Kyren

Once the door closed, Manon walked shakily to a seat and lowered her head onto the desk before her sobs broke free. Her breathing came in sharp hitches and she cried as though she had lost someone.

I pressed a hand to my chest. Watching her break like that hurt in ways I couldn’t explain. I wasn’t good at this—comforting people—but for her, I had to try.

I walked toward her and sat down in the chair beside her. Consoling someone had never been my strength, but for her, I saw myself making an effort. I don't know why.

"Hey," I said softly, my hand brushing her arm.

She lifted her head. Her face was streaked with tears, her nose red, her voice hoarse when she whispered, "Go away."

I drew in a steady breath. "Look, Manon, I told you. It's not my fault this happened, but we can still salvage it."

"Right. It's not your fault, so leave me alone," she said bitterly.

“It really isn’t,” I pushed back, heat slipping into my words. “I warned you before we came in here, but you didn’t listen. Now look where that’s gotten you.”

The words hit the air too sharp, and regret sank into me. I was only making things worse. Maybe I should have just stayed quiet.

Her expression hardened. “If that’s all you came to say, then leave.”

My throat tightened. I’d only made it worse. With a sigh, I stood. “Fine. You'll think of something better once you're done crying.” I said, my voice low, hoping it passed for comfort.

I was halfway to the door when her voice sliced through the air.

“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that right?”

I stopped. Turned. She was standing now, eyes blazing.

“What?”

“You’re the most useless, rude, annoying manchild I have ever met.”

“Hey. Look.” I raised my hands. “I get you’re upset, but that doesn’t give you a free pass to throw your tantrum on me.”

“Upset?” Her laugh came out sharp, ugly. “You still expect me to come up with a new product all by myself.”

“You know I’m not really… good at that stuff.” The words tumbled out before I could stop them.

Her eyes narrowed. “Oh, so I’m the factory and you’re the parasite. I create, you sit back and take credit if it’s good, vanish if it’s bad. That's it?”

“Why are we even fighting right now? I’m saying I can help in other ways. Money, resources, whatever you need—”

“Money?” She barked out a laugh. “God, you really think you can buy your way out of everything. Must be nice being the owner’s son.”

I froze. My stomach lurched.

“What did you just say?”

She stepped closer, eyes locked on mine. “I know. All of it.”

I forced a laugh that sounded nothing like me. “That’s insane. You don’t know anything.”

“I also know you’re gay, dimwit.”

The floor dropped out beneath me. My pulse hammered. “You’re lying.”

She smirked, wiping the last of her tears with the back of her hand before pulling out her phone. A few taps, then she shoved it in my face.

“How’s this for proof, Kyren Zale?”

On the screen, a video played. Me and Az. Kissing. Yesterday. My throat went dry. She had seen us. When? How?

I lunged for the phone, but she snapped it back like a whip.

“Manon, you don’t understand. Delete it. Now.”

Her smile sharpened. “No, and don’t bother trying to steal my phone. I’ve got backups on multiple devices. Even a burner, and a copy sent to a friend in a different city.”

“You—” My voice cracked. “Why?”

“Because, judging by that panicked face of yours and the little research I’ve done, no one knows your secret. Which makes it leverage. Which makes it useful.” She slipped her phone into her pocket.

I swallowed hard. “What do you want?”

Her eyes glittered, steady now. “You’re going to make sure I’m a permanent staff member in six months. If I can’t move you with reason, I’ll move you with blackmail. That’s what you deserve.”

I stepped toward her, voice low. “You’re playing a dangerous game.”

She brushed past me, her shoulder hitting mine as she headed for the door. “Then let’s see who wins.”

She can’t know. She can’t. If this gets out, everything’s over.

My leg jittered under the table, nerves burning through me. Across the cafeteria, Manon sat a few feet away, poking at food she clearly wasn’t going to eat.

I dragged in a breath to steady myself, but it did nothing. My thoughts spun. How had everything gone wrong in barely a day of being here?

I need to get to her. Delete the video, clear the backups. No trail, no risk.

Manon pushed her tray away and stood. I shot up instantly, but halfway across the cafeteria Yadav blocked my path.

“Yadav, what?” My words came out sharper than I meant, my gaze still glued to Manon. If I wrapped this up fast, I could catch her.

“Your father’s here,” Yadav said.

The words stopped me cold. My eyes snapped from Manon’s retreating figure to his face. “What?”

“He came in discreetly and wants to see you in his office. Now.”

Of course he picked today. Of all days.

I swallowed a curse. Manon slipped away, and I could do nothing but watch.

She’d have to wait. The old man never showed up without a reason—and never a good one.

My hand hesitated on the door. Stupid. I am twenty-five years old, not a child sneaking into the principal’s office. Still, my chest tightened as I pushed inside.

The top floor screamed money. Walls lit with sleek panels, prototypes humming in the corners. Everything in here was a trophy of 404. My father never needed to say he built an empire — the room said it for him.

He wasn’t behind his desk. He sat on the couches like a king pretending to be casual. I dropped into the chair opposite him, every muscle tight.

“You wanted to see me?” My voice came out sharper than I meant.

His gaze lingered on me, unreadable. It struck me again how young he looked at sixty-five. Forty, maybe, if you didn’t know better. And unfortunately, I looked just like him.

“How’s the office?” he asked, clearing his throat.

“Save it. What do you actually want?”

He sighed, heavy like he’d rehearsed this. “I know you must hate me.”

“That’s not a debate,” I shot back. “I do.”

A flicker crossed his face, but he pressed on. “It’s time I told you the truth. About Romeo. Your boyfriend.”

My stomach lurched. “Ex-boyfriend. Because you made me cut him off.”

“I told you to stay away for a reason.” His voice was low, almost gentle. I wasn’t used to that tone from him. It made me hesitate.

“Go on,” I muttered.

He leaned forward, hands clasped. “You think I was ashamed of you. That I couldn’t accept who you are. That isn’t true. The reason I pulled you from him wasn’t because of you, Kyren. It was because of him.”

Anger surged up. “Don’t rewrite history. Romeo loved me. He was the only one who understood me, and you ruined us.”

My father’s eyes sharpened. “Did he? Or did he play you while taking offers from our competitors?”

I froze, breath caught. “What are you talking about?”

“At first, Romeo may have cared for you,” my father said slowly, weighing each word, “but somewhere along the line, he chose money. Technically approached him. They wanted our ideas, our future launches. When he couldn’t steal those, they told him to dig up dirt. He used you for that.”

My pulse hammered. I shook my head violently. “No. No, he wouldn’t—”

“He would,” my father cut in. His tone was calm, almost too calm. “Romeo drugged you to heighten your urges. He recorded you, Kyren. He planned to sell that tape.”

The air left my lungs. I wanted to laugh, scream, anything. “You’re lying. He loved me. He… he…” My voice broke.

“Loved you?” My father leaned forward. His eyes were cold steel. “Love doesn’t cash five million dollars. That’s what they offered him. Five million. My people intercepted before the deal was done. That’s the only reason the video isn’t online right now.”

I stared at him. “Your people? You have spies inside Technically?”

“And they have theirs here,” he said without hesitation. “But that isn’t the point. I pulled the video out of Romeo’s hands and I told him to stay away from you. I wasn’t saving the company, Kyren. I was saving you. Do you understand what would have happened if it had spread? Headlines. Scandals. Strangers dissecting your body like it was theirs to own. The company stock in free fall. Your life, shredded.”

He paused, his expression softening, but his words stayed sharp. “You see me as the monster, but I am the father who did what was necessary. Yes, I told you to hide your sexuality. Maybe that was wrong. But I wasn’t ashamed of you. I wanted you shielded until you were unbreakable. When you take over in six months, you can stand before the world on your own terms, and no one will dare use who you are as a weapon.”

My throat felt raw. “Shouldn’t that be my choice? To know the truth. To decide for myself?”

His silence told me everything: choice had never been part of the plan.

“That is my fault for keeping it a secret. But I’ve decided to come clean. I’ll send you evidence to back my claims — text messages Romeo exchanged with Technically. I deleted the video immediately, so I don’t have it anymore. Son, I don’t hate who you are. But please, try to understand me. Just wait a little longer. Take control of the company, protect our image. That’s all I ask. Don’t do anything that would jeopardize us. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. That’s all.”

My father’s words hung in the air. For a moment, I couldn’t move. My throat felt tight, my chest heavier than before.

“I… understand,” I said at last, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. My legs wobbled as I rose.

I gave him a bow and walked out. The moment the door closed behind me, I pressed both hands to my hair, pulling, dragging in breath after breath.

What have I done?

No choice. I have to break into Manon’s apartment and delete that video. No matter what.