The CEO's Entanglement

Chapter 7 - Worthlessness

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Author's POV

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LeClaire Residence

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The tension in the room thickens as Pierre’s words cut through the air like a sharpened blade. “We are business partners!” he spits, a venomous sneer contorting his face. “Jacqueline, your wife, was Chloe’s mother’s best friend. They were like family.” His tone drips with disdain, leaving an acrid taste lingering in the atmosphere and Lane, caught off guard, swallows hard, his eyes flickering with guilt and apprehension.

Attempting to defend his relationship with Chloe, Lane stammers, “I didn’t force Chloe into anything she didn’t want to do. She’s an adult, capable of making her own choices.” But Pierre, unyielding, interrupts, his voice now thunderous.

“You’re a married man with sons old enough to be Chloe’s age,” he declares, emphasizing the incongruity of Lane’s involvement with Chloe and Lane’s eyes widen at the mention of sons instead of son.

Pierre, whose eyes are locked with Lane’s, doesn’t miss the reaction, and he steps even closer to Lane, their faces now mere inches apart. “You thought I didn’t know? I know everything. I have always known,” he seethes, his eyes still blazing with anger and betrayal as his accusations grow sharper, questioning Lane’s motives and accusing him of intending to exploit Chloe for personal gain.

“What was your plan?” Pierre sneers, his voice dripping with contempt. “Trick my daughter into giving you everything so you can run off to your double life.” Lane, finally finding his voice, vehemently denies any ulterior motives, insisting he never sought anything from Chloe. But Pierre scoffs, dismissing Lane’s protestations with a cynical shake of his head.

“I told you I know everything. I know that, except for side partnerships like ours, you have nothing. I know there’s nothing behind the Steel name.” Pierre’s scrutiny intensifies as he continues, his words a relentless assault on Lane’s façade and dignity.

“Is Chloe aware? Does she know you can never provide for her and that you need her to provide for you? Does she know that, like the servants in your house, your wife pays you a salary?”

The room falls silent for a moment as Pierre exposes the vulnerabilities Lane desperately tries to conceal. Lane’s heartbeat speeds up, the room spinning, and before more words can be said, the two men’s foreheads collide in a heated confrontation, both breathing heavily.

However, before things can escalate any further, Fabrice enters the room and, with a firm hand, holds his father back in a silent plea for restraint before turning to Lane and requesting him to leave.

It takes a moment, but Lane, fixing his jacket, turns around and walks out, his steps heavy. As he slides inside his car, the world outside blurs, Pierre’s words ringing repeatedly in his head, making him feel naked like the whole world is onto him.

He only manages to drive out of Pierre’s residence before he pulls off to the side and screams, punching the steering wheel. How many people know? How many of them are still laughing behind his back, mocking him? How many know that his son is worth more than him in his family? That he’s no better than the staff who work and clean for them?

The weight of the revelations tightens his chest and he takes a few deep breaths, trying to regain composure, but the vulnerability Pierre exposed now feels like an open wound.

His mind takes him back to those bitter days—the rich gatherings with his wife’s family and friends. He recalls the disdain, the snide remarks, and the veiled insults. His wife, rather than defending him, remained indifferent, allowing the wounds to fester.

The constant belittlement eroded his self-esteem. Just like back then, the echoes haunt him, reminding him of his worthlessness. The toll on his mental health pushed him into a dark place that took months to emerge from.

When he finally did, Lane resolved to rebuild himself, determined to prove his worth. He toiled harder than ever, hoping to earn his place next to his wife and be seen as an equal. Yet Pierre’s recent words have rekindled the shadows of that painful past. But instead of succumbing to self-pity like he did all those years ago, they ignite a seething rage within him.

Lane’s hands clench into fists as scorching heat courses through his veins, reflecting on the monumental efforts he has invested to overcome his past. Jacqueline's face flashes before his eyes. She is the reason nobody takes him seriously, despite all his contributions to the family’s wealth that he has no access to.

In their two decades of marriage, he has done nothing but break his back for the sake of his family. He recalls the nights spent burning the midnight oil, and the sacrifices made to ensure the prosperity of the very wealth that now again feels like an anchor around his neck.

The fire within him intensifies; he has earned every ounce of respect he demands and he’s going to show all of them.

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Shiloh

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“I love you,” Kyler’s voice, tender and filled with affection, caresses my ears as his hand cups my cheek. And his thumb moves in gentle, reassuring circles, sending warm ripples through my chest as I breathlessly confess my love for him in return.

Just then, the approaching footsteps interrupt our intimate moment, prompting a hasty retreat from each other as I hurriedly attempt to compose myself. Mrs. Steel enters the room, her expression seemingly affected by some unwelcome news. Kyler, seeming to sense the shift in the atmosphere, asks what is wrong, but she dismisses it as work-related stress.

However, before Kyler can press further, my mother enters the room. Mrs. Steel, with a tone hinting at impatience, asks if I’m still exploring the apartment, signaling her readiness to leave and I’m about to suggest that we can leave, but Kyler speaks first.

He rises to his feet and proposes that his mother and mine go ahead without us. The suggestion catches me off guard, but before I can say or do anything, he explains that we’d like to stay a bit longer.

Mrs. Steel agrees amicably, offering to drive her and my mother home, but my mom interjects with a seemingly protective tone, insisting that I have an assignment to complete. I’m taken aback by her protective stance, wondering if this is the way she’ll react to Kyler and me being alone now that I told her about Kyler’s feelings for me.

It also makes me apprehensive about disclosing our relationship to her, but I don’t have time to dwell on my thoughts as all eyes turn to me. I quickly assure her I’ve completed the assignment, silently praying that she doesn’t become even weirder about the situation.

She nods, her gaze not leaving mine, causing me to look away. Mrs. Steel says she will see us at the house and leaves the room. Mom follows and I don’t know why, but Kyler and I look at each other and laugh before he asks if he’s missing something while wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer.

But just as I open my mouth to tell him about my conversation with my mother this morning, which is the cause of her reaction, his lips connect with mine in another feverish kiss and I shudder, time seeming to stand still as our lips meet—the intensity of the moment making my toes curl involuntarily.

I don’t know how long we go on before we eventually break the kiss, my face flushed with embarrassment at what a blushing mess I've become. “You are so beautiful,” Kyler softly says, caressing my cheek, and I lean into his touch, whispering a breathy thank you, before meeting him halfway as he leans in and kisses me again, both of us surrendering to the magnetic pull that consumes us both.

He picks me up and I wrap my arms around his neck, connecting our lips. We tumble onto the sheets, our breathing accelerating, and his hands roam all over my body, igniting an unfamiliar fire in my core as he straddles me. Soft moans escape my lips, my head tilting to the side as his lips travel to my neck while his left hand slips between our bodies, causing my breath to become ragged. I feel it slowly making its way down my stomach before stopping just past my belly button.

He kisses my lips again, his tongue on my clumsy one, causing me to sink my head into the mattress while feeling myself pool into my pants. However, just then, he breaks the kiss and locks our gaze—the intensity of the moment turning me into an even more blushing mess.

“Do you trust me?’’ His voice is just above a whisper, but I hear him, and I nod, tucking my lower lip between my teeth, suddenly shy at the intensity of his gaze, causing him to smile and peck me on the lips.

He lays a gentle kiss on my forehead before holding my gaze again and just then I feel his hand proceed further south. My lips part and my breath hitches as it slips inside my panties. “Mm!” We both shudder, and my eyes flutter shut as he starts rubbing circles on my clit and connects our lips into another soul-melting kiss.

My fingers take on a life of their own as they rake up and down his back while my back also arches on its own accord as his fingers continue having their way with my p***y, rubbing and rolling while his lips trail down to my jawline, heading to the sensitive spot on my neck.

“You feel so good,” he whispers in my ear, taking my earlobe in his mouth before kissing me on the lips again, and my eyes fly open when he breaks the kiss, needing to lose myself in the brown eyes I adore as his fingers turn my brain into mush. My moans and heavy breaths fill the room—our gazes never leaving each other and eventually, my body begins to tremble, feeling like I’m going to burst.

“Kyler,” I mumble his name in a shuddering breath, my nails digging into his flesh as I come undone and he presses his lips against mine, swallowing my cries of pleasure.

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Kyler

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The soft chime of my phone pulls me out of the haze of sleep, and I realize that I, too, succumbed to the pull of slumber. Shiloh stirs beside me, causing me to grab the phone quickly and mute it.

Carefully, I let her on the bed, checking the time to see that it’s 3:05 pm, which means we slept for three full hours. It was just before 1 p.m. the last time I checked the time. Shiloh and I are both heavy sleepers, but now we are also tired from last night’s festivities. The party was wild, and Dad and I had more than a fair share to drink. Whatever happened at that dinner really messed him up. When he eventually went to bed, I returned to the party and the guys, and I only left when the sun's rays broke through the sky. Now the fatigue caught up with us after our romantic moment.

It’s Larke, one of my friends, calling, and I answer stepping out of the room to avoid waking Shiloh. He was passing through and decided to check in, but my mom told him I was not at home, and she wasn’t sure when I would return.

There’s nothing urgent, so after some casual banter, we end the call. Returning to the room, my mind rewinds to Shiloh’s murmured words about hunger before we drifted into sleep. She barely touched her breakfast due to excitement about the impending surprise, so I head out of the room again and order takeout for us. Shiloh and I know each other well, so I know what she likes, her allergies, etc.

After placing the order, my thoughts circle back to the conversation she and I had about her mother. She told me about her concerns, and I recall the slightly pained expression on her face when we expressed the desire to stay behind earlier.

I hope she gives me a chance because all the things she fears don’t matter to me. I love Shiloh and my love for her has only deepened now that I’ve finally embraced the truth of my feelings. She has nothing to fear because I would never hurt her daughter. I return to the room and this time Shiloh stirs once more, now fully waking. Her eyes meet mine with a sleepy expression before her face lights up with a sweet smile.

“Hi,” I whisper, mirroring her expression as I get on the bed, pulling her into my arms. She returns the greeting with a whispered “hi” of her own as she snuggles closer before asking what time it is. I tell her and she questions why I didn’t wake her up, causing a playful grin on my lips as I ask if she has somewhere to be.

She shakes her head, and I seal the moment with a gentle peck on her lips. I want to spend time together before I leave. “I ordered some food,” I reveal, earning a delightful spark in her eyes as she thanks me. We decide to watch TV while waiting for the food to arrive.

I grab the remote and start scrolling through the options, and we settle on a romantic comedy. The cozy atmosphere of the room is filled with laughter and the glow of the TV screen as we discuss the upcoming trip that Shiloh is taking with my mother. It’s confirmed; they’ll be going.

There’s a lighthearted excitement in Shiloh’s voice as she shares her thoughts about the trip and the last trip they went on. Maybe I should plan a weekend away for just the two of us when I’m done with my exam.

This is my last year of varsity and then I can join my father in our family business, and I cannot wait. I’m going to fully move out, too. I have my own place that my father gifted me on my eighteenth birthday, but I’ve kind of been living in between the place and my parents’ place.

We continue chatting about our plans for the evening and the topic of talking to our parents about us comes up. I assure Shiloh that I’ll bring it up after dinner with my mom so we can stop sneaking around and she says she’ll speak with her mom, too.

I steal glances at her as we become engrossed in the comedy and plot twists of the movie while also making plans for game night when I get back, feeling like the luckiest man in the world to have her love. She’s perfect.

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Chloe

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I stir, slowly awakening to the realization that I have finally succumbed to sleep. The splitting headache has dissipated, yet the relentless pain and void in my heart persist. Silent tears cascade from my eyes, soaking the pillow beneath me, and I make no move to wipe them away. Immobilized by grief, I remain still.

Upon my return from my father’s house, my head throbbed as if it would explode, and Isa gave me some painkillers and ushered me to bed. She assured me that this anguish will pass and that I will emerge from the darkness, but I can’t fathom how. I feel so lost. The day I would assume control from my father was a lifelong dream, and now, in an instant, it is gone, given to someone else—someone who was out there living a carefree life while I was here sacrificing.

My father shattered my heart, and something tells me I will never recover. More tears trail across my face, but just as I begin to drown in my sorrow, a soft knock resonates on the door. I look up to find Isa with a pained look in her eyes, and I open my mouth to thank her for everything she’s done for me and tell her she can go home now. But she speaks first, telling me the last thing I expected to hear. She informs me that my father is here to see me, an announcement that catches me off guard, causing me to raise my head from the bed.

Just hours ago, he had me thrown out of our home when I came looking for answers. What the hell does he want now? A lump rises in my throat as I instruct Isa to tell him to leave. I don’t want to see him. However, before Isa can convey the message, there’s another knock on my bedroom door, and my father emerges uninvited.

“What the hell are you doing here?”