Outside, almost everyone had already left. With Nikolai pacing ahead I slipped my phone from my pocket and messaged my parents. I needed to see them but I didn’t know where they’d be. Was Ambrose still under the hospital's care or had he been released?
We’ll meet you back at home - R
After reading their quick reply, my nerves doubled as the thought of facing them. But first, Nikolai...
“Finally, we can go home.” Nikolai sighed and relaxed into his seat behind the wheel. The sky was lightening as the sun began to rise.
“Nikolai!” I cried, looking over at him in outrage. I couldn’t believe his lack of sensitivity. He must have guessed my thoughts because suddenly he looked aghast.
“You can’t be serious, you think you’re going back there?” he asked incredulously.
“Only half the task is over.”
I still had a homicidal brother to deal with, and the matter of my inheritance. I wasn’t letting them off the hook that easily. Whether they wanted to face the facts or no, I was the Varela heir, and I was intent on claiming that crown.
“The Varela estate.” I narrowed my eyes at Nikolai in challenge. While he huffed and clenched at the steering wheel with white knuckles, the engine roared, and we pulled away from the curb.
My eyes never left him as I wondered about whether or not I should’ve told him the rest of my plan. It hadn’t been my original intention to go through with taking over my father's seat, but I’d surprised myself. I’d come to like his job.
It took several minutes and a loud disgruntled sigh before Nikolai finally kicked the engine of his truck to life. “Fine, but I’m not leaving your side.”
I knew there was no arguing about that. By now, I had learned to recognise what I could get away with and what I couldn’t. But truth be told, I wanted him there. I was just glad to know that he had my back.
I wanted my inheritance, my seat at the Varela table, and I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to get it after all of this. The only way I was going to ensure that I got my way would be to speak to my parents now. I was banking on a lot — it was definitely a gamble — but I figured now was the best time, before Ambrose could get his hooks into them again and shut me out.
When we pulled up outside the Varela house, I saw that my parents’ cars were both there. Good timing, I supposed. They must have finally left the hospital. I wondered if Ambrose would be here — it seemed unlikely.
I looked at Nikolai and found him already watching me closely.
“I’m ready, let’s go.” I was, in part, trying to convince myself that it was true. My heart pounded in my chest, and I was starting to feel the slight, buzzy light-headedness of an adrenaline rush. Fight, flight or freeze. The most base instincts. I hoped that I could quell the urge to run back into the truck and drive away.
I walked up the drive with Nikolai on my heels. I was relieved to have him with me, but I knew that I’d be the one doing all the talking once we got inside — assuming my parents let us inside… I didn’t hesitate as I knocked on the door.
There was a moment of stillness before the door opened. Rosetta held the door as her mouth opened then closed into a disapproving line. I was fairly certain it was Nikolai’s presence that made her hesitate to let me inside. The last time he’d been here, he’d just barged right past poor Rosetta and accosted me from the kitchen over breakfast.
“I’m here to see my parents,” I said to Rosetta, who hummed a suspicious note, and opened the door wider.
“Your father is in the library and your mother, I believe, is in their bedroom. The shock of the past twenty-four hours has been hard on her.”
I felt a twinge of guilt at that. I hadn’t intended for this to go the way it did. But I wasn’t going to back down. I would have my inheritance and I would lead this family when Kaleb stepped down.
“Would you please get my mother? Tell her we’ll be in the library.” I grabbed Nikolai’s hand and led him through the house to the library. As I’d expected Kaleb was seated behind the desk, tapping away on his computer.
He looked up to see both of us entering the room. We hadn’t even shut the door by the time he was standing and opening his mouth, “Anastasia? Nikolai King, what is he doing back here?”
“We’re heading home.”
“Anastasia, you are home. What are you talking about?” As Kaleb spoke I caught my mother entering from the corner of my eye. She crossed the room and took a seat on the couch.
“No, we’re going back to Boston. I’m done here, I’m done playing your games. I’ll come back when you decide to retire.”
“Like hell do you think that you’ll still be taking over after all this!” Rachel burst out. Her perfectly polite demeanor was long gone, in its place was the head of the Varela family.
“Cassio’s dead, Marco’s as good as under my thumb, your son tried to kill me for money. Sorry guys, but I don’t think you have much choice.” I tried not to laugh but it was a truly sticky situation that they found themselves in.
“What do you mean Cassio’s dead?” Kaleb asked as Rachel tilted her head with piqued interest.
They were both sitting on the couch then, his tone was softer - less demanding. I knew that they would be close to relenting. They had no other options and like they’d said before I was ‘good business’.
