Chapter 7 THE FAMILY FEUD

Wesley's POV

The moment I stepped out of the glass tower that held Diamonds, the city felt suddenly different.

The air was cooler. Sharper. Like something had shifted... something beautiful.

It was difficult to explain and my head refused to even process it. But it was there in my heart, like a seedling waiting to germinate.

A smile covered my face as I shook my head at my own thoughts. It was crazy to even start imagining but one thing was certain, I wasn't going to let this one go.

I slid into the backseat of the black sedan waiting at the curb and shut the door.

"Call Lila," I said to the car's voice command system as I loosened my tie.

The line clicked twice before her voice came through, crisp and curious as always. "Hi, Wes, what's the update? Did you do it?"

The cheerfulness in her voice, stretched the smile I had further. "No, I didn't. Plans have changed."

"Oh, did something happen?" She chirped in, her excitement dropping from her tone.

"Yes, something actually did happen. But I will tell you all about that later. Right now, I need you to prepare a proposal. I'm initiating a partnership with Diamonds."

There was a sharp silence from her head before her voice came up again.

"I... what? That wasn't the plan. You were supposed to get Ciara's prints to leak their involvements-"

"I know what the plan was, Lila." I cut in, sharper than I intended. I rubbed my temple and softened my tone. "But things changed. I want the proposal drafted. Get creative, but make it clean. Something she can't say no to."

Her line went static once more and I could already imagine her processing my words.

I couldn't blame her. We had been on the case for months. It was supposed to be our final blow to punish my half-brother for everything he had taken from me.

His involvement in the child trafficking crime in the mines of Diamond was supposed to be perfect but Natalia's presence changed everything.

There was something about her that just made me feel different... safe.

It was crazy considering I just literally met her, after watching her from the shadows for so long. But it was happening and I wasn't going to let things slide.

With a sigh, I returned my focus to the call. "Lila, are you listening to me?" I asked, glaring at the device.

"You... you want to help Diamonds?" She stuttered in a small voice and I could instantly tell where she was coming from.

"Yes, I want you to get the team on it, Lila. Tonight. Tell them to send the first draft directly to Ciara before the end of the day tomorrow."

"...Wesley," she said, switching to my full name the way she did when she thought I'd lost my mind, "what happened in there?"

I paused and my thoughts involuntarily went to Natalia- the way she stood her ground even when she clearly didn't have a clue of what she was doing. That woman was fire.

"Just do it," I said. "And Lila- one more thing."

"Go on."

"Get me a full profile on Natalia Rivers Carson. Everything. I want to know what her favorite damn tea is, if she drinks one."

A longer pause followed and I could already picture her scrunching her nose upward.

"Are you thinking with your business brain, Wes?"

I smiled, leaning back against the seat. "Maybe not. But I'm still thinking. Trust me."

"That's the problem. I always trust you. Even when I probably shouldn't." She sighed, clearly already typing. "You'll have something in your inbox by midnight."

"Thanks, Lila. I owe you."

"You owe me a vacation. Somewhere warm and far from your drama."

I laughed. "Duly noted."

I ended the call and stared out at the city as the car rolled forward.

What had I just done?

This wasn't the plan. I was supposed to walk into Diamonds, shake things up, and walk out with enough ammunition to bury my brother for good. But instead... I found something else in there.

Someone else. A very beautiful and intriguing someone.

The thoughts still lingered in my head, as I finally got to my apartment. I was just starting to ease my car into the parking lot when a message suddenly flashed on my dashboard.

With a frown on my face, I tapped the screen and as soon as I saw my dad's number, cold panic shot through me.

'Come to the hospital Wesley. I don't know if I'll make it.' The message read.

Without giving it a second thought, I turned the car right back into the road and drove to the hospital.

My father had been diagnosed with a failing kidney and we had all been living with the dread of what could come next.

As I blurred past traffic lights, my heart jumped with fear for what might have happened. The last time I checked on him, he was responding to treatment. What could have happened?

But when I finally stepped into Room 402 of the hospital, I wasn't ready for what I saw.

My father was sleeping on his bed, perfectly fine. But on the edge of his bed, sat the last person I wanted to see- Robert.

"What the hell is this?" I barked as I glared at them.

Robert stood up. "Relax. I had to get your attention somehow and this was the only way."

The way he said it, it was clear that our father knew nothing of this. This was his trick.

"You used Dad as bait?"

Robert shrugged like it was nothing. "He's fine. I'm fine. And you're here. So let's talk."

My fists tightened as irritation shot through me. "You are a sick son of a bitch and you need help," I said, already turning toward the door.

"Wait. Just-listen. One minute. Please."

The word please sounded wrong in his mouth. Foreign. But I paused.

"This thing with Natalia," he began and my eyes narrowed. "You don't know her like I do. She's manipulative. Cold. She'll do whatever it takes to stay on top, even if it means taking you down too."

I laughed. A bitter, quiet sound. "That's rich. Coming from you."

"She's turning you against your own blood, Wes."

"No, Robert. You did that years ago." I hissed, forcing my voice to stay down so I didn't have to wake our poor father.

He flinched, then leaned in like he still had some kind of power. "Look just- do this for me. Take her down. Dig into her files. Leak something. I know there's dirt. There has to be."

I stared at him for a long time. Then smiled. I couldn't believe this fool was related to me.

"You know what's funny?" I said slowly. "I walked into Diamonds today planning to destroy it. Tear it down because I knew you were involved with them-"

I took my time to take a long look at him before I added; "-But instead, I found a woman who is trying to raise herself from the mess you made of her. And now... I might just protect her."