65. Omniscient
Chapter sixty-five
Omniscient
“ W hen Brielle mentioned a family trip... this is not what I had in mind,” Killian muttered as he sat across from Calvin, who was head-deep in their game of chess.
Calvin paid him no mind as he moved his pawn. “Your move.”
Killian glared at the man as Brielle walked over from the beach house and onto the sand with a tray and a few glasses of lemonade.
“Here you are, gentlemen. I see we’re still playing nice.” She beamed, ignoring her husband’s glare directed at her as Calvin smiled genuinely.
“Yes, Brielle… Thank you for the extended invitation to this wonderful vacation. I am most definitely enjoying my stay. It’s surprising to see that Killian is even being courteous,” Calvin replied with a smile, and Killian took in a deep breath before looking away and gazing at the beach where he saw his children playing… along with Blaine. They were enjoying a game of volleyball, and it was good to see even the younger ones joining in.
He was brought out of his thoughts as Brielle placed a hand under his chin as she turned his head to face Calvin.
“Well, it’s good that you both are finally getting along. I’m going to find the twins.” She smiled, placing a kiss on Killian’s cheek as she walked off.
Resisting the urge to turn his head to watch her hips sway as she walked away, he moved his bishop on the board.
“Seems like you’re about to snap,” Calvin muttered, and Killian sighed.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I snapped the moment we got off the plane, but I’ve been keeping my temper under control for the sake of Delilah and Brielle’s stress with the baby.”
“Are you sure you haven’t kept it under control for me as well? It’s best we start letting bygones be bygones. We’re practically family at this point,” Calvin remarked, smiling.
Killian shook his head. “We’re not. And the only reason you want to be family is so our businesses will merge, which isn’t happening, might I remind you.”
“Oh, really? Hmm,” Calvin responded as he moved his knight on the board.
Killian tilted his head. He knew to never expect anything sensible from the man who’s been pining after his business for the last two decades, but Calvin seemed… unfazed by his words at the moment.
“That’s it? That’s your response? Fifteen years of planning, and your only response is, ‘Oh, really?’ You couldn’t have honestly thought that I wouldn’t put an end to whatever plan you had, did you?”
“I mean… I accounted for it, so in a sense, I did slightly suspect it to happen, but just because one method may not work doesn’t mean I won’t be able to find a loophole or crack.” Calvin shrugged as Killian moved his rook.
“Doesn’t it get tiring? The game or the chase? Having to constantly find a way to outdo me or figure out a way to maneuver yourself into my multibillion-dollar company?”
“Not at all. Same reason why you get a thrill every time you secure an account that could’ve been for me, or you succeed in whatever you want me to fail in. You need me, Killian, and in a sense, I need you.”
“I’m married, by the way, and so are you,” Killian muttered.
Calvin chuckled as he took a sip of his lemonade. “I see Porter’s jokes are starting to rub off on you. Let’s make sure it’s not too much.”
Killian shrugged. “I’ll do my best.” And the two continued to play in silence. However, Killian couldn’t help but think about Calvin’s words. Did he really need him? Was this all a ploy to get into his head?
From the beginning, he knew Calvin would stop at nothing to get into his business, but he couldn’t help but wonder. Would having him closer actually benefit him or harm him?
In the past, it obviously harmed him, but that was child’s play: a way to stir him up and get him riled while indirectly keeping Calvin in the loop of his circle. They were desperate measures to simply gain his attention, ranging from attempting to invest millions and billions of dollars into multiple departments to threatening to stir drama in the press.
Killian wasn’t sure if it was the openness he had to develop due to his daughter being with Archer, but now, he seemed to be reconsidering his thoughts on Calvin. For as much as he went through to pull this off, Killian had to admit that he was slightly impressed.
“You’re never going to stop, are you,” Killian muttered after realizing he had practically no more moves left, and Calvin had essentially won the game of chess. Well, practically no more moves left except one that would prolong the game for longer than necessary.
Calvin shrugged as he watched Killian make the final move that would allow them to continue the game of chess. “That depends, Killian. You could let me win or ultimately put an end to the games at any second. The question is, if I never stopped, would you ?”
Meanwhile, Archer and Delilah were walking along the beach hand in hand as they looked off into the ocean. The sun would set soon, however, there was only one thing on Archer’s mind as he watched Delilah smile and kick her feet playfully in the sand.
“I kinda want a ranch house when I finally move out of my parents’,” she said nonchalantly.
Archer chuckled as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “Is that so, Princess?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’ll still have a home in the city, but… I really want a chance to live an easy-going life, even if it’s just for a day or two. Does that sound weird?” she asked.
He stood behind her as she stopped and wrapped his arms around her from the back. He looked down at her as she leaned into his hold comfortably, and he watched as she sighed happily.
“I think it sounds perfect,” he replied as he rubbed his thumb over her stomach.
This could be… would be an ideal time to propose, and it probably was. What’s the worst she could say? No? She wouldn’t.
He thought back to the moments that led to this point in his life with the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Their family was full of lies and secrets, but they somehow found each other in the midst of it all… even if they were somewhat forced into a relationship from a rather young age.
Archer reached into his pocket and felt the ring box he’d been holding for the last few months. He had bought it before he gave her the bracelet, but he knew she’d oppose it. Thinking back on the memory of giving her the bracelet, he let a small smile show on his face.
“It’s beautiful, Archer.”
He picked it up and slowly placed it around her wrist. She watched as he clasped it, and after he pulled away, she began to read the small pendant hanging from it.
“Really? ‘A.L.?’ You even placed your initial on me to lay an even bigger claim than you’ve already established?”
He bit his lip as he grabbed her hand and shrugged.
“This will suffice until I propose.”
And it did, but he almost couldn’t take it. His mind was begging him to take the moment to propose as he had planned for the last few hours. To say his hands were sweaty would be an understatement as his nerves started to get the best of him.
His heart pounded in his chest as he held the box in his hand, feeling determined to do what he’d wanted for so long… but something was wrong. He tossed the box in his pocket for a moment and noticed it was a bit lighter than earlier.
His heart sank as he opened it discreetly and felt around with his thumb, only to feel it empty. He did his best to keep his composure as Delilah continued to stare at the sunset, his arm still wrapped around her.
“You know,” she began, and Archer felt defeated as he knew he would have to rummage through their belongings to find it before Delilah or anyone else did.
“The sunset is beautiful,” she muttered.
Archer reluctantly nodded. “It is.”
She pondered for a moment.
“Yeah… but not as beautiful as this,” she said, and Archer went to speak before his eyes went wide to see Delilah holding up the engagement ring on her ring finger, the very one he was going crazy over for potentially losing.
“How did you—” he began.
Delilah turned in his arms. “I packed a pair of socks in your bag, and I wanted to wear them earlier, so I went to check inside your bag to find them, and then... yeah... The only reason I took the ring was because... I was angry,” she said softly, and worry quickly set in Archer’s facial features.
“Angry? Why were you angry, Princess?” he asked as he pulled her closer.
She sighed. “I said, ‘I love you’ first… even though I knew you loved me first. I wanted to be the one to ask you to marry me… because I knew you’d want to ask when I was ready. Otherwise, you’d marry me in a heartbeat, no question,” she responded, feeling a bit upset.
Archer smirked as he picked her up off of the sand, causing her to squeal softly, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around her neck.
“And my princess is upset because she didn’t get to propose first?” he asked, pouting, and she sighed.
“It’s not fair,” she muttered, and he hummed in understanding as he walked toward the sea, his feet slowly going into the water.
“Archer, what are you doing?” she asked, confused.
He looked at her lovingly. “Giving you an ultimatum,” he muttered.
She furrowed her eyebrows.
“Either you propose to me now... or I throw you into the ocean, save you, and propose on the sand when we’re done.”
She smiled. “And who’s to say I don’t want you to save me?” she asked playfully.
He smiled softly as he remained silent, enjoying the view of his one true love.
Delilah tilted her head to the side as she gazed at him the same way, and she couldn’t help but feel tears of joy gather in her eyes.
“Archer... will you marry me?” she whispered happily.
He wiped away one of her unshed tears.
“Of course I will, Princess,” he answered wholeheartedly, and she happily placed a loving kiss on his lips as he pulled her in closer.
They heard hands clapping from behind, and they turned to see Kimiko and Sterling watching happily.
“How long have you guys been there?” Archer asked, annoyed.
Sterling rolled his eyes. “Long enough to know you threatened her with her life and offered to be her savior if she didn’t propose to you.”
Kimiko gave him a small slap for his harshness, and Delilah laughed as Archer laid his head on her shoulder, aggravated but happy and content at the same time. And in that moment, everything seemed to be perfect.
...Until it wasn’t.
Ivory sat at the edge of the bench as she watched Jin gaze at the map they were supposedly following in the small forest on the island.
“I think we’re lost,” he muttered.
Ivory looked over her shoulder to see her brother Zachary sitting on the porch of their beach house on his laptop in the distance.
“Jinny... we’re not as far as you think,” she replied.
He looked in her direction only to groan in defeat.
“This exotic flower garden is impossible to find,” he sighed, trying to rearrange the map.
She tilted her head as she glanced at her own map. “We could split up. Our phone service works all over the island, so I can let you know if I find it.”
“And what if I lose you?” he muttered, leaning down to her height slightly.
She pushed his head away with her finger as she stood. “Then it would be good for us. We need a bit of distance between us, especially with my father and brother on the lookout constantly.”
Jin sighed, knowing she was right, and placed a small kiss on her head.
“We’re staying on the phone the whole way,” he muttered, and she groaned as she called his cell and headed in the opposite direction.
Putting the phone to her ear, Ivory pushed through the tropical bushes as she waited until he answered on the other line.
“Hello?”
“You’re so annoying,” she said, irritated, and he gave her a small chuckle.
“And you’re adorable. What’s new?”
She smiled at his antics and continued following the map to see where the garden could be. They continued talking about nothing in particular when Ivory heard a bit of rustling in the bushes and a snap of a branch.
She flinched at the sound and looked around quickly.
“What’s wrong?” Jin asked quickly, noticing she had gone silent for a moment.
Ivory gulped softly. “I just thought I heard something,” she muttered and ignored it as she continued walking—until she heard it again. She looked around quickly and bit her lip.
“Maybe we should go back,” Jin said, worried as he noticed Ivory was no longer in the mood and was most likely frightened.
She went to speak when the phone was knocked out of her hand in a flash, and a hand was placed over her mouth to muffle her screams.
She stopped once she noticed a sharp object being held against her neck and her heart sank once she heard the voice of the man who had made her simply terrified of him since the day they met.
“I told you... I don’t like little girls playing detective. ”