Asher
"Take me to the estate."
The car door shut, muffling the noise of the city outside. The driver nodded and pulled into traffic without a word. He was used to my short instructions. I preferred it that way. I hated long conversations. I hated unnecessary company. I hated smiling with people. I hated being around people.
On a normal basis, this attribute of mine would have been a huge disadvantage to me, especially in the entertainment world where everyone is basically an ass-licker.
Initially, I was a bit worried that it would come in the way, but I wasn't worried enough to give two fucks about what anyone thought about me.
So, I started off as young Asher, focused, calm, and calculative.
Turns out that it drew people even closer to me. Apparently, my demeanor was what did it for them. People admired who they could not decode or understand. Initially, it started off with them trying to break my unemotional defenses, and the next minute, we were partners signing off deals.
This strategy worked for the 18 years of my career, and that was how I built Luna Entertainment from scratch.
Everyone believed it was my dad who did it, but the OGs knew who was truly the brain behind our success.
The lights of the city blurred past the window, but my mind refused to move on.
Black hair. Sharp eyes. Soft mouth.
I tightened my jaw and looked away from the glass.
Edmund Alistair.
I replayed the moment against my will.
His hand, extended. Open and expectant.
I knew it was rude to ignore it. I knew that.
Any other day, with any other person, I wouldn't care. So it felt strange still thinking about that brief interaction. Actually, it didn't even count as an interaction because I walked away before there was even a chance.
I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled slowly. Has to be stress.
"Faster," I told the driver.
"Yes, sir."
I hadn't planned to stay at the gala long. I went there for one reason only: to tell my father I had agreed to supervise his friend's son. A clean business decision which would most certainly benefit Luna Entertainment.
Initially, I didn't agree to the proposal until I stumbled upon something really scary that made me finally concede but when I entered the gala, seeing him almost made me have a rethink for the first few seconds of our meeting and I was never the type to have second thoughts on anything.
He didn't look like I expected. He was clearly younger than I was, but his features were soft and masculine at the same time. I couldn't even make sense of what that meant.
His black hair was very styled, making him look like one of those Klein models. It was also clear that he was the expressive type. His face gave him away easily. Full lips. Dark lashes. A mouth that looked like it could…
I gritted my teeth.
Whatever it was that made me freeze, I had to act fast in that moment. Leaving immediately was the only option.
The car gates opened, and the Asbourne estate came into view. Tall iron bars. Long driveway. The place I'd gotten after Luna Entertainment made its first billion.
Home.
The moment the car stopped, I stepped out and headed straight inside. I changed into gym clothes and made my way downstairs. I did a warm-up for 30 minutes, then I made my way to where the equipment was.
I started with weights, and I began lifting. I kept at it until I could feel my muscles getting sore.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway drew me back to the present.
My father was home.
I racked the weights, grabbed a towel, and headed upstairs to the shower. After I was done, I stepped out and got dressed for the night. One of the maids came knocking. I crossed the remaining space and opened the door.
"Your father would like to speak with you, sir."
"I'll be down in a minute."
The dining room was warm and brightly lit. My father sat at the head of the table, already pouring himself a drink.
"I'm sorry for being rude to your friend," I said, taking my seat. "I had urgent work to attend to."
He arched a brow. "And by urgent work, I suppose you mean coming back here?"
I didn't react. "Yes."
He snorted quietly but let it go.
"What made you change your mind about the deal all of a sudden?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "I realized it would favor the company's interests."
He leaned back. "How?"
I met his gaze. "Alistair Entertainment has reached us in popularity and influence. Their distribution channels alone would save us years of expansion. Supervising his son keeps us close while still getting public benefits."
"And Edmund?" he asked. "What about him?"
"He's inexperienced," I replied. "But not stupid. If he learns structure, discipline, and accountability, he could become an asset instead of a liability, and with the right supervision, we could use him in the future."
The servants brought in dinner, and the conversation paused. We ate in silence for a moment.
Then my father looked at me casually and asked, "What do you really think about Alistair's son?"
I choked.
Actually choked.
I coughed sharply, reaching for my water as my throat burned.
"I don't want to talk about it," I said once I recovered.
He studied me. "That wasn't an answer."
"What do you mean exactly?"
"Personality-wise," he said.
"He seems like a normal guy," I added quickly.
"He's not normal. And you'll be a fool to underestimate him," my father said with so much seriousness. It was hard to believe that he was the same man who was laughing with them a few hours ago.
"I know what I'm to do, Father. And might I remind you that you were the one who came to me with the proposal. If you're worried about it, we can drop it now. After all, the boy didn't seem happy about the arrangement as well."
"Fine," he replied smugly.
After dinner ended, I stood up. "I'm going to bed now. Tomorrow, we can start drafting the contract terms."
My father nodded. "Good."
I headed upstairs, climbed into bed and tried to close my eyes, all the while thinking of a certain black-haired boy and ocean-blue eyes.