FRAGMENTS OF THE BILLIONAIRE

CHAPTER 8: HIDDEN SHADOWS

In the aftermath of Michael's confrontation with Logan, the air within the Ashford mansion crackled with tension. The patriarch, Valentine's father, sat in his study, a storm brewing behind his eyes. The news of Michael's ascension to heir left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"The old man still wants to give my brother's son the title of heir!" he exclaimed, his anger palpable. The sound of a wooden chair shattering echoed in the room. His resentment seeped through every word. "This is all because that woman, your mother, didn't give me a son. Instead, she gave birth to you." His voice dripped with disdain for Valentine's mother, a feeble woman in his eyes, unfit to rule the family.

Valentine, standing before her father, felt the weight of his disappointment. She dared not meet his gaze, always haunted by the knowledge that she never fulfilled his expectations.

"I'm...... I'm......sorry father." It was so pitiful, she had to apologise for being a girl, Her head bowed, she listened in silence, her heart heavy with the burden of her gender. Her father ignored her apology and she wished, she could erase her femininity, wishing she were a boy to bring happiness to her father.

"So, he intends to make that child heir," he chuckled manically, revealing the dark path he was willing to tread. "Well, I just have to kill him like I did his parents." Valentine winced at the callous statement. Her father's gaze turned to her, and she felt a shiver crawl down her spine.

"Don't be too hostile to him," he instructed, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Make sure you are on good terms with him. I don't want anyone to see this coming. Are you listening to me?"

"I... I was already rude to him in the beginning," she stammered, attempting to explain herself. "But don't worry, Father, I will take care of it. I won't—"

Before she could finish her sentence, he slapped her across the face once again, the sharp sound echoing in the room. Stunned, she touched her cheek, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and pain.

"Foolish girl!" he berated, his voice a venomous hiss. "You insist on making everything hard for me. After killing my brother and his wife, I thought it would be easy for you to become the heir, but you are still so useless. You are so damn useless. Leave now!"

His words hung in the air, a cruel reminder of her perceived failure. As she left the room, she couldn't shake the feeling of her father's disappointment, the weight of her inadequacy heavy on her shoulders. If only she could change who she was in his eyes, erase the stigma of being a girl that clouded her father's judgment. But she knew it was an impossible wish, but she braced herself for the challenges that lay ahead.

Meanwhile, Michael stood outside Luke's hospital room, gazing at his younger brother through the glass. They had faced so much together, and now circumstances forced them apart. Turning to Harrison, Michael questioned the reasoning behind Reginald's decision to keep them apart.

"Why did Grandpa Reginald say that I have to leave him alone? Why can't Luke live with me?" he inquired, searching for answers. Harrison, ever composed, provided an explanation, "Young master, right now your position in the family isn't so great. If Luke were to start living with you, it would create issues. He isn't a member of the family, and his relationship can be used against you in any time of crisis. Master Reginald wanted you to leave him so he could protect him."

A heavy sigh escaped Michael's lips as he absorbed the complexity of the situation. "So, that's why, huh?" he murmured, a tinge of sadness in his voice. Harrison nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of family dynamics.

"Let's go. Tomorrow is going to be a long day," Harrison suggested, steering Michael away from the hospital room. "You are going for the annual CEO meeting for the first time."

"That sounds intimidating." Micheal said and Harrison giggled.

"It always is." They exited the hospital entering the black car as it rode off to the family mansion.