A few months passed, and Evren wasn't just back on track-it was thriving. Stronger, more stable, and moving at a pace even I had to admit was impressive. All thanks to Titan's investment. It should've been something to celebrate. Something to be proud of.
But, of course, nothing in my life ever came without a fucking downside.
And that downside came in the form of Logan King.
Because of Titan's involvement, I had to see him. Occasionally.
Or at least, that's what it should've been. But somehow, Logan always found an excuse to be around. A casual meeting. A "business discussion." Some unnecessary document that just had to be signed in person. Every single time, he'd walk in with that infuriating smirk, acting like he belonged, like he had the right to stand in my space, look at me like that.
And as if that wasn't bad enough, Cale made it worse.
That asshole was loving this.
Every time Logan showed up, Cale's eyes sparkled with mischief. Every time Logan threw one of his teasing remarks my way, Cale watched like it was the most entertaining thing in the world. He wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.
At one point, he even started making bets-with himself, probably-about how long it would take before I either killed Logan or admitted, in his words, "Kael, babe, I think you're just mad 'cause you like him."
Like fucking hell I did.
A call snapped me out of my thoughts.
Cale's voice had been urgent, almost panicked, when he called me into his office. And Cale didn't panic easily.
So, I expected something bad. Maybe a major deal falling through. Maybe an unexpected financial crisis. Maybe Titan suddenly deciding to back out.
But what I didn't expect was this.
The moment I stepped inside, I found him sitting at his desk, pale as a fucking ghost, gripping a single piece of paper like it was going to explode in his hands.
"What the hell happened?" I asked, my stomach tightening.
He didn't say anything. Just swallowed hard and passed me the paper.
A business party invitation.
From the Vaeloras.
Fuck.
My hands trembled slightly as I held it. Seven years. Seven years since I walked away from them. Since I erased that name from my life, from my existence. And yet, here it was again, dragging me back like I'd never left.
It was just a standard invitation-on the surface, at least. The Vaeloras did this often. A carefully orchestrated show of power. A gathering of the most influential families, the most successful companies, the strongest bloodlines. They sent out invitations to remind people where they stood. To remind them who really ruled.
And now, Evren was on their list.
On paper, that was a good thing. It meant we were being recognized. That we had become significant enough to be acknowledged by the great Vaelora family.
But that wasn't what it really meant.
It meant they still saw us as beneath them.
It meant they still saw me as beneath them.
Because in their world, I was nothing more than a stain on their perfect, alpha-dominated lineage. A mistake. A disgrace. The omega son who should never have been born.
Not attending wasn't an option.
Not because I wanted to go. Not because I gave a fuck about them.
But because ignoring an invitation from the Vaeloras wasn't just an insult. It was a declaration.
And I wasn't ready to declare war.
Not yet.
Cale was still staring at me, his expression torn between concern and hesitation. His grip on the invitation was tight, knuckles slightly pale against the crisp white paper. I knew what was running through his mind. He didn't want to go. Not because he was afraid of the Vaeloras, but because he knew what they meant to me.
Cale had always been the one who saw through the walls I built. He understood the weight the name Vaelora carried for me, the scars it left behind, even if I never spoke about it outright. And now, he was being forced to walk straight into the lion's den while I stood back and watched.
I exhaled slowly, keeping my face neutral, my voice calm. "You can go to the party."
Cale's head snapped up. "Kael—"
"I know what you're going to say." I cut him off before he could start. "And before you ask, yes, you have to go."
His lips pressed together into a tight line. "But—"
"Cale." My voice was firm now. "You're the CEO of Evren. This isn't just about us anymore. It's about the company. This is business. Not going would mean rejecting the Vaeloras' acknowledgment, and we're not in a position to do that yet."
He looked away, frustrated, rubbing a hand over his jaw. I could see the wheels turning in his head. He wanted to argue, to push back. But he knew I was right.
The Vaeloras only invited companies they saw as significant, but it was never just an invitation. It was a statement. A display of power. A test.
By inviting Evren, they weren't just recognizing our growth—they were reminding us where we stood. Beneath them.
At least, that's how they saw it.
Cale was the CEO on paper, and as much as I hated sending him into that pit, it had to be him. If I showed up instead, it would raise too many questions. The Vaeloras might not care much about me now, but I wasn't naive enough to believe they were completely blind.
Dorian, at the very least, had to have some idea of what I was doing.
Even if the rest of them dismissed me as insignificant, he was too perceptive, too calculating. But as long as I remained in the shadows, playing the role of Cale's personal assistant, he wouldn't dig too deep.
Because in his eyes, I was still beneath him.
That was the one advantage I had.
As long as they believed I was nothing more than an omega struggling to survive under a noble omega's protection, they wouldn't bother looking past the surface.
And I needed to keep it that way.
Cale finally let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair. "I still don't like it."
I smirked faintly, crossing my arms. "Yeah, well, welcome to my life."
He shot me a glare, but I could see the tension easing from his shoulders, just slightly. He knew there was no getting out of this.
"I swear to god, if I have to listen to those arrogant bastards talk about their great legacy for an entire night, I'm blaming you."
I shrugged. "That's fair."
Cale groaned, slumping back in his chair. "I need a fucking drink."
I snorted. "You're going to need a lot more than one."
As we were talking, my fucking nightmare walked in.
Logan King.
I swear, the universe had a personal grudge against me.
The second I saw him step into the office, my mood plummeted. Why the fuck was he here? Again? Didn't he have an entire goddamn company to run? Or was harassing me his new full-time job?
Cale, of course, greeted him with a smirk, like he wasn't inviting the devil into our conversation. "Logan. You really can't stay away, huh?"
Logan chuckled, all easy confidence and arrogance. "What can I say? Evren's got a certain charm to it." His eyes flicked to me, and I felt my jaw clench.
Yeah, fuck that.
He spent more time here than in his own goddamn office. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was trying to get hired.
I exhaled sharply, schooling my expression into polite indifference. Be civilized, Kael.
"King," I greeted, my voice perfectly neutral.
I didn't want to, but I had to.
Logan, the bastard, grinned like he knew. Like he could see the sheer amount of self-control it took for me to acknowledge him.
Smug asshole.
Logan's sharp eyes landed on the invitation sitting on Cale's desk. He picked it up casually, skimming over the details, before looking at Cale.
"You going?" he asked.
His words were directed at Cale, but his intention was aimed right at me.
I knew that look. That fucking curiosity. Like he was waiting to see how I'd react.
My fingers curled into my palm under the table. Let's be civilized, Kael.
Mom always told me to be kind to everyone. Even the ones who didn't deserve it. Even the ones who made my blood fucking boil.
And right now, I was trying my damn hardest.
Fucking hell, I was.
Cale, ever the composed one, took the lead before I could even open my mouth.
"Yes, I'll be attending," he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair like this was just another business gathering.
Logan hummed, his sharp gaze flickering between us. "Interesting."
Fucking hell. Why did he sound interested?
I exhaled through my nose, keeping my face blank. This wasn't about me. It wasn't about Cale. It was about Evren. Cale had to go.
There was no reason for Logan King to look at me like I was hiding something.
And yet, he fucking was.
"And you?" Logan asked, his eyes locked onto me like he was waiting for something.
My fingers twitched against the desk, a muscle ticking in his jaw. Why the hell was Logan so damn nosy?
I kept my face blank, refusing to give anything away. "I haven't decided yet," I said, voice as cold as ever.
Logan tilted his head slightly, that infuriating smirk playing on his lips. "Haven't decided or just looking for an excuse not to go?"
Cale shifted beside me, watching the exchange like it was some kind of entertainment. He knew me too well.
I held Logan's gaze, my expression unwavering. "I said what I said."
Logan's smirk didn't falter. "Cale told me before—you hate parties, doesn't matter what type it is."
I crossed my arms, unimpressed. "What about you? Did Vaelora send you an invite too?"
The word Vaelora left my mouth with a sharp edge—hate, no, pure fucking hate.
Cale noticed. Of course, he did. He knew exactly why. But he didn't say a word.
Logan noticed too. But unlike Cale, he didn't understand. For him, it was just my usual grumpiness, nothing more.
"Yeah, I got one," Logan said, his tone casual. "Big names get invited, I suppose."
I scoffed. "Congrats."
Cale cleared his throat, probably trying to stop me from picking a fight. "It's just business, Kael."
Logan, watching me too closely, added, "You don't seem too happy about this party."
Of course, I am not happy. Two things I fucking hate will be in the same place—Vaelora and Logan King.
Yeah, no. I'm not going.
Cale can handle it. He's the CEO. Evren is his on paper, after all. That invitation doesn't have my name on it.
"I'm not happy about any party," I said, keeping my voice flat.
And somehow, Logan bought that excuse. Woah.
Only for him to ruin it a second later.
"Good," he said, smirking like he already fucking knew my answer. "I figured you wouldn't go. You hate parties, and well... me being there doesn't help, does it?"
Arrogant asshole. He actually thought it was about him.
He had no fucking clue it was Vaelora keeping me away.
"You think you're that fucking important to me?" I shot back, my voice sharp.
Logan leaned back like he had all the time in the world, that damn smirk still on his face. "If I'm not, then why aren't you going?" His eyes flickered with something smug. "You showed up at the last party we met at."
I clenched my jaw. Fucking hell.
If one murder was legally forgivable, I knew exactly who my target would be.
"It's my fucking decision if I want to go or not," I snapped, my patience running thin.
Logan tilted his head, that damn smirk still in place. "Of course it is," he said smoothly, but there was something in his tone that made my blood boil. Like he fucking knew something. Like he was challenging me.
Cale was watching the exchange like it was the most entertaining shit he'd seen all week. Asshole.
I swear if one murder was legal, I'd be doing the world a favor right now.
That smirk. That fucking smirk. It was like he was enjoying this. Like he wanted me to snap.
Cale, the absolute menace, was just sitting there, sipping on his damn coffee, watching this like it was some reality show drama.
"You look like you wanna hit me," Logan said, voice full of amusement.
I clenched my jaw. "Observant as ever, King," I said, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You should do it," he said, leaning forward slightly. "If it'll make you feel better."
Oh, I was so close.
I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of Cale's desk so I wouldn't actually lunge at Logan. "Don't tempt me," I muttered, fingers curling so tight my knuckles went white.
Logan chuckled, completely unfazed. "Am I tempting?"
Cale fucking snorted.
I shot him a glare. "Shut up, Cale."
He just raised his hands in surrender, but that smug look on his face told me he was enjoying this shit way too much.
Logan, on the other hand, wasn't laughing anymore. He was watching me closely, amusement still lingering in his eyes, but there was something else—something like realization.
"So, you're really not going?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "Skipping a party just because I'll be there? I didn't know I had that kind of effect on you."
My jaw clenched. This fucking idiot.
"Like I said," I replied, voice cold, "it's my decision."
His smirk deepened, slow and knowing. "Sure it is."
I hated the way he was looking at me, like he had me all figured out. Like he knew why I wasn't going, and he was enjoying it.
Cale, the bastard, was barely holding back his laughter.
Logan leaned back in his chair, looking far too pleased. "I mean, if my presence bothers you that much, maybe I should make it a habit to attend every event you do. Just to see how far you'll go to avoid me."
I slammed my hand on the desk. "Shut. Up."
Silence.
Cale's eyes widened slightly, and Logan... Logan just fucking smirked.
"So touchy," he murmured, looking way too fucking satisfied. "Guess I do have an effect on you, huh?"
I was going to kill him.
The words left my mouth before I could stop them. "Fine. I'm going."
The second I said it, my brain screamed what the fuck did you just do?
Logan's smirk widened, like he had just won some stupid game. "Oh? That easy?"
Shit.
My whole body went stiff. Did I really just agree to this because of him? Was it his challenging tone? Did I just let my pride make the decision for me?
Fuck.
Cale blinked at me, stunned silent for a moment. "You're actually going?" he asked, disbelief lacing his voice.
"Yeah," I muttered, already regretting every life choice that led to this moment. "Got a problem with that?"
"No... just surprised," he said carefully, watching me too closely for my liking.
Logan leaned back in his seat, his eyes still on me like he was figuring something out. "Didn't take you for someone who changes their mind so easily," he said, smug as ever. "Guess I was wrong."
I clenched my jaw. "You're wrong about a lot of things," I shot back.
"Am I?" he mused, tilting his head. "I say I'll be at the party, and suddenly, you decide to go. Interesting."
I scoffed, but my pulse fucking spiked. "Don't flatter yourself, King."
"Oh, but I think I should," he said, all slow and lazy, like he was enjoying this.
Cale finally sighed and rubbed his temples like he could already sense the disaster brewing. "I swear, if you two start throwing hands at the party, I'm pretending I don't know either of you."
Logan just laughed. I grabbed the nearest document off Cale's desk and smacked him with it. "Shut the fuck up."
I needed to get out of here before I did something actually violent. "I'm going back to work," I muttered and turned on my heel, storming out of the office before either of them could make this worse.
Fuck. What the hell did I just get myself into?