Helix Dynamics
1004 Words
Victoria’s heart throbbed violently as she paced the small confines of her room. It felt like a physical manifestation of the control her family exerted over her life.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and her mother, Meredith, stepped in. "Victoria," she began softly, but there was an edge to her voice. "I need to know more about this... man. Who is he?"
Victoria embraced herself as she met her mother's gaze. "His name is Alex,” she said firmly. “He’s a mechanic I helped. That’s all, really."
"A mechanic?” Her mother’s brow furrowed, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. “Victoria, be reasonable. You’re engaged to Dorian Blackwood, one of the most powerful men in the city, and you’re bringing some stranger into our lives. Do you realize how that looks?"
"It’s not about how it looks," Victoria’s voice rose slightly. "Dorian isn’t a good person, Mother." She cleared her throat before adding, "I’m calling off the engagement. I can’t marry someone like him."
Meredith’s face paled, and her voice took on a sharp tone. "What are you saying? Call off the engagement? That’s not your decision to make! You don’t understand the gravity of this situation—"
Before she could finish, the door flew open with a loud crash. Sir Thomas stormed in, his face red with fury. "You ungrateful girl!" he bellowed. "Do you have any idea what you’ve done?"
Victoria stood her ground, but the intensity of her father’s anger made her heart race. "Father, I—"
"Enough!" Sir Thomas cut her off, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "Your actions have brought shame to this family. Dorian is furious, and the Blackwood family is prepared to destroy everything we’ve built. Your uncle Edward is extremely upset. He’s already suffering the fallout of your foolishness!"
Meredith, now emboldened by her husband’s fury, stepped closer to Victoria. "Do you think your actions only affect you, Victoria? You’ve endangered us all!”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears as she looked between her parents. "Please, listen to me.” Her voice trembled. “I can’t marry Dorian. He’s not what you think he is."
Her father’s eyes blazed. "You will marry Dorian Blackwood, Victoria, and that’s final! We’ve worked too hard to secure this alliance, and I will not let you ruin this family over some foolish infatuation with a stranger!"
"You’re only thinking about the business!" Victoria shouted, her emotions spilling over. "I’m your daughter! Why can’t you care about what’s right for me?"
Sir Thomas’s face darkened. "What’s right for you is what we’ve decided.” His jaw tightened with barely controlled rage. “The wedding will proceed as planned, and you will fulfill your duty to this family."
Meredith stood by his side. "You have no choice, Victoria. Think of me, your uncle, your father..."
Victoria’s heart shattered at their words. Desperate, she looked at her father one last time, hoping to see some glimmer of love or understanding in his eyes. But there was nothing.
***
Sir Thomas descended the grand staircase, each step feeling heavier than the last. At the bottom, Lord Edward waited, pacing impatiently. The moment Sir Thomas’s foot hit the last step, Edward pounced.
“What did she say?”
Thomas sighed, rubbing his temples. "She’s stubborn. Refusing to reconsider. She... wants to end the engagement with Dorian."
Edward’s face twisted. He stepped closer, his voice now a sharp hiss. “Are you telling me, after everything we’ve done, she’s going to throw it all away for some nobody?”
Sir Thomas raised a hand in a feeble attempt to calm his brother, but Edward was already seething.
“You fool!” Edward spat. "This family has survived because I’ve supported it for years! While you played the good father, I was making the deals, making sure our name stayed respected! And now, because your daughter wants to act out, I will have to pay the price?"
Thomas opened his mouth to apologize, but Edward cut him off, stepping even closer, his face inches from his brother's. "If she doesn’t fix this, if Dorian Blackwood walks away from this engagement, you will relinquish every share you own in this family. Do you understand? You’ll owe me everything."
Thomas’s eyes widened. He had always known Edward coveted the shares he held. And now Edward was making his move. The threat was clear.
"Edward, I—"
"No." Edward’s voice was ice. "I won’t hear excuses. You either fix this mess or surrender control. The family needs stability, not your failed attempts at fatherhood."
The accusation cut deeper than Sir Thomas had expected. He stood frozen, struggling to form a response. Surrendering his shares meant surrendering any say in the family business. It meant falling completely under Edward’s thumb.
Just then, a servant approached, bowing stiffly before addressing them. “Sir Thomas, Lord Edward, we have guests from Helix Dynamics waiting at the main hall. They’ve requested an audience.”
Both men turned sharply to the servant.
“Helix Dynamics?” Thomas repeated, momentarily taken aback. They were one of the most prestigious companies in the city. Their sudden arrival at this moment was highly unusual.
Lord Edward’s expression shifted, a calculating gleam entering his eyes. “Helix Dynamics, you say?” He smirked, smoothing his jacket. “Well, well. Looks like some good news might be on the horizon after all.”
He glanced over at Sir Thomas with a mocking grin. “We’ll deal with your incompetence later. For now, let’s see what our distinguished guests have to offer.”
Edward strode confidently ahead. His sharp eyes scanned the entryway. Sir Thomas, however, lagged slightly behind, still unsettled by the recent conversation with both his daughter and brother.
As they entered the grand foyer, the doors opened, revealing a small group of finely dressed individuals. At the front stood a tall, stern-faced man with silver hair slicked back neatly. The air of authority surrounding him made it clear he was no ordinary servant.
- Writer
