Vulnerable

The Billionaire

Dante Rossi watched as the brightly lit estate came into view; even from this far, he could see the hustle and bustle that was taking place inside. He could visualize the urgency and panic, and the staff running about with their last minute errands. 

He took a deep breath as the car came to a halt, anticipating what was to come. Before he could count to three, his driver, Andrew, had stepped outside and was now holding the door wide open for him. 

He slowly exited the vehicle, looking up at the line that was forming at the front entrance. The staff had been instructed by his grandmother years back to follow a strict protocol whenever a Rossi family member, or anyone equivalent in stature, arrived to the estate. This welcome was nothing short of a nuisance that he was more than glad to abolish. Unfortunately, the woman was getting old and senile, and if it hadn't been difficult enough dealing with her growing up, his latter years with her were borderline unbearable. 

As if summoned by his thoughts, his grandmother suddenly appeared at the door. She was frail looking and petite, but the expression on her face spoke volumes. One hand on her cane, she lifted the other up in front of her as she addressed the staff.

There is a manner in which to behave when in the presence of one's employer, madams and sirs! It seems you all have forgotten how important punctuality is... and how much one despises tardiness. 

Dante couldn't help but raise a brow sarcastically, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Andrew trying to hide a smile. His grandmother's words seemed to be directed towards the staff, who were all nervously fumbling about now. However, he couldn't help but wonder if she was speaking to him.

I hope I haven't kept you waiting long, Ma'am

The woman turned to look at her grandson, and her frown changed to a look of casual annoyance as she shrugged and turned back to walk inside the doors. 

For a moment, Dante felt a pang in his chest, but he quickly pushed the feeling away. The woman that was meant to be his only surviving family member, his own grandmother, had told him to call her "ma'am" from the moment he could speak. 

She had always kept an emotional detachment from him, keeping him at arm's length at all times. After his father had passed, she had sent him off to boarding school to complete his education. She had cited "unnecessary noise and clutter" as the reasoning behind his departure, claiming the estate was not the place for an eleven year old orphaned boy to take his lessons and education. 

The absence of his father hadn't been hard to adjust to, he had always been absent in Dante's life. It was the void left by the passing of his mother that had hurt him the most. If anything, he wished his father hadn't waited several months following her death before he decided to follow. It was those few months, having to watch the cowardly and selfish man slowly evaporate, that had brought a new kind of angst and anger inside of him.  

It obviously didn't help matters that he was left to cope all alone, with no one to embrace him or shelter him from the cold reality of being the only heir to such a vast fortune. When her son died, his grandmother had turned even colder and more distant, especially towards her surviving heir. 

He had learned to manage his emotions over time, and as quickly as he started to feel something, it would pass just as quick. 

He cleared his throat and followed her into the place he could never quite associate with "home", nodding his head at the staff before entering. They all stood erect as statues and pale, eyes wide open, waiting for him to go into a fit of rage or target one of them. 

Not today, he thought. He wouldn't let anything get to him like that this time. He had made up his mind the entire trip over, convincing himself he was older and stronger now.