Chapter 40
Shehryar
T hough Mariyah and I had agreed in the car not to stay long, Ablah had somehow managed to keep us around even after eating a five-course dinner. It was kind of hard to say no to her when she was so bright and bubbly just like Esmeralda.
I did my best to block out the judgemental stares I got every which way Ablah took us, but it was impossible not to tense up, ready for battle when I felt like I was being crowded in with pikes from all sides. It helped that Ablah’s friends—Kiran and Louise, or Ki and Lu—who stuck around us, were much nicer than the majority of the people in the hall.
My father lingered about every so often, and it was clear through his quick glances and pursed lips stuck on a silent syllable that he wanted to speak to me, but it never got past a few generic questions here and there. I wasn’t sure I was ready for more in-depth conversations with him yet.
Oddly enough, the one person who I’d thought would throw a fit at my presence didn’t even approach me once. I wasn’t sure what he’d said to her, but despite her sneering looks, my father’s wife kept away and stuck to her group of snobbish rich wives.
Johnny, though…t he fucking bastard.
After what he’d said to Mariyah, he still had the nerve to fit himself around us a few times. He never said anything, but I didn’t like the way he looked at me so smug, bitter, and scheming. I had no doubt he had some surprise up his sleeve that I wasn’t going to like, and that made it ever harder to relax the further the evening went.
“…so, to our dearest Ablah, we wish you a very happy eighteenth birthday and look forward to watching you take your first steps into adulthood,” Andrew Platmon finished, glancing between his wife beside him and daughter before him.
A controlled echo of claps and a few loud cheers from Ablah’s friends ran around the semi-circle of people where everyone had gathered in the middle of the hall as Ablah threw her arms around my—I meant, her—our father. He chuckled as he hugged her tightly. She hugged her mother next, but it was far more subdued and more of an awkward pat of the back from the older woman.
“That woman is fucking pissing me off now,” Mariyah muttered next to me.
I tamed a smile as I tucked my arm around her waist. “Easy tiger.”
Her lips curled in annoyance. “You shouldn’t be stopping me after what she did to you.”
“I’m not,” I assured her. “But unless she comes to us, we ignore her. That was the plan, wasn’t it?”
“Fine,” she grumbled, but distaste poured off her like a cloud of poison.
I kissed the side of her head just as Johnny crossed over to the rest of his family. “All right, all right, that’s enough. Hand over the mic, Dad. It’s my turn.”
Andrew Platmon handed over the mic with a tight smile. Caution scratched down the back of my neck at the direct look Johnny gave me before he grinned at Ablah.
“My dear little sister, it was always us from the beginning, wasn’t it? Our games and tricks. You sneaking a couple of Dad’s cigars at age twelve and me protecting you when we were caught.”
A few chuckles popped up as Ablah arched an amused brow. “Uh, you mean, you stealing the cigars and me protecting you when Dad said you couldn’t go to the clubhouse during the summer.”
“Semantics,” he said, flicking a hand through the air. “My point is we were the duo that did it all. And now that it’s your turn to step into adulthood and head off to university within the year, things are going to change all over again, but at the end of the day, it’s still going to be us two running the Platmon empire.”
He paused and cocked his head, squinting. “At least, that’s what I thought. But apparently, I’ve been wrong this whole time, because it wasn’t just us, was it?”
An ice-cold wind grazed across my skin as I realised the trajectory of his speech.
Mariyah straightened against me in understanding too. “That fucking piece of shit.” She jerked forward towards him, but I locked my arm around her, keeping her still, clinging on to every last bit of cool composure I had and needing her to as well.
“Johnny,” Ablah said, worry in her tone.
“That’s enough, Johnny,” Andrew Platmon warned.
“Oh, come on, Dad, don’t be shy about it now. I mean Ablah’s known since she was a kid, hasn’t she?” His tone grew darker. “Always Daddy’s little princess, right? Always leaving me out, always keeping me in the dark.” He chuckled a sinister sound. “But I’m not the only one, because our father, Andrew Platmon, has kept the entire world in the dark about his other son.
“Isn’t that right, Shehryar?” He looked right at me as he said it.
A shocked hush fell across the room for several seconds.
I didn’t tear my gaze away from Johnny, but I felt all a hundred-and-something pairs of eyes on me, heard the scandalised whispers and judgement break out, so loud over the ringing in my ears.
I locked my hand into a fist by my side as the burning heat of suppressed fury thrummed through my veins. Red crept into the edges of my vision no matter how much I tried to control it.
“Enough,” Andrew Platmon snapped.
“Right, Dad. Enough with the lying and out with the truth,” Johnny returned. “Shehryar is no family friend, he’s the son Father had when he was twenty-one with the daughter of the housekeeper.” He grunted, gesturing to Mariyah. “And for all we know, Mariyah is some woman he paid to come with him.” He squinted mockingly again. “Wait, can you even afford a tawaif ?”
“Johnny!” Albah charged forward and snatched the mic right out of his hands.
A violent monster roared inside me, ready to kill in the name of protecting the honour of everyone I cared about. Mariyah’s steady, strong presence against me was the only thing keeping me mildly sane and rational, stopping me from ripping Johnny apart in front of everyone.
“Do you know what’s funny about all of this?” Johnny continued without the mic, coming straight towards me. “It’s that Shehryar’s mother, who failed to marry into the Platmon family, is now engaged to Prince Arsh of Touma. She clearly has a thing for rich, powerful men, doesn’t she?”
“That’s his mum?” someone whispered close by.
At that point, I crossed the line of thrumming and was full-on shaking.
“And now ladies and gentlemen, her own son has come wandering back into our father’s life, acting as if he’s too good to be associated with us when really, he knows Dad has promised him half the Platmon empire, and he’s just waiting until he gets it.” I uncoiled my arm from around Mariyah as Johnny stopped before us. “Did your gold digger of a mum teach you how to play the waiting game? Did she tell you that you had a right to our father’s money? Is she sure you’re even his son?”
Silence. Cold and tense and brittle.
“Are you done?” I asked as calmly as I could manage.
Johnny grinned. “Yes, I think I—”
He didn’t see it coming. He would have shut his trap and dodged it if he had. But all the rich idiots who thought they were untouchable never really did see it coming until it hit them.
My fist connected with Johnny’s jaw, throwing him back onto his arse with a grunt. He went sliding across the polished floor as screams shot out around us.
“Shehryar, no,” Mariyah said, trying to grab hold of my arm.
But I was too far gone in my anger to be stopped. I ripped out of her hold and swaggered over to Johnny, clenching and unclenching my bloodthirsty hands.
My younger fucking half-brother clutched his bleeding lip, his face red either from the pain, anger, or embarrassment, or all three. “You’re a fucking cunt,” he hissed.
I smirked viciously. “Doesn’t mean much when you’re on the floor. Get up and say it.”
His face reddened further as he fumbled to push himself up onto his feet again.
“Johnny, Shehryar, stop this at once,” our father said.
Johnny came at me swinging, his movements slow and predictable. I jerked back, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and slammed my fist straight into his nose. He yelped in pain and more people gasped.
“That was for calling my mum a gold digger,” I growled, and socked him in the cheek. Bloody spit flew out of his mouth. “That was for calling Mariyah a tawaif again.” I smashed my fist into his nose a second time. He cried out, but his lashes grew heavy, and his body lolled back against my grip. “And that was for assuming I’d ever want to have my hands on your filthy money.”
I released him, and he collapsed on his side in a groaning, bloody mess at Andrew Platmon’s feet.
My so-called father stared at me in a mixture of shock, anger, and regret. “Shehryar—”
“How dare you, you animal!” Andrew Platmon’s wife shrieked as she dropped to the floor by her son. “You beast. What have you done to my son? Someone call the police now. You’re just as mad and feral as you were ten years ago.”
I spun away from her, and feet shuffled back all around me. Ablah, her friends, the entire room looked aghast like I really was a monster let loose. But I only had eyes on one person, the only person who hadn’t moved away.
Mariyah .
Seeing her, staring in shock and disbelief, pieced back together some of my rationale, blaring out a signal for me to get us both out before I lost it again and made things even worse.
I charged straight for her. Two people called my name, but I ignored them.
“Shehryar,” Mariyah said warily as I approached.
I snatched up her wrist and dragged her along with my quick steps. The crowd parted out the way. At the nearest table, I swiped up a napkin cloth and wiped the slight splatter of blood off my right fist.
“Shehryar, are you—” She cut off as I grabbed her wrist again.
She kept calling my name, telling me to stop, snapping at me to look at her, but I took us out into the hall, down in the lift, and into the lobby without stopping.
“Shehryar, you’re hurting me,” she hissed just before the glass doors of the entrance.
Her words cut through the single-minded focus clouding my mind, and I abruptly halted. Releasing her wrist, I twisted to her. She cupped her hand against her belly, and I swore under my breath as I caught sight of the pink marring her skin. I’d hurt her.
“Sorry,” I rasped, shoving a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry. But we—come on.” I tried to curl my hand to the small of her back, but she shoved it away.
“No. You need to stop and talk to me.”
“We can talk in the car.”
“No. We’re not leaving like this, Shehryar.”
I rubbed my teeth together. I couldn’t do this now with her. I wasn’t in the right mindset to talk without my words getting the better of me. “Mariyah—”
“Excuse me.” Our attention turned to a bulky, brown-skinned man with a gold name tag a metre away. He edged closer. “Can I help in any way?”
“Yes,” I said, straightening. “Can you please have someone bring my car around? It was signed under the name Shehryar Timur.”
He eyed me warily, then set a troubled frown on Mariyah. “Ma’am, are you okay? Do you know this man? Do you need me to call the police?”
“What?” she said and quickly shook her head. “No, no, I know him. He’s my boyfriend, he’s just being an idiot right now. But could you please get the car for us?” She glared at me. “We’re just not leaving until we’re done talking.”
The man nodded, looking unconvinced, but he headed past us. He said something to a female colleague before calling over one of the doormen.
“Mariyah,” I bit out in frustration. “Everyone is watching—”
“Oh, you’re concerned about that now?” she snarked, widening her eyes. “What about up there?” I ground my teeth together and turned away, hands on my hips. “What the fuck was that, Sheri?”
“You heard what he said,” I growled.
“I know. And he was a disgusting son of a bitch who has no clue what he’s talking about.” She threw a hand out and lowered her voice. “But do you think hitting him helped the situation?”
“Was I supposed to stand there just listening to him insult my mum? Insult you ?”
“No.” She jabbed a finger into my sternum. “But beating him bloody wasn’t the answer either.”
“Shehryar!”
“Shehryar, please wait.”
My blood rumbled in my veins as Andrew Platmon walked quickly towards us with Ablah on his tail. I wanted nothing to do with him right now or ever again.
“We’re leaving.” I reached for her other wrist, but she tore it away and behind her.
She glared fiercely. “No, we’re not, Shehryar.”
Andrew Platmon and Ablah were on us a second later.
“Shehryar, I’m so sorry,” Ablah said, her eyes bloodshot and teary.
Our fucking father, on the other hand, frowned, shaking his head. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
I snarled a laugh through my teeth. “Of course, you’re going to defend your own son even after you heard what he said.”
His eyes flashed. “ You are my son too.”
“No, I’m not,” I growled. “You didn’t treat me like a son then when your wife threw money in my face, and you certainly don’t get to call me your son now when you stood by and watched him insult me, Mother, and Mariyah in front of everyone.”
“Shehr—” Ablah started, but Andrew Platmon silenced her with a hand.
“I did not know Johnny was going to cause trouble like that,” he said.
“Yes, you did. But you just chose to ignore the signs like you did then. Like you did with Mum.” I shook my head. “I don’t know why I thought there was a slim chance that you had genuinely changed even the slightest bit, but you’re still the same manipulative bastard you always were.”
“Shehryar,” Mariyah snapped.
“Tell me,” I continued. “Is what Johnny said true? Were you planning to give me part of the Platmon empire?”
My father swallowed and angled his chin higher. “Yes, I was. But it’s not—”
“For what?” I roared. “Were you trying to buy my forgiveness? Or your way back into my life? Did you really think that would have worked? That I’d want your dirty money?” I got up in his face as I hissed, “Did you think I wouldn’t burn everything down to the ground just to watch you suffer?”
“That’s enough!”
I was shoved back as Mariyah situated herself between us, glaring and puffing through her nose. “You need to calm the fuck down, Shehryar. You’re taking this out of proportion now, and instead of being angry at Johnny, you’re taking it out on your dad instead.”
I shook my head. “No, my anger has always been directed at him.”
“Well, direct it at Johnny, because it wasn’t your dad’s fault.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “You’re taking his side?” A bitter realisation hit me, and I smirked. “Ah. Is this money taking the side of more money? Is that why you’re defending him?”
Rage darkened her bright blue eyes. “Don’t you fucking dare make this about me, Shehryar,” she growled. “You’re so stuck in your head that money is the root of all evil that you can’t even see it’s about the person, and right now, you’re lashing out at the wrong people. But you just can’t look past your prejudice, can you?”
“Don’t pretend you weren’t lashing out at nearly everyone in there for what they were saying. You faced their prejudice just as much as I did, yet you’re telling me that I’m in the wrong for being wary in the first place?”
“Be wary of them then.” She jabbed a finger behind her to Ablah and my father. “Not them.”
“They’re part of them.”
“So am I, Shehryar,” Mariyah snapped, squaring up to me.
A beat of silence passed by, and not a single noise echoed in the entire lobby.
Mariyah straightened with a lazy shrug. “If you really want to get down to the technicalities, my parents are multimillionaires, Shehryar. Does that then make me like everyone else in that room?” She cocked her chin. “Isn’t that why you always thought I was a spoilt, fucking rich kid?”
I should’ve kept my mouth shut, suppressed my anger, tried to calm myself down, but I was running on some hyper-fight-or-flight mode, unable to stop or think of what the consequences of my next words were.
“I don’t know,” I uttered. “But right now, you’re acting just like them.”
“Wow.” She swung away and chuckled, but it was cold and empty. “Just wow.” Then she stared right at me. “You mean that?”
Take it back. Shehryar, take it back now!
I didn’t. I didn’t say anything.
The anger in her eyes wavered for the slightest second before she stepped up close. “Fuck you, Shehryar,” she spat. “And fuck your Daddy issues. We’re done.”
She shoved past me, but I caught her by the elbow. “Where are you going?”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m not leaving without you.” She shook her head. “I’m going to sit in the back of the car and you’re going to drive me back to the palace like a chauffeur.” She grinned wide and bitter. “Because I’m just a spoilt, little rich kid like everyone else up in that room, aren’t I?”