Third Person's POV.
The following morning, the atmosphere of domestic bliss was abruptly fractured by a sharp, insistent buzz at the door. Alexis arrived unannounced, her elegant composure slightly fractured, eyes dark with strain. Yet, the moment she stepped inside and her gaze landed on Gemini, she visibly brightened. She blew right past Percy, rushing forward to envelop the younger boy in a hug as if they'd been friends forever, gushing loudly.
"Oh, you are precisely as adorable as Mark described, maybe more so!" she exclaimed, squeezing him tightly. "Honestly, Percy has been holding out on me. We need a proper introduction, darling!"
Percy let out a low, warning growl. He had to gently but firmly drag his bewildered boyfriend out of his cousin's embrace while shooting Alexis a laser-beam glare to keep her "grabby hands" to herself. After settling down, Alexis sank onto the pristine couch, accepting the steaming mug of coffee Percy wordlessly offered.
"Thanks. I needed this," she muttered, before Percy even had a chance to ask about her visit.
"Well, that didn't take long," Alexis replied with a grimace, staring into the dark depths of the coffee. "It's barely twenty-four hours since you resigned, and your mother has already made a threat against our company."
Gemini, who had been working diligently on his laptop at the kitchen island, immediately looked up, concern etching itself onto his face. Percy sat next to Alexis, outwardly calm but radiating inside.
"She called you?" Percy asked, the lack of surprise in his voice indicating this was precisely the vindictive reaction he had predicted.
"Called me? Percy, she didn't just call me, she commanded me," Alexis corrected, rubbing her temples as if warding off a headache.
"She called me about an hour ago. The first words out of her mouth were, 'Alexis, you need to fire Perseus immediately and publicly disavow any association with his juvenile career move.'" Alexis paused for a sip of coffee. "She went on to say that Aethel Design is a 'childish vanity project' and that I'd be wise to save my investment by cutting ties with you now, or face the consequences."
Percy sighed, leaning back against the cushion. His demeanor remained unruffled, merely professional. "Did she specify the corporate reason for my immediate termination?"
"Because you 'betrayed the family legacy' and are 'undermining the integrity of our personal brand,' of course," Alexis recited, rolling her eyes in perfect imitation of the matriarch. "She explicitly implied that if I didn't comply, she would ensure Morre Holdings would use its considerable influence to make finding any future contracts difficult for Aethel Design."
"So, what was your official response to the Queen Mother?" Percy asked, a slight, expectant smile playing on his lips.
Alexis took a long, steadying sip of her coffee, suddenly looking much more composed.
"My response was professional and legally accurate, unlike her emotional outburst." She set down her mug, her expression hardening. "I had to remind her that while I am the co-founder, I am not the sole authority at Aethel Design. I told her that your promotion to CEO was not my decision alone; it was a unanimous decision by the entire board."
Alexis leaned forward, her voice dropping slightly. "I made it crystal clear that the board voted, based on your long-term vision, your performance, and your indispensable value to the firm's growth trajectory, to offer you the leadership position."
"Meaning," Alexis continued, looking straight at Percy, with pride in her eyes, "even if I wanted to fire you, which I absolutely do not, I couldn't. It's a formal board mandate. She can't pressure one individual—she'd have to pressure an entire governing body, which is far more complicated, even for her."
Gemini released a slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The air of tension, thick with the threat of corporate reprisal, seemed to thin slightly. He caught Percy's eye and offered a relieved smile. Alexis's news solidified the reality of the impending war, but it also highlighted the strategic strength of Percy's new position.
"Thank you, Alexis," Percy said, his gratitude genuine. "That was handled perfectly. I knew I could count on you to have my back."
"Of course I would. We built this together, Percy. This isn't just your fight," Alexis said, though her earlier stress returned slightly. "I just need to know how serious this threat is. She explicitly mentioned interfering with our contract procurement. Can she actually do anything dangerous to Aethel Design?"
Percy leaned forward, projecting absolute confidence. "Alexis, she won't do anything dangerous that results in real, quantifiable harm, and here's why: She is acting out of a wounded ego, a need for control, not a sound business strategy."
He held up a single finger. "If she actually does something illegal to interfere with our contracts—something that can be proven in court—she'd open herself up to a massive lawsuit, which would damage Morre Holdings reputation far more than my resignation ever could. She's too smart, too image-conscious for that."
"She's only upset because I went against her," Percy repeated, choosing his words carefully. "She wants to scare you and me into thinking she can crush us. At best, she'll try to embarrass us publicly."
He placed a comforting hand on Alexis's shoulder. "We have the talent, we have the board, and we have the contracts. Let her vent. We'll simply do our job. She can't touch Aethel Design because it's already secured by processes she can't penetrate."
Alexis visibly relaxed, accepting the logic. "Alright. I'll brief the board on her call, just as a formality. But knowing the reason is ego, not genuine corporate warfare, makes it easier to dismiss."
"Exactly," Percy affirmed, standing up and pulling her to her feet. "Now, stay and have a proper breakfast with us. You look like you need food and sleep." Gemini smiled widely from the kitchen, already pulling out an extra plate.