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Zeus

CHAPTER FOUR

The sound of glass shattering on the floor draws the attention of the male members present but not mine.

In my peripheral vision, I see someone picking up the remnants of what I believe was a drinking glass. Probably one of the bank's maids.

It's very hard to distract me when a goal occupies my mind, and right now, all I can think about is how close I am to finalizing my revenge.

In less than a year, all of the Gordons’ assets will merge with the Kostanidis’s, and then I will have fulfilled what I promised my grandfather.

"I believe we're done here," I say, already standing up.

Anyone who carries this surname disgusts me, even though the elderly man in front of me is not to blame for his deceased son being a wretch.

"Yes, the bureaucratic part," Emerson Gordon says, "but I think it would be a good idea to schedule a social gathering so that?—”

"No." I interrupt him without ceremony. "Let's make something clear: what we just did is business, and it will remain that way until the end."

He doesn't flinch at the contempt in my voice. "After all, the penalty for either of us breaking the deal is astronomical."

"Not for me," I reply, walking away without saying goodbye.

I entered this agreement of my own free will. I want him to understand that he's not at an advantage. No one has the power to force me into something I don't desire.

"Are you sure about what you just did, Zeus?" asks Odin—a distant cousin discovered a couple of years ago, along with another one, Christos Lykaios? * —from the other end of the line.

Our family is large, but I swear to God I didn't imagine it was this large. It seems like cousins sprout from the ground every now and then.

"You, more than anyone, should understand my reasons," I reply.

"Revenge."

"Yes. I need closure."

"For your father or for your grandfather?"

"For my grandfather. My father made a choice and died for it. The promise I made is solely for my grandfather."

"A promise that will destroy your life."

"No, I've already planned everything."

"Just like I thought I had when I bought Leandros Argyros's island, tried to destroy him, and ended up marrying the enemy's daughter?"

"Elina is a wonderful woman. In the end, everything happened as it should."

"Destiny."

As good Greeks, we both believe in that.

"Exactly. There's no escaping it."

After we hang up, I open the drawer and take out a photograph of my grandfather. He seems to be staring back at me, and I could swear he's smiling, as if satisfied with what I did this morning.

"The time is coming, Pappous? * . Soon, you'll be able to rest in peace because the name of the Kostanidis will have been avenged."

The door to my office opens, and I see Dionysus enter. None of my younger brothers have the habit of waiting to be announced by my secretary, which drives the old lady Gireaux crazy.

"Are you going to Ares' birthday?" he asks without greeting me, sitting in the chair across from my desk.

I can't hide my displeasure at the thought of going to SIN. It's not the kind of environment that appeals to me. "I wish I didn't have to, but I do. We're about to close an important acquisition deal with a Spanish CEO. I've been pursuing these companies for over a year, and now he finally seems willing to sell."

"Working on Ares' birthday?"

"There's no alternative. This opportunity is unique. The man is a recluse. He never leaves his castle somewhere in Spain, and he accepted the invitation to Ares' birthday celebration at SIN."

"Is that why he's hiring a bilingual dancer?"

"Perhaps, even though I can't imagine what he expects from that. Technically, the girls shouldn't interact with the clients, if I remember the rules correctly."

Ares, my rebellious brother—though he's like the rest of us, a majority shareholder in the bank owned by my family for generations—started a peculiar adult entertainment venture about two years ago.

Against all odds, though, the club that theoretically fulfills fantasies, even virtually, of the world's top businessmen and leaders, has been hugely successful, despite being very secretive.

In fact, it's almost like a religious cult where the chosen members go through screening and then a background check. There's a confidentiality agreement on both sides, as well as for the contracted ladies. They, of course, are a fundamental part of the entertainment.

"Everyone who's a member or guest of the club knows the rules perfectly well. The sins must remain only in the mind," my brother mocks.

I shake my head, thinking about the amount of trouble that would come our way if a scandal relating to the VIP establishment were to break out in the media. The press theoretically doesn't even know about its existence, and I can only imagine our stock prices plummeting if something like that happens.

"And you, are you going?" I change the subject because I don't want to worry about that again. We already had all the possible fights when Ares decided to proceed with that plan.

"I don't know. Joseph's night nanny fell ill."

"Can't you find a replacement?"

"He doesn't get used to new people easily."

I stay silent, even though I have a lot to say. My brother's choices are not my problem.

"I know what you're thinking," he accuses.

"I doubt it."

"No one's going to take him away from me. I've registered him. Joseph is mine."

"It has nothing to do with the kid, and you know it. To me, he's already part of the family."

He gets up, as I was sure he would. Dionysus can't stand having his late wife brought up.

"I'll try to find a nanny," he says. "Hades said he's going too. It's been a long time since the four of us got together. Grandpa wouldn't like that. He always wanted us to stay close to each other."

"I know each of you inside out," I reply without a hint of guilt.

Despite the small age difference between us, even before my father died, I was already taking care of my younger brothers. I was raised to be the family leader when our father was gone, and that happened much sooner than I thought it would.

"I don't doubt it, and you know that the feeling is mutual." He was already at the door, but he comes back. "I didn't come just to talk about Ares' birthday."

"I know, and the answer is yes, I will continue with my plans to restore our family name."

"Christos and Odin are worried."

"There's no reason for concern. I know what I'm doing."

* ? Odin and Christos Lykaios are the main characters in my books "About Love and Revenge" and "The Tycoon's Obsession," respectively.

* ? “Grandfather”.