Prologue. #3
"Mr. Thomson," Constance said, her voice now a conspiratorial whisper, "allow me to introduce you to the Dranning family." She gestured to the women. "These are Ty Dranning's wife and his three lovers."
Brian looked at the four women, and the word "beautiful" felt too small, too mundane.
They were goddesses, each with a unique, breathtaking grace.
Mrs. Dranning, the wife, was a vision of refined elegance.
She was in her thirties, only five years older than him, with an aura of quiet power.
Her skin glowed like alabaster, her dark hair was pulled back into a sophisticated knot, and her dark, expressive eyes held a depth of knowledge that was both alluring and a little unnerving.
The three lovers were equally stunning. One had hair like spun gold and eyes the color of a summer sky, a playful, mischievous glint in her gaze.
Another was a striking contrast, with midnight black hair that fell to her waist and eyes that shone like molten silver, her expression serene and unreadable.
The last was a whirlwind of energy, with a mane of fiery orange curls and a smile that promised adventure and danger.
Brian’s heart pounded in his chest, a frantic drum against his ribs. He looked at Constance. “You said there was an envelope… what is this?”
Constance smiled, a knowing, secretive expression on her face.
She pulled out an envelope, identical to the ones given to the others.
"A choice, Brian," she whispered. She handed him the envelope.
"You can be the new owner of the Dranning Corporation...
or you can take this envelope and leave right now.
There is more than enough money in there to give you a life of wealth for a hundred years. "
He looked at the envelope in his hand, a tangible symbol of a quiet life, of comfort and peace. Then he looked at Constance, at the other women, at the grand opulence of the penthouse.
"Owner?" he whispered, the word feeling too large for his mouth.
She nodded, her hand gently resting on his chest, a gesture that was both possessive and reassuring. "It does come with some requirements."
He nodded, a sense of grim humor settling over him. "I suspected as much," he said, and the women all chuckled, the sound like wind chimes.
Mrs. Dranning stepped forward, her voice a soft, compelling melody. "I will be working directly with you. Be everything you need… as will the others.” She paused, her eyes locking with his. “And I mean we will do anything for you.” The other women nodded, their expressions unwavering.
"Miss Holly and myself will be your assistants," Constance added, "Our jobs are to make sure you have all you need and everything you desire."
Brian smirked. There were a few things he desired, and it was like she could read his mind. Her hand on his chest shifted, her fingers tracing a slow, intimate circle. "Paperwork first," she whispered, her voice laced with a flirtatious promise. She gave him a slow, knowing wink.
Mrs. Dranning smiled, her eyes softening.
"Mr. Thomson, we hope you accept. The choices you made here…
and the way you have lived your life… is why you were chosen.
My husband was much like you." The other women nodded in agreement.
"And like him, we offer you more than you could ever imagine if you sign this contract.”
Constance held out the contract. Brian looked at the envelope in his hand, a symbol of a simple, honest life he could have. Then he looked at the contract, a symbol of a power he had never desired, a world he had never belonged to.
He felt the weight of the choices he had made, the choices that had brought him here.
Giving up the fortune, walking away from the money because it was the right thing to do.
He wasn't greedy. He wasn't entitled. He was just a man who wanted a good life, a simple life, and he had just earned that.
The weight of being "chosen" felt too heavy. The price seemed too high.
He took a deep, shuddering breath. "This isn't some joke?
" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. They all shook their heads.
He looked from Constance's captivating eyes to the serene, powerful gaze of Mrs. Dranning and the alluring stares of the others.
He looked at the contract, a symbol of a life he did not want.
He wanted to be a good man, not a man who was owned, a man who had to have other people do his bidding.
"I am not who you seek," he said, his voice quiet but firm. He put the second envelope on top of the contract. He then pulled the first one out and placed it there too. He smiled. "Just seeing this place, knowing that I could have had it all… that’s enough for me."
He had already been given more than enough. He had already won. He turned and, without looking back, walked down the stairs, leaving behind a fortune and a life that wasn't his to take.
Constance smiled, a radiant, triumphant expression. She looked at the others, at the wife and the lovers. "Is there any doubt?" she whispered.
All of them shook their heads, their beautiful eyes gleaming with satisfaction.