Chapter 2

FOR THE FUTURE OF MEYERS INDUSTRIES

The room buzzed with quiet murmurs, the kind that carried thinly veiled amusement and unchecked curiosity. Samuel's announcement had electrified the crowd, transforming the night into a glittering battleground of whispers and speculations. The world of high society was cruel that way, its charm lay in its polish, but its heart was built on ruthless dissection. Mia knew this world intimately, and tonight, she stood at its center, the subject of its most cutting stares.

She felt their eyes on her, sharp as glass, hunting for cracks in the perfect mask she wore. The journalists lingered at the edges, their hands briskly tapping away on their phones, crafting the headlines that would spread her humiliation before dawn. Mia could imagine them already: "Meyers Empire Shaken By Secret Son!" or worse, "Heir Apparent Loses Crown at Her Own Birthday Ball."

Mia moved through the crowd, her wine glass clutched in her hand. She nodded politely, exchanged smiles that didn't reach her eyes, and ignored the sharp sting of whispered conversations trailing behind her. Beatrice Stone, with her perfectly styled hair and probing eyes, approached her with thinly veiled curiosity.

"Mia, dear, what a... surprise!" Beatrice said, her words dripping with fake sweetness.

Mia forced a smile, smooth and practiced. "Father loves a dramatic moment, doesn't he?" she replied, her tone light, as though she found the situation amusing instead of heartbreaking. She wouldn't give Beatrice or anyone else the satisfaction of seeing her falter.

She moved through the night like a performer on a tightrope, careful with every word, every smile, every step. Inside, however, her mind churned. "Ethan Meyers". The name echoed relentlessly in her thoughts. He wasn't just a stranger; he was her father's son. A son she'd never known about. A son who now stood in the spotlight she thought had always been hers.

From a distance, she watched her father and Ethan together. They moved through the crowd effortlessly, Samuel's hand resting on Ethan's shoulder with an ease that made her stomach twist. It was a gesture of pride—one that Mia had spent her life striving to earn. Now it had been freely given to a stranger.

By the time the last guest left, Mia felt drained. The dazzling ballroom now looked cold and empty. Samuel approached her, his expression softer, but she knew it was calculated. She had seen that look before, it was the face of a man managing a problem.

"Mia," he said gently, his tone quiet. "I know this must be a... surprise."

Her expression didn't waver. Her voice stayed calm but sharp. "Surprise isn't the right word, Father."

He sighed, motioning for her to follow him. "Come. Let's talk privately."

The two stepped into his office, the heavy doors closing behind them. The room had always felt more like a war room than a place for family, but tonight it felt suffocating. Samuel leaned against his desk, his hands resting on its edge.

"I was going to tell you," he started, his voice measured. "I just needed to wait for the right time."

Mia's eyes stayed locked on him. "Right for whom?" she asked coldly. "Was the middle of my birthday party the right time to announce you have a son?"

Samuel hesitated, fidgeting with a pen on his desk. "It was necessary. For the company. For the future of Meyers Industries."

Mia felt her chest tighten. "And what about my future?" Her voice sharpened. "The future you've spent my entire life preparing me for?"

Before he could answer, the office door opened again. Ethan stood there, hesitant, his posture unsure. "Father," he said quietly. "I wasn't sure if I should interrupt."

Samuel's face softened instantly. "Come in, Ethan," he said warmly. "There's no need to hesitate. Mia, I want you to properly meet your brother."

The word hit her like a punch to the gut. Brother. It didn't feel real. She turned to look at Ethan, her father's eyes staring back at her from a stranger's face.

"Mia," Ethan said softly, his voice careful. "It's good to finally meet you."

She didn't reply, her face unreadable. Inside, she was seething.

And Ethan. She had seen it in his eyes. That mix of uncertainty and apology, as though he understood the weight of what he represented but didn't know what to do with it. He hadn't asked to be thrust into her world, but that didn't make her anger fade. He had walked into her life and taken everything she thought was hers.

Samuel had expected her to embrace this man, to welcome him after he had torn apart the life she thought she had. But Mia wasn't ready to break. Not here. Not now. She held her head high, but her mind was already spinning.

Ethan shifted his weight, glancing between her and Samuel, searching for guidance as though they could tell him how to navigate this minefield. "This is... a lot to take in, I guess," he offered, his voice tentative, carefully measured as if the wrong tone might shatter the fragile truce in the room.

Mia didn't respond. Her expression was cold, her gaze unwavering as it bore into him, as though she could peel back the layers of his presence and unearth something that would explain this monumental betrayal. He wasn't part of her world. He wasn't part of her family. He wasn't supposed to "exist."

Samuel cleared his throat, cutting through the stifling silence. "Ethan has been in my life for some time now," he said, his voice as steady and calm as though he were reporting quarterly earnings to the board. "I thought it was the right moment to bring him into everything. Both personally and for the business."

Mia exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening around the armrest of the chair she had sunk into. "The 'right moment' being when you decided your only daughter wasn't good enough to take over what she's worked her whole life for?" Her words were soft, but the edge of them sliced through the air like a blade. Even Samuel flinched.