𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘

𝐕 ━ 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔞𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔰

chapter five
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"I'm telling you, Kane, Devon is like the best choice I could ask for in a potential step-father," (Y/N) spoke that next Monday morning as she shoved her unneeded books into her locker for the day, glancing towards her best friend. "It's only been a month now and already I'm sure my mom thinks he's the one."

"Really?" Kane raised a brow.

"Really, really."

Kane was a tall, lanky boy with tousled brown hair, startling green eyes framed behind glasses, and light tan skin. He dressed in casual jeans and loose T-shirts, his clothing always looking a bit rumpled though as if he had just rolled out of bed. In hindsight, he looked perpetually tired all the time from his eye bags, how he slouched, and how monotone he sometimes sounded, but somehow he always earned the highest grades in each class.

It was a marvel to (Y/N).

Because of that, he didn't have many friends starting his high school career, but with little chats here and there, he and (Y/N) soon became inseparable.

"I'm guessing this 'Devon' guy is all kind and caring and thoughtful and all that, right?" Kane questioned as he leaned against the wall of lockers to (Y/N)'s right, casually watching throngs of students all past them. "Well, a lot of times that's how these boyfriends of people's mom's start, and then they turn into douchebags."

"I don't think Devon is like that," (Y/N) hummed as she closed her locker.

"How do you know?"

"I dunno," she shrugged. "Call it a gut feeling."

"Well, if you say so."

(Y/N) gave Kane a small smile as they both traveled to their first class of the day, but little did they know of the set of eyes watching them along with the lens of a camera capturing every angle of their encounter. All throughout her school day, (Y/N) noticed none of what was happening just several feet away from her through the panes of a window, completely oblivious to the lengths her new option for a step-father would go to ensure the cementing of his future.

"Who is this?" Devon questioned as he glanced through the photos of (Y/N) and Kane, his finger tapping in an irritated manner against the card stock. "Who is this boy seen cavorting with my future stepdaughter?"

"That is Kane Daniels, sir," the man in black before him proclaimed. "A longtime friend."

Devon's eyes narrowed.

He wasn't pleased with the situation.

No, he despised the situation.

"That is all—you're dismissed," Devon sighed as he waved away the man in black with his hand, watching as he gave a curt nod of his head before exiting his office.

Turning around in his chair to face the floor to ceiling windows of the space, Devon stood up and laced his hands behind his back as he looked down at the streets. High up in the Desray Corporations office building, he stood there like a king among peasants, his vivid green eyes scouring the crowd with an unbridled intensity bordering on cruel. Of course, there was no cruelty in his gaze, only a mild type of assertion that knew how he himself was separated from those below. Glancing back at the photos of (Y/N) and Kane, his eyes only further narrowed in distaste.

(Y/N) was connected to him now.

She was a part of him.

Therefore, he could not allow her to waste her time on meaningless people whom he never granted her the authority of mingling with.

It simply wouldn't stand.

Slowly, and without fail, he would tighten the reigns of control over Katherine and (Y/N) until like everyone else, they were sitting in the palms of his hand obeying every meaningful word that tumbled from his lips as if he were speaking the truths of God. In fact, he would prefer nothing less to that, already his lips teasing upwards into a grin at the thought of a perfect, quaint, ideal family with no flaws nor imperfections.

He glanced back down at the streets.

Hm...

Two more months.

Two more months, and then I will have Katherine and (Y/N) move in with me. Four to six months after that, the wedding.

I'll have a wife, and I'll have a daughter.

A perfect family.

It will be nothing less than perfect.

I will see to that.

Straightening his tie and adjusting his cuff links, he glanced at the clock before realizing it was time. Opening the doors of his office, already he could see attendants holding their designated black folders lined up outside of his office on either side of the wall. Their expressions were stoic and unemotional, their eyes vacant and rather dull. It was amusing to him how easily the corporate life could be like the Devil slowly whittling away one's soul.

"Sir," a woman uttered with a short bow.

He gave her a patient smile.

As his head attendant, he knew this woman had the acquired skills for the difficulty of such a job. He knew he wasn't a patient or very lenient man, therefore her rigid work style suited his own preferences perfectly.

"What do we have lined up today?" He questioned her as he and the rest of the attendants began walking down the wall, two lines behind him, their shoes clicking against the marble floor. "There better be no mistakes to this contract, or else we'll never secure this deal. Tell me—what information have you found about the Lynal Company. Good or bad, I want to be briefed."

As the female attendant warbled on, Devon listened intently, knowing full well the costs if he didn't.

After all, he didn't just obtain the title of C.E.O. just for providing lip service and charming smiles. No, he used all means, no matter how cutthroat, to secure his position, as money made the world go round not matter how much others try to deny it. It just was simply what was , and therefore must be worked for to obtain. He needed it to support himself and the family he was now cultivating, already able to imagine how content Katherine and (Y/N) would be once they had just a minimal taste of what kind of life he could provide them. A smile lit his lips as he recalled the looming fate of (Y/N)'s eighteenth birthday, already imagining how surprised she would be upon reviving the countless lavish gifts he would shower her with.

"Sir?" The woman spoke.

"Yes?" He hummed, momentarily snapped from his fantasies of his future life.

"We're here"

"Open the doors, then," Devon gave her a smile, his eyes closed. "We shouldn't keep him waiting any longer. Let's seal this deal."

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To be continued...