Page 12 of Gilded Gods

Anything to win.

ChapterEight

OPHELIA

After dinner,I followed my dad to his office on the first floor. He closes the French doors behind us and draws the shades to cover the glass.

“I don’t understand,” I say the second he turns around to look at me. “Why are you doing this? You don’t have to marry Mom’s best friend.”

Dad runs his fingers through his black hair, which doesn’t have an ounce of gray. He’s only forty-five and had me at twenty-two. My parents got pregnant with me after they dated for three months, but he married Mom because he loved her.

At least, I thought he did.

The man who provided round-the-clock care, catering to my mom’s every need in her final days, was a man in love—a man who was terrified of losing her.

I remember walking into her room one morning. He sat beside her bed, his head down and holding her hand. Dad begged her not to go and pleaded for her to stay.

Not like she had a choice.

She wasn’t awake when he said any of those things. Mom was doped up from the meds, breathing softly in rhythm to the monitors.

“I don’t expect you to understand, Phe.” He turns his back on me, crossing the room to stand before the bar. Uncorking a bottle of scotch, he sighs. “Losing your mother was the worst pain imaginable. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”

“I understand you’re hurting because I am, too.” My voice trembles from the wave of emotion sweeping over me. “I miss her every second of every single day.”

“Ophelia, please.” He pours a scotch and sinks into the leather chair behind his desk, looking like a king. “It doesn’t hurt as much when Athena’s around. I need you to see this is good for both of us. You’ll have a mother again.”

My teeth grit in anger, my jaw clenched so tightly I feel like it could snap. “I don’t want another mother. I already had one. You said Athena isn’t replacing Mom, but it feels like you’re trying to forget about her.”

“No, I’m not. I’m trying to move on with my life. This is what your mother wanted. You read the letter.”

“So you’re only marrying Athena because of a letter?”

He shakes his head. “Athena was here after your mother passed. I wouldn’t have gotten through the grief without her.”

“If you like fucking her, keep her around as a sidepiece. You don’t have to marry her.”

“Ophelia,” he shouts. “What has gotten into you? I don’t like how you speak to me, especially not in front of Athena and her boys.”

“Why? Afraid it will undermine your power?”

He drinks half the contents of his glass and slams it on the desk. “Enough! If you continue acting this way, I won’t leave my club in your hands.”

How dare he?

I want to yell, but I regain my composure to keep myself from saying anything I will regret. Olympus means everything to me. I don’t have much left, and if he were to take it from me, I’d have no reason to live. Since Mom’s death, knowing I have somewhere to go gets me out of bed.

“Dad, I’ve been running Olympus for the past five years. My anger has nothing to do with how I operate our business.”

“Mybusiness.” He points a finger at his chest. “Mine.”

“I’m your heir,” I remind him. “The clubs will be mine someday.”

“Only if you show your loyalty to this family.”

Furious, I shoot up from the chair. I feel like a soda can shaken and ready to explode. “I’m tired.” An excuse to get away from him and decompress. “Can I go?”

He flings his hand out at the door. “Go!”

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