CHAPTER 4
Carter's mansion was quiet—too quiet.
Not the peaceful silence of a home, but the kind that hovered in the air, heavy and expectant, as if the walls themselves knew what was coming.
Leo stood at the entrance, hands in his pockets, staring at the massive mahogany doors. He had been away from this house for months, drowning himself in work, hiding behind meetings, contracts, and flights across continents. Yet here he was again—summoned.
And nobody ignored a summons from Richard.
The doors opened before Leo could knock. The butler, Mr. Halden, bowed slightly.
"Welcome home, sir."
"Thank you," Leo muttered, stepping inside.
The mansion smelled of polished wood and expensive cologne. Everything seemed almost too clean, too flawless—like a museum meant to display the Carter name rather than house a family.
Leo walked past the grand staircase, his shoes silent on the marble floor. The closer he moved to his father's study, the colder the air felt.
He stopped at the heavy double doors, he knew the conversation waiting behind it, he also knew he couldn't avoid it any longer.
Leo exhaled slowly and pushed the door open.
___
Richard sat behind his enormous desk, dressed in a dark suit even though he wasn't going anywhere. His hair, once jet black, had begun to gray around the temples, giving him an even more commanding look.
He didn't look up immediately.
He never did.
That was Richard's way of reminding Leo of his place—second to business, always.
Leo waited silently.
Finally, Richard lifted his gaze, sharp and calculating, the same gaze that intimidated boardrooms full of executives.
"You're late."
Leo didn't flinch. "Traffic."
Richard scoffed. "You own half the cars that create traffic."
Leo didn't entertain the remark. Instead, he sat down across from his father, maintaining the calm, professional composure he had mastered over the years.
Richard folded his hands. "You've been avoiding me."
"You haven't called."
Richard's eyes narrowed. "I shouldn't have to call. You know your responsibilities."
Leo leaned back. "I've been handling everything at the company."
"Business is not the issue." Richard's voice was firm. "You know what the issue is."
Leo's jaw tensed.
There it was.
The real reason he had been summoned.
Richard stood from his chair and walked toward the window overlooking the massive Carter estate. He clasped his hands behind his back.
"You're twenty-six, Leo."
"And?"
"And it's time."
"For what?" Leo asked sharply, even though he knew.
Richard turned, giving him a knowing look.
"For you to get married."
Leo's muscles tightened. He had known this conversation would happen eventually, but he had hoped he still had time—time to breathe, time to live his own life, time to avoid the prison his father was building for him.
"Dad," Leo said slowly, "I'm not interested in an arranged marriage."
Richard raised an eyebrow. "Who says it must be arranged? Find someone on your own, then. Date. Court. Propose. I don't care how it happens. What matters is that it happens soon."
Leo laughed under his breath, though nothing about this conversation was funny.
"I don't have time for a relationship."
"You make time," Richard snapped.
Leo clenched his fists. "Why are you pushing this so hard?"
Richard moved back to his desk, picked up a thick file, and tossed it in front of Leo.
Leo looked down.
A company projection report.
Shareholder conditions.
Public relations strategies.
Then he saw the highlighted line:
"Long-term succession stability depends on their projection within five years."
Leo felt his stomach drop.
"You're joking," he said.
Richard shook his head. "I'm not. The board wants assurance. Investors want security. The media wants a story that stabilizes our stock. Everything is tied to legacy now."
"And you think marriage will solve that?" Leo demanded.
"It will solve many things," Richard replied. "A stable image. A secured line of leadership. Continuity."
Leo stared at him in disbelief.
"You want me to get married for a corporate image?"
Richard's voice was cold.
"I want you to protect what you will inherit."
Leo pushed the file away.
"I don't need a wife to run Carter Holdings."
"You do," Richard answered calmly. "If you want to keep your position."
Silence slammed into the room.
Leo felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs.
"Dad," he whispered, "are you threatening to take the company away from me?"
"Not threatening," Richard corrected. "Warning."
Leo stood abruptly. His chair screeched against the floor.
"This is ridiculous."
Richard didn't look fazed. "Sit down."
Leo didn't.
Richard sighed, showing the first hint of emotion—a controlled frustration.
"Leo, listen," he began again, more softly this time. "Your mother wanted—"
"Don't," Leo snapped, his voice sharp as broken glass. "Don't bring her into this."
Richard fell silent.
Leo rarely raised his voice, but the moment his mother was mentioned, something inside him hardened.
Richard exhaled.
"She wanted you to be happy."
Leo's chest tightened painfully.
"My happiness is my decision."
Richard nodded slowly. "Then make a decision. Soon. Before someone else makes it for you."
Leo felt like a storm had been building inside him.
He turned away, staring at the window—at the life he never really chose, at the empire built on expectations, demands, and sacrifices.
He spoke quietly but firmly.
"I won't marry for the company."
Richard leaned forward.
"Then marry for yourself."
Leo turned back, eyes cold.
"And what if I don't want marriage at all?"
Richard straightened, his expression turning to stone.
"Then you're not ready to lead Carter Holdings."
Leo inhaled sharply.