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“It is,” he nods. “Can I count on your support?”
I hold up my wine glass, pride swelling up in my chest for one of the Van den Bosch heirs for the second time today. “Always.”
Andries raises his own wine glass and taps it against mine. The clinking of our glasses sounds like a new era being born.
16
Elise
Lyingon the plush lounge chair, it’s hard to concentrate on the book in my hands while the Mediterranean sea stretches out before me. The sun slowly descends beyond the horizon in a fiery display of orange and pink hues, painting the sky in a brilliant array of colors. The terracotta roofs of the nearby houses are bathed in the warm glow, creating a picturesque scene that takes my breath away. It’s more captivating than any words on the page, and I find my thoughts drifting aimlessly until I see Dan arriving through the double doors.
In the fading evening, Dan looks like some sort of model, stalking toward me with that lazy confidence he always has. I pretend like my eyes are fixed on the pages of my book behind my large sunglasses, but he isn’t fooled.
Once he reaches me, I feel my pulse quicken. Something about his presence always does this to me. Dan settles into the chair beside me and asks, “Has everyone already eaten?”
I look up at him and with a hint of disappointment in my voice, I reply “Yeah, they have.” I can't help but wish we could have shared a meal together, just the two of us.
When he just shrugs, I can sense the weight of his meeting with my brother still heavy on his mind. We sit like that for some time, no doubt both thinking about the heaviness of the situation we find ourselves in. Chest filled with worry, I ask him about Andries, “How is he doing, Dan? Really?”
I can feel my heart heavy with concern as he replies, “He's had better days.”
Dan then asks me if I had a chance to speak with Roxanne. I confirm that I did and that she had mentioned that Andries was being distant and cold with her, which was expected. Dan's expression turns serious as he expresses his concern and warns me that we need to keep a close eye on Andries, given his self-destructive tendencies.
“There’s just something darker, almost sinister, about how deeply depressed he seems to be right now. I worry, especially with the impromptu visit to the suicidal poet’s villa. We have to work together to keep watch over him.”
The reality of the situation sinks in as I look at Dan with a worried expression on my face, and I ask him in a voice barely above a whisper, “Is the wedding still on?”
Dan's hesitation before replying fills me with dread, which surprises me somewhat, considering how much I thought I didn’t want this wedding to happen only weeks ago. “I guess so,” he tells me, and then pauses, as if he’s weighing how much to share. “Your brother wants to go to war against your dad,” he announces like it’s nothing, picking at his fingernails as he speaks. “That was the big thing the two of us talked about at dinner.”
The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air as I start to contemplate the implications of Andries's actions. My mind races with thoughts of the chaos that would ensue if this wedding falls apart. “What exactly does my brother have in mind?”
Dan watches me closely for a moment before asking, “Elise, is your loyalty still with your father?”
I look at him with a determined expression and declare, “Not anymore.” I can see the resolve in his eyes as he proceeds to tell me about Andries's plan to reveal the dark secrets belonging to both my father and Karl during an exclusive interview with his wife-to-be by his side… depending on whether Roxanne will go for it or not. The gravity of the situation hits me like a ton of bricks, and I wonder what the consequences of this revelation will be.
As the reality of the situation sinks in, I can feel as my expression turns to one of shock and disbelief, my chest growing tight. “This is going to cause chaos,” I tell him, voice barely above a whisper. “If Dad finds out I knew about this and did nothing, I might lose my job.”
“You can lie and tell him you knew nothing about it, there’s no way of him knowing otherwise.” He tries to reassure me, but I still feel unconvinced. When his words don’t help, he then says, “Think about it, El, this is the perfect time for you to advise your dad to fire Karl to save himself.”
I’ve spent so much mental effort to convince myself that Dad is just going to have to be the enemy in my story that I didn’t even ponder the possibilities and the potential consequences of trying to get him on our side, all of us facing off against Karl. Would he even humor that idea, or does his company mean that much more than his family?
The tension in the air is palpable as we both weigh the gravity of my brother’s plan, knowing that the truth could finally be revealed but at a cost. The thought of the potential fallout is daunting, but the possibility of putting a stop to my father’s and Karl’s bad deeds is too tempting to ignore.
Finally, I meet Dan’s gaze with determination, and say, “You're right. I'll play my part and get Karl fired once everything hits the fan. But, honestly, I think Mom might be our secret weapon here. She fears shame so much… she always freaks out when dad or the rest of us are involved in some sort of media scandal. If Mom starts pressuring Dad to oust Karl from the company and reconcile with Andries, she is one of the only people on earth that he’ll listen to.”
There is pride in Dan’s voice when he responds. “You will succeed with your dad. I promise your efforts won't be in vain, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
I can feel a tiny seed of hope starting to bloom inside of me. “I hope you're right, I'll need all the help I can get.”
The weight of the situation is heavy on both of us as we sit in silence, lost in our own thoughts. We know that what's to come will not be easy, but we are determined to see it through and make sure that justice is served.
As I lay next to Dan, longing washes over me as I’m once more taken aback by how loyal he is. I lean over and kiss him, expressing my gratitude for his unwavering support. He responds with a gentle kiss on my forehead before scooting our chairs completely together, and we continue cuddling while taking in the evening. I am drawn to the scent of his cologne mixed with the natural musk of his skin, calling me like a siren song. As I start to kiss and nibble his neck, Dan sighs and leans into me at first, before he pulls back, reminding me that we are out in public.
"My brother already knows about us, why hide?” I ask, trying to mask my frustration.
“Yes, but there's no point in flaunting it in front of him.”
I feel a sense of disappointment at his answer. “Didn't you want us to be official?”
