Ploy for Giantshade Industries
Author's note: This is from Duke's point of view
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If it's up to me, I would destroy John and Giantshade Industries. That company is the source of John's power and influence and without it, he is nothing.
With my business knowledge and connections, combined with Mona's social network which is based at her chain of luxurious spas that Serina helped establish, we can bring the Giantshade Industries down within weeks and no one would know from where it came.
Unfortunately for me, my future wife is softhearted, and she feels sorry for thousands of employees. Serina believes that it's not right for them to lose jobs because of something Magda and John did, and that's where Seb comes into the picture.
We don't know if John is aware of how malicious Magda is. Is he just a protective brother, or an accomplice? It doesn't matter. The fact is that Magda won't back down and that John protected his sister repeatedly and he will continue to do so as long as he has the power.
As people with extraordinary lifespans, Serina and I don't want to attract too much attention because it will be difficult to explain our unchanging appearances, but if we place our people in prominent positions, the sky is the limit. Actually, with Serina by my side, the sky is just the starting point.
Sebastian and Henry are humans, but if in time they show that they are reliable and loyal, Serina can change that. She is awesome.
I love to watch her talk business. It's novel. My sweet Sanya is a big girl now and she learned to negotiate and fight back.
Just as Serina predicted, by end of lunch, Sebastian accepted the offer. He is in and we just got another ally to deal with Giantshade Industries, officially.
God, how much I love her!
After lunch, Serina and I headed to our next destination, the headquarters of Giantshade Industries.
If I manage to reach the end of meeting with Johnathan Thompson without committing murder because he dares to covet my Serina, I will count it as a success.
Luca and Zoe decided to tag along even though Serina told them that they can take the afternoon off but youngsters said that they would rather watch us handle our opponents than do anything else. I really admire their commitment.
I wished that Ash joined as well because all this is a valuable experience he can't pick up from taking classes, but I have a feeling he is avoiding Zoe, or maybe Luca.
Serina told me that the trio was always tight, but their dynamics changed at Luca's birthday party when Luca walked in on Ash getting handsy with Zoe, and the two boys ended in a fistfight.
To prove my point how something is off, Ash was excited when I mentioned where I will be having lunch with Serina, however, that excitement deflated within a second when I told him that Zoe and Luca will be present. What's his problem?
I'm not the one to let people in easily, but I gave Ash a chance because he is one of Serina's three fosterlings, and I took him in for an internship at my investment company, the Eclipse. Ash is a wizard with numbers and he is making stellar achievements at work, so I have no regrets, but I hope that his personal life won't interfere with work.
To say that I was surprised to hear that Zoe, Luca, and Ash are werewolves, was an understatement, but it was not so shocking compared to when Serina told me that my father was the Supreme Alpha, the king of werewolves.
That was difficult to believe.
But then Serina jabbed a knife in her arm, and I watched it heal within seconds without leaving a scar; we raced at the speed that shouldn't be possible for humans, and she explained that I'm much more than just faster and stronger compared to other humans; she created wind to bring us butterflies from the meadow. It was magical. Serina is magical.
In only a few short days I went from an ignorant guy to a skeptic, and now I believe it all. Either that or I completely lost my mind and I'm seeing things.
I chose to believe that Serina is right, and that I have an ancient power of my bloodline sealed within me, and that my speed, strength, healing, and enhanced senses are not a fluke.
I trust that she can unlock it completely and awaken the beast inside me which will grant me a boost in power, so that I can have the capacity to protect Serina from every bad thing in the world.
After Serina's horrible childhood where she grew up with people she believed were her parents, Serina deserves happiness, and I will give it my all to make it happen.
No matter what I do, my focus is always on Serina, and my biggest problem will disappear in six days. Yes. Six more days. I can do this.
Shit! Just thinking about it made me hard again.
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Author's note: This is from Johnathan's point of view
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~ London, the Giantshade Industries HQ ~
I couldn't believe this!
I had butterflies in my stomach that reminded me of my first date.
But it made sense. Seraphina Mezzanotte was on her way to meet with me, and she is the perfect woman.
At first, I thought that she is just a pampered Miss who stays in her father's shadow, but then I realized that she is not just an exceptional beauty, but Seraphina is also knowledgeable, smart, and kind and everything a woman should be.
Unfortunately, my father blew it big time when he started openly pursuing Seraphina. Sending her presents was one thing, but when he showed up during Magda's birthday party with a massive bouquet of red roses for Seraphina, for half of the London to see... that crossed the line.
To make things worse, my pain-in-the-ass sister (aka Magda) started a feud with Seraphina because Drago, Magda's obsession since forever, and Seraphina's childhood friend, was ignoring Magda while sticking close to Seraphina.
Of course, Drago was avoiding Magda from before Seraphina made her debut in London's society, but my sister refused to see the truth. She always blamed others for her shortcomings, and in the case of Drago, Magda was convinced that it's Seraphina's fault.
If my sister used her head, she would try to befriend Seraphina and use that friendship to get close to Drago, but my sister was never the smart person in the room.
How on Earth was I supposed to show Seraphina that I'm the perfect man for her when my own family-from-hell was working against me?
I managed to get my father to retire, and I sent my sister to Sweden.
I gave Magda two options, to finish school or to get married, because I had no intention of supporting her while she parties and acts like the world is her playground.
I didn't have high hopes that Magda will straighten up her act, but she actually managed to escape from that school in Sweden and make her way to London. I never found out if she had any plan beyond escaping, and I hoped that I found her before she managed to make real damage.
Now, my sister is married to a man I chose for her, and she is miserable.
I know I'm not a good brother, but what were my options? Unless I fabricated evidence, I couldn't put her in jail. Mental institutions are not secure enough, and I couldn't kill her... She is my sister, after all.
I told myself to give her time and in a few years, I will check on her. If she understood her mistakes, and instead of raging in anger she apologizes and promises to straighten up her act and makes me believe it, I will help her get out of there. Who knows? Maybe she gives birth to a child and develops a conscience.
It was all my fault. Our parents divorced shortly after Magda was born. Our mother lost interest in us the moment father stopped alimony checks, as for our father, between the company and numerous mistresses, he didn't have time for family.
I often wonder… If I gave Magda more attention as we were growing up, would she turn out like this?
But I don't have the capacity of babying her forever. I tried talking to her. I punished her. Nothing worked and I'm tired of cleaning after her.
As I said, I'm a horrible brother.
Seraphina entered my life unexpectedly, showing me what a real woman should be. She is beautiful, elegant, poised, knowledgeable, smart, and her sheer presence demands respect. No wonder Aldus kept her hidden as she was growing up.
Seraphina's brilliance opened my eyes and I realized how much every other woman is lacking. No one comes close to her.
For months, I'm trying to get Seraphina to collaborate with me with the hope to get close to her, and I thought that I'm not making any progress, but then her assistant called and said that she will see me this afternoon.
I cleared my schedule, got a perfect bottle of Chateau Lafite chilling, and my assistant went to the other side of the town to get London's best bite-sized snacks which are elegantly arranged in crystal containers and waiting on the coffee table for Serina to taste them. I'm sure she will love it.
Everything is set, and now I'm waiting.
Is my hair OK?
I blew into my palm, to check my breath. Minty fresh. Perfect.
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