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The decision to storm away is so instant that I don’t even register it until I’ve pivoted and am all but rushing back to the main road, Dan yelling my name behind me but making no moves to chase after me.
There’s no point talking to him any further about it. Dan simply doesn’t understand. He has no idea what it’s like to play second best to Andries even when he is off fucking around with a hooker and basically giving the entire family the middle finger. My older brother is disinterested in the family legacy, while I am running myself into exhaustion working and going to school to be the best heir possible, but everyone is still pampering and catering to him. It’s not fair, and it never will be.
I reach the end of Dan’s driveway, and in the middle of booking another Uber, the screen flashes with my father calling, as if he could sense me thinking about him and all the ways he and everyone else puts me in second place. I swallow hard, once again pushing those feelings down, down, down, and answer.
“Hey, Dad,” I say, aiming to have a joyful tone that doesn’t give him any hint of my current state.
“Hello, dear. I was wondering if your brother has returned to school?”
I grimace. Like everything else, it’s all about Andries. “Yes, but I’m not with him. I talked to him earlier, though.”
Dad lets out a breath of relief. “At least he’s not squandering his education, then. What did he have to say?”
“That he’s having an engagement party on May twenty-first at the O’Brian’s house.” I conveniently leave out the fact that I’m currently at said house.
“What!” he bellows, and I hear him struggle to get his temper under control for a moment before continuing. “He’s really doing everything he can to shame me. It’s unbelievable. Are you invited to this party?”
“Well, for now, yes. We’ll see as we get closer to the date if he really does send me an invite. Are you and Mom going?”
“Ha. Your brother hasn’t said anything about it to your mother or me yet, but even if he does, there is no way I intend to go to that shit show.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I murmur a vague agreement. My news has Dad distracted, so he doesn't say anything else on the subject, no doubt ready to get off the phone and fume privately.
“Thanks for the information, El. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.”
“Okay, Dad. I love—” I try to say, but before I can get the words out, the line has gone dead.
4
Amsterdam, April 23, 2022
Dan
I liketo think I’m not a completely shallow man, but there is no denying that Jessica is hotter than sin. That, and her relatively easy-going nature are the reasons I’m with her more often than not, which explains why she’s the closest thing I’ve had to a real relationship in years.
Not that we’re in a relationship. Just… close. Sort of.
It’s times like these, though, that her attractiveness and all the little intricacies that go into perfecting it grate on my nerves. We have less than twenty minutes to be at the restaurant for Roxanne’s birthday, and Jessica is tediously checking her lipstick for the fiftieth time in the mirror hanging by my front door.
“Babe,” I groan. “We have to go. I don’t want them waiting on us.”
“If you hadn’t insisted on that little rendezvous over the bathroom counter with me then I wouldn’t be rushing,” she tellsme primly, smacking her lips one last time and straightening up. “Alright. I’m ready.”
She isn’t wrong… I had hiked her little black dress over her ass and had my way with her less than an hour ago, but I’m not going to take the blame. She was nearly done with her makeup at that point, anyway.
The truth is, I’m fond of Jessica, but there is this divide between the two of us that I don’t think will ever fully connect. It’s why I’m sure we’ll never progress beyond the point we are now, but because I’m not exactly looking for romance, I don’t mind. Jessica is lovely, kind, and a tiger in bed. I like her, but I don’t think I will ever love her.
Tonight, though, that’s irrelevant. Another perk to Jess is that she looks amazing on my arm, and is the perfect date to any function, especially when I don’t want to attract any attention from other nosy women that may be in the know about my wealth. On the off chance someone does catch my eye, I sometimes tell Jessica, and she will lure them in with me and we will both enjoy her together.
Tonight she’s radiant, and my hope is that her shine will help dull the emptiness that is yawning inside of me whenever I see Roxie and Andries together. My soul seems to know I’m missing something, even if my brain and my dick don’t want to admit it.
We take my Audi, Jessica folding her long, bare legs onto the leather seat. “Do you think we can order a bottle of champagne?” she asks absentmindedly. “I’ve been craving it ever since we had a few glasses at that one restaurant downtown that we ate at.”
“Maybe. We’ll let the birthday girl have first pick on the drinks though, I think.”
“Oh, of course!” I watch her nibble her lip before sighing. “Dan, I like Roxanne, but I feel like she doesn’t like me very much. Are you sure it’s alright that I’m coming?”
“The last time you spoke to her in depth was when she was still lying about her job to Andries, so it’s no wonder she was on guard then. Now, if she’s standoffish, it’s probably because Andries’s family is being exceptionally difficult. It’s nothing to do with you.”
