Cade

It all started as some sick bet between myself and Jöel. The plan was for Jöel to woo Maria, make her come out of her introverted shell, go out more, meet guys her age, and maybe have a boyfriend. For someone full of energy. I didn’t get why she was always hanging with us.

I didn't want her to miss out on the best part of her teenage years when none of us was.

Jöel was certain he could do what even I or my brothers couldn't accomplish. Make Maria a social butterfly. I promised to pay him a hundred bucks if he succeeded. I didn't want anything for myself, so I left the bet in his favor.

Jöel didn't just make her a social butterfly. He made her fall in love with him. I knew Jöel. He was my friend and partner in crime, especially when it came to breaking women's hearts, and I didn't want Maria's to be broken. So I asked him to end things.

He refused.

The thing with Jöel was that he saw women as playthings. Disposable. And he was far from being done with her. So I cut him off, thinking it would change his mind. It didn't. Instead it only made the chase more fun for him. The final straw was when he proposed to Maria.

It was then I was confronted with either telling her the truth, stand the risk of losing her forever or keeping my mouth shut in the hopes that I was wrong and that Jöel overnight became a changed man, ready to settle down with one woman for the rest of his life.

I couldn't bring myself to choose, and so I ran. Left the city not until I had a reason to return.

The Christmas holiday was over, and so was the New Year’s celebration. Most Icelandic citizens living abroad had all left, including two of my brothers; still, I remained behind with no intentions of leaving the city anytime soon.

At breakfast, Father decided to make a proposition. One I was sure he desperately wanted me to accept.

“Cade. Now that you're back home, and I am not getting any younger. Your mother and I have been talking. We both think it's time that you took over the family business.”

Reed's Oil and Gas. I saw this coming. Being asked to continue the family’s legacy as the largest oil-producing company in Iceland. What I failed to prepare for was it being this soon.

I spent the afternoon in the gym, bulking weights to clear my mind. Coming back to Iceland was a big decision. One that I had no choice but to make. I wasn't sure yet if I wanted to remain here permanently, and with Father wanting me to take over the company, I was in a serious dilemma on the next step to take on whether to remain in Iceland or move to New York, the home of talents and arts.

However, making the move would also mean I had to face the reason why I quit my perfect life in Finland. I wasn't ready for that and doubt I will ever be.

It had been a month and two days since I last turned on my phone. I did it on purpose, to shut those who hurt me out: my fiancé and her family of leeches.

During my stay in Finland, I got engaged. No one knew who I was over there. It was a new start for me, a fresh beginning. I changed my name from Cade to Tristan Kiln. I was an average-paid civil servant working at the Daily newspaper, earning a decent pay. Then I met Tricia Payne.

The moment I turned my phone on. Tricia's call came in, followed by a series of message notifications. I placed my phone in flight mode, not interested to hear what she had to say. Tricia was the daughter of the man who owned the Daily Newspaper Company I worked in, Baylon Payne.

He didn't want me dating his daughter because I was broke, depending on him for survival just like every worker in his company. Tricia didn't care for what her family had to say about our relationship. To her I was everything she wanted in a man. Someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Which was why her betrayal still struck me with an awakening on how the human mind worked. Tricia Payne broke me, and I never wanted to see her again.

Axon was at the bowling arcade, earbuds in his ears, sweat streaking down his arms. He didn't notice my presence, busily burning off the holiday’s calories.

Once he was done, he signaled to me to hand him the bottle of water beside me. “When are you leaving for Bali?” I asked.

He responded, coming to sit beside me. “This weekend. I have an overdue presentation piled up and waiting for me.”

Axon worked at Beta. An artificial intelligence company known for the famous FaceTok. A highly skilled occupation for someone like him with a high IQ.

“Are you considering Father's offer, or do you plan to leave as well?” He inquired, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

“I'm not sure…still thinking about it.” I replied, staring into space.

“Whatever decision you make. Be it to stay here or leave. I'm sure that Father won't hold you back.” He said, patting me on the shoulder.

Tricia was relentless. She bombarded my mail with messages. Over a thousand messages, or more if I wasn't exaggerating, were in my mailbox. One of them read. “I don't care if you're still angry with me; I miss you.”

Funny how Tricia, who was ready to marry someone else behind my back, suddenly switched up the moment she came to find out who I was and that I came from a long line of wealth. I emptied my mailbox, blocked her number, and every other means she would try to use to reach me.

It was a few minutes past nine when I took out the trash. I was headed back inside the house when a black SUV pulled over at the Johnson's. A lanky guy, dressed in a blaring yellow tee shirt and bland-colored shorts, rushed to the passenger's side to open the door.

Maria alighted from the car, smiling widely. I watched her allow the weird-looking guy to kiss her and almost lost my cool. ‘What is wrong with you, Cade? Snap out of it.’ I scolded myself, not sure if what I was feeling was the brotherly instinct to protect his loved one or something else leaning in on the fact that I didn't want anyone kissing Maria.

The car zoomed off with Maria waving until it was out of sight. She walked a few feet towards the door. That was when she noticed me. I already lifted my hand halfway to wave at her when she turned her back on me, slamming the door shut.

I thought Maria would be angry with me for a day or two, and then we would go back to our familial ways. I thought wrong.

I had to win her back. The problem was I didn't know how.