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Chapter 17/A Volkov’s Fury

Chapter 17: 17/A Volkov’s Fury

Chapter 17

Stephanie’s Point of View

I froze in place, a chill running through my limbs as I looked at Alexander, who had stormed into my room this way. In that moment, my heart hammered violently; I thought the secret was out, and that the world would collapse upon my head if he spoke of our past relationship.

But his words were pointing toward something else entirely.

"What truth?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts.

Cedric replied quickly and sharply, trying to regain control of the situation. "There is nothing."

But Alexander didn’t back down. He fixed his gaze on mine and said insistently, "Oh, there is."

Cedric’s features changed completely, the veins in his neck bulging as he screamed at his brother, "Alex!"

Feeling a sense of loss gnawing at me, I cried out, pressing my hand to my chest to steady my breathing, "What is happening here? Will one of you explain to me?"

Alexander took a step toward me. "I will explain it to you, Stephanie."

He had barely finished his sentence when Cedric lunged at him like a wild beast, grabbing his collar and roaring in rage, "Shut your mouth or I’ll kill you!"

Suddenly, the verbal tension turned into a violent physical clash; Alexander punched Cedric with a force that sent his head snapping to the side.

"Stop it! What is wrong with you?" I screamed in terror, covering my mouth. But Cedric didn’t wait a second before returning the blow with double the force. I stood there, my body shaking, watching two of the most powerful men tear into each other without understanding the real reason behind this hatred.

Alexander wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said in a defiant tone, "How long will you try to hide it?"

Cedric lost his mind completely. He grabbed Alexander’s neck with both hands, pinning him against the wall and snarling, "What business is it of yours? Why are you interfering in my affairs?"

Alexander struggled to pull Cedric’s hands off his throat with all his strength, then shoved him away violently.

"Because everything you’re doing is wrong, Cedric!"

I wedged my body between them, my chest heaving from fear and confusion. "Stop acting like children! You are grown men!"

Alexander looked at me, his eyes blazing, and said sharply, "Move aside, Steph."

At that moment, I saw Cedric’s face contort with insane jealousy.

His fist clenched until his knuckles turned white. "Why do you call her that? Who are you to call her by that name?"

Time stood still for a second. Terrified that the truth would come out now, I said quickly, searching for any excuse to cover our agitation, "I told him to, Cedric."

Cedric turned to me with a burning gaze. "What did you tell him?"

I swallowed hard, lacing my fingers behind my back. "When you went away... we introduced ourselves a bit, and I told him he could call me Steph."

"You never told me that! Why are you saying it to my brother?" he asked with a repressed anger that made me take a step back.

"Enough, Cedric! You can call me that too... all my friends call me that; it’s not a special name."

Alexander turned toward Cedric with a smirk. "Why are you so angry, Sid?"

"Enough! Stop it!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, then looked at Alexander coldly. "Mr. Alexander, could you please leave my room?"

He looked at me in total shock, as if my words had stabbed him. "Are you throwing me out?"

"No... I’m not throwing you out, but if you two keep fighting like this, I will," I said, trying to sound strong even though my knees were about to give way.

Cedric shouted triumphantly, "Go on, get out!"

But Alexander stood firm, his eyes still challenging Cedric behind my back. "I’m not leaving until we talk about everything!"

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Alexander’s Point of View

I couldn’t stand seeing them like that. Seeing my Stephanie in my brother’s arms, him holding her and touching her in that provocative way, ignited a fire of jealousy in my heart that left nothing but ash. I felt myself losing control I, who was always the calm, calculating man, found myself acting like a complete fool, driven to threaten Cedric with the truth of his engagement to Isabella.

Stephanie, her face pale as she tried to calm us down, said, "Fine, you can talk, but be quiet... no fighting."

Cedric turned to me, eyes flashing sparks. "Alex... let’s go outside and talk, you and I."

But Stephanie objected immediately, as if sensing a great secret being woven behind her back. "Let him tell me the truth you refuse to tell me yourself."

In that moment, I froze. I didn’t know how I had let it get this far. I never lose control, but seeing her with him made my brain stop working.

"Fine," I said stonily. "I’ll tell you... Cedric is..."

Cedric gripped his fist so hard his knuckles turned white. "Alex... don’t do it!" he warned one last time.

Stephanie looked at me expectantly. "Yes, go on... he’s what?"

Thoughts raced through my head like a hurricane. Suddenly, my tongue uttered the first thing that came to mind to save the situation: "He... he doesn’t like redheads!"

I don’t know how that sentence came out, but I continued awkwardly, trying to make it sound convincing. "Ever since he was a child, he hated red hair. He even bullied a girl in middle school until she changed schools."

Stephanie asked in disbelief, "Is that the truth?"

"Yes," I answered, looking away from her.

Cedric jumped in quickly, seizing the chance to escape the scandal. "Oh, yes... I told Stephanie this."

But she looked at him reproachfully. "You didn’t tell me you used to bully redheaded girls too!"

I felt the air in the room running out. "Fine, I’m leaving now," I said in frustration.

Stephanie sighed in boredom. "I can’t believe you two fought like this over just that story!"

"I didn’t want him telling you that," Cedric said, trying to regain his dignity.

She pointed toward the door. "But you already told me, and like I said, no one is forcing you to love red hair. Now, both of you, get out of my room!"

I walked out of the room with quick strides, regret gnawing at me for not telling the truth, but Cedric didn’t give me a second. He followed me in a rage, gripping my arm violently and whispering a threat, "You... come with me!"

We hurried down the stairs and headed straight to the office. As soon as the door closed, he screamed in my face, "What is wrong with you, Alex? Have you lost your mind?"

"You can’t deceive her, Cedric," I replied with cold defiance. "The girl will start hoping for something with you while you’re engaged!"

"What business is it of yours?" he yelled, slamming his hand on the desk. "What is your problem?"

"You know Grandfather sent me to bring you back. He said, ’Bring him home so I can deal with him.’"

"But you tell Stephanie...!" he replied with utter fury.

I stood before him, unshaken. I didn’t let him finish his shouting. I cut him off, my voice sharp as a knife: "Tell Stephanie that you’re engaged... yes! Do you think you’ll hide this forever?"

Cedric’s body went rigid. His grip on the edge of the desk tightened until I thought the wood would splinter under his fingers.

He said with a lethal coldness in his eyes, "Alexander... you are leaving this house. Now."

I laughed with bitter irony, taking one last step toward him to show I didn’t fear his threats. "I was leaving anyway. But don’t expect this lie to last forever, Cedric."

"That is none of your business," he snapped, looking away.

I adjusted the lapels of my suit jacket with a fake coolness, though my nerves were burning inside. "I’m going now," I said, walking toward the door.

"Goodbye," he threw behind me, without turning around.

I stepped out of the house, the wind hitting my face, but it wasn’t enough to douse the fires raging in my chest. I was fuming. I got into my car, muttering with suppressed rage, "Fine, Cedric... I won’t interfere in your affairs. Let’s see how you solve your problems without me!"