Page 2 of Charming Deception

I now notice the wooden box on the coffee table between us: one of Granddad’s antique cigar boxes.

“One by one, each of you will attempt to complete your challenge. To get things started, my lovely granddaughter, Savannah, will draw an envelope from the box.” I glance at Savi, and she shrugs. “The name on the selected envelope will be the first of you to attempt his or her challenge. When the first person completes their challenge, you will meet again for the next name to be drawn, and so on.”

“So, Savannah gets first pick because she’s the only woman?” Harlan interjects.

“Picking first doesn’t mean anything,” she says.

“To be clear,” Graysen reads on, “this is not a business challenge. You have all earned your current positions within Vance Industries. However…”

Graysen glances at us as he flips to the second and final page of the letter.

“… in order to receive your full inheritance, including your portion of ownership in the family business, you must successfully complete your challenge.”

“And there it is,” Harlan mutters.

I watch Graysen closely. As the oldest, he’s always been our collective leader, personally and professionally. Second in command only to Granddad. I wonder what he’s thinking right now.

“You have one year from the reading of this letter, collectively, to complete the game,” he continues. “Should you fail to complete your challenge for any reason, you lose the game. This means you lose your full inheritance. All moneys and assets left to you, including your ownership portion of the family business, will be redistributed among the winning players: your siblings.”

Harlan drops his head back against his chair.

“Of course, I love each and every one of you, and I would not wish to see you destitute and penniless. If you lose the game, those who win the game will have the option of retaining you in their employment, so that you will continue to have a place at Vance Industries.”

“In other words,” Harlan says, “lose the game, lose everything. But don’t worry, the others can hire you back as a janitor.”

“You have to admire the mastery,” Savannah marvels. “It forces us to rely on each other in our darkest hour. Should that hour come to pass.”

Yeah. This is definitely game-master shit of the highest level. Granddad’s probably howling in his grave right now.

“Just the way he wanted it,” Damian muses. “Life… the endless game.” He tips his glass to the portrait of Granddad and Grandma over the fire, their wedding photo.

“Let’s just agree,” Savannah says dryly, but with affection, “that this won’t be the game that turns us all against each other.”

“Which is a hint at how bad my challenge is,” Harlan says.

“Everything isn’t about you, Harlan,” Graysen mutters.

“Said the oldest sibling and the one with the least to lose.”

“Least to lose?” Graysen frowns. “If I fail my challenge, I lose my position as CEO.”

“You heard the rules,” Harlan counters. “We can still employ you. And none of us are about to step into your shoes and run the entire fucking empire.”

“He is right,” Damian says lightly.

“Let’s just agree that we all have equal risk here. We all stand to win or lose.” Savannah raises her glass. “To the game.”

“To the game,” we all chorus grudgingly and clink glasses.

“To Granddad,” Graysen adds.

“May the best man, or woman, win.” Damian smirks.

“We’re not playing against each other,” I point out.

“Sure we are.” Damian’s eyes spark at me, the sly fucker.

“There’s more.”

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