Page 80 of Ruthless Lullaby

As for me, I see red. A surge of white-hot anger courses through me, pumping hot blood into my veins. It takes every ounce of self-control I possess to not lash out at Maurice and shove my fist into his face repeatedly till it’s unrecognizable.

But I know I would regret that later. I’ll be sure to teach him a lesson in manners, but not while others can see us. Instead, I nod to Timofey, who understands me in an instant. He steps forward to open one of the side doors while I take Maurice by the arm, pushing him out with force. "Leave me alone, you piece of shit! What kind of brother are you?" he shouts at me, squirming and wiggling under my grip. But I’m not taking any more of his shit. I carry his drunk ass through the side door and shut it behind us.

As the heavy door clicks shut and the sounds of the party fade, we are left in a tense silence. The hallway we’re in feels claustrophobic. I take a deep breath to compose myself, but I know my eyes are still blazing with fury. Maurice leans against the wall and for a moment, we just stare at each other.

"If you weren't my brother, I would have broken your arm in front of everyone, you fucking idiot," I snarl. "The very reason I didn't invite you is that I didn't want to cause you pain. I was going to tell you everything later, you asshole."

Maurice laughs, a harsh, bitter sound. "Tell me what? That you're fucking my woman?"

I take a deep breath in an attempt to center myself.Blyad!I should tell him everything that’s happened since I accidentally received those photos, then kick him out of my company, my life, and whoop his alcoholic ass. But I’m a better man than that. My life is all about strategy and control, and I’m not about to lose my shit now. Besides, Maurice is responsible for the Shirkov deal and I want his focus there. He doesn’t have to know about Mindy and me, at least not yet. So, I decide to choose my words carefully.

"She’s not your woman anymore. She does whatever the fuck she wants," is all I say. My voice is calmer now, but my jaw is still clenched tight.

“You fucking piece of-”

"Maurice, look at me.” I cut him off before he says something stupid and things spiral out of control again. “Mindy… she’s my chief accountant at Global Media. And she happens to be a good singer. The fact that she performed for us tonight has nothing to do with you."

But Maurice isn't listening. He can't. He's too drunk and impulsive. "Bullshit!" he spits, his words slurring together. "You’re fucking her, aren’t you? You took her away from me, just like you took everything else!"

"Took away what? You never had anything to begin with," I snap. "As for Mindy, you broke up with her from what I hear. Besides, I always wanted the best for you, no matter how much of an asshole you've become. I thought you were getting your life together, but look at you! You're fucking it all up again."

Maurice laughs, a bitter, broken sound that cuts to the core. "What do you care, Maron, huh?" he asks, his voice dripping with venom. "You have everything you want. Thepower, the money, and now, you have the girl. And what do I have? Nothing. I'm just a fucking joke to you, aren't I? The screw-up brother who can't do anything right."

My first instinct is to tell him that what he’s saying is as accurate as it gets, but choose to be wiser. Giving in to my anger wouldn’t get us anywhere. "That's not true, Maurice.” I reach out to place my hand on his shoulder. “You're my brother, and I care about you. That’s why I put you in charge of the organ trade business. That’s where your focus should be right now."

“No!” Maurice jerks away from my touch. His eyes are still glassy, wild, and unfocused. "Fuck you, Maron!" He spits. "I don't need your fucking pity. I don't need anything from you. You're dead to me, you hear me? Dead!" He turns and stumbles down the hallway towards the exit.

Well, shit.

So much for my plans to handle this without causing more drama.

I inhale and rub my eyes as I try to center myself. It fucks me that Maurice’s bullshit still gets to me. Even after all these years. Family has always been important to me and I know have a soft spot for him because of that. That’s why I keep bailing him out of his own shit. But he’s not making it easy for me. I know I have to go back inside to face my guests and the fallout from his childish outburst. And worst of all, I know I have to face Mindy. That is if she’s still here. But even if she is, she’s probably going to give me a hard time for not telling her that Maurice and I are related. Or worse, she’ll never want to see me again.

Calm down, dolboyob.

She signed the contract.

She’s not going anywhere.

I exhale a deep breath, fix my suit, and steady myself to go back inside to face whatever awaits me there. But when I finally push open the door, I’m greeted by an eerie silence. My guests are nowhere, and the place has turned into a fucking ghost town.

The only person in the room is Mindy. She is hunched over in a chair, looking lost and sad as she stares at her feet. The aftermath of the party lies on the floor between us - half-empty cups, crumpled napkins, one lonely balloon hanging on for dear life – a stark reminder of the disaster the night has turned into.

Mindy looks up at me, but no words come out of her mouth. Instead, she’s scrutinizing me with an expression I can’t read. But as I stand there, I understand one thing.

I have a lot of explaining to do.

Chapter Thirty-One

Mindy

The room is deadly quiet.

Shortly after Maron forced Maurice outside, the guests picked up their stuff and left. I'm the only one sitting here, just me and my thoughts. And my embarrassment.

So, Maron and Maurice are brothers.

The revelation hit me like a ton of bricks and left my head reeling. No two people could be more different than them. It's like comparing a sleek, dangerous panther to a bumbling, unkempt house cat. The contrast is so stark it's almost comical. Especially now that I’ve seen them together. It’s like a cosmic joke, or a genetic lottery gone haywire.

---