Forbidden Deception (Deception)

36

Few years ago

W here have my blueprints gone?

I’ve looked all over and can’t find it, and my meeting with the board members is in an hour. I’ve been stressing all morning over this. Cold sweat covers my back, and my hands shake. This is my last chance.

I don’t know what to do.

How could I do this?

If someone stole them and stole my idea, this would be it for me.

My office door slams open, and Mikko rushes in, followed by Eiran. They both run their hands through their hair, puffing.

“Anything?”

They shake their heads.

“Man, fuck, where the hell did they go? We made copies, but the original sketch is also needed,” Mikko stresses.

Mikko already got his desired position at the head of Gustav Media while I am here struggling to even keep papers together. To keep them safe.

The door opens once more, and Dad walks in, his eyes flickering all over. “Did you find them?”

I shake my head, blowing out a breath.

“I’ll present my idea, but the off chance that someone in the company stole them would mean I might not be able to keep much credit,” I mutter, slumping in my chair.

“It’s okay, we will be there for you,” Mikko says.

“But it’s not enough, Mikko. I need solid evidence. I will be able to explain it, but if someone else presents before me, if someone else releases the designs on the market and the board hears of it, I will be doomed and accused of breaching copyright laws.”

“Rafael, you are the best architect in our family, and you’ve got a very specific style. Get out your previous proposal drawings and presentations. Let’s print those off and use them, so they know clearly it’s your idea,” Dad chimes in, and I finally lift my head.

He lifts his brows. “Well? What are you waiting for? Get going, boys.”

Mikko rushes to grab his laptop and prints off my drawings, while Eiran stands in front of the printer to make copies.

I create more slides and add them to my presentation to explain better why they will be included.

Unfortunately, an hour goes by faster than I want it to, and soon we are all standing outside the meeting room, my stomach twisting painfully inside me for this once-in-a-lifetime chance. I can’t lose Gustav Industries. I need it to be mine. I deserve it. I know I do.

“Why are you still trying, Rafael? If you haven’t been selected for the CEO position or a chair on the board, why would you now?” my step-mother says as she comes waltzing in.

She gives me a mocking smile and walks into the room, her words leaving a burning sensation in my stomach.

Never enough.

Why try?

No reason for you to keep climbing or trying.

Every time she is in my vicinity, her taunts and words have broken me down time and time again. How could a mother trample her child with each step he takes?

“Don’t listen to her. She’s leaving soon, anyway, isn’t she?” Mikko wraps an arm around my shoulders.

I swallow and nod. I walk inside and get ready to present.

Throughout the whole meeting, my eyes only ever find one woman. And her cold, hard eyes stare me down the entire time. Just once, just once, I want her to not have such hostility towards me, but I know why she would be like that.

I wasn’t as bright or as career-driven as Mikko, nor as simple as Eiran, nor was I silent like Khyros. I was the problematic kid, the son who caused trouble that his parents swept under the rug. She was tired of me very early on, and I saw it.

I saw her change. I saw her retreat, and I saw her distance herself from me.

Applause fills the room, and my lips finally lift into a smile until a voice interrupts.

“I have seen these sketches just recently on the market. Have you breached copyright laws?”

Everyone looks back to find my step-mother’s hand raised, a cruel smirk on her lips.

My mouth drops open a fraction, and when I look at Mikko and my father, they both know who took the original blueprints.

“As I have said, there has been a breach in the company, and we aim to evaluate and take care of it soon using CCTV footage. Whoever has leaked the designs will be dealt with according to the Gustav Industry protocol, and under section three, paragraph four of the agreement every employee signs, they are to be terminated immediately and will be unable to join any subsidiaries of Gustav Industries.” I keep my eyes on Dakota. Somewhere deep down, I knew it was her.

It fucking hurts to know it was her.

Her smirk drops, and everyone turns to me.

“I assure you, the projects made in Gustav Industries remain our intellectual property. Our unique style is known globally. Leaked designs mean nothing when everyone is aware of who has produced them. While these sketches have been leaked, we can surely produce more with no trouble. This meeting was purely for my evaluation for being granted the title of Chief Executive Officer.” With a nod, I step back. “Thank you for your time.”

Only when I walk out do I release a long breath and quickly head back to my office. The decision will be sent to my email in the upcoming days.

Shortly after, Mikko and Dad walk in, matching smirks on their faces.

“What is it?”

Mikko shrugs, and Dad drops his smirk. Are they plotting something again?

“Want to go for some drinks?” Dad offers, and I hesitantly nod.

“I just need to finish this evaluation report, then I will be out.”

***

“Mum isn’t picking up her phone,” I mutter quietly.

We are all celebrating my new position as CEO of Gustav Industries. Soon Dad will retire and sign over the whole conglomerate company to me, making me the majority owner, with Mikko, Eiran, and Khyros also owning shares in it.

“I don’t think she will,” Mikko slurs and takes out his phone.

As soon as my eyes fall on the screen, my head snaps to Dad, who is slumped on a chair in our living room, snoring away.

“Mikko?”

“Oh, fuck her! What a gold-digging bitch. How dare she cheat on Dad with her wrinkly ass. Good thing we don’t share her blood. Eiran and Khyros won’t turn out like her because they care about you, but to have her act like this to you all these years? Pathetic, really,” Mikko says quietly, gesturing wildly.

“I know. She should have considered Eiran and Khyros. They’re still so young,” I grumble out, taking another sip of my drink.

“With how tragically Mum died at your birth, Dakota thought it was her best chance to go from maid to the queen of the household. She’s as good as dead. When Dad saw that she—” A thump follows, then Mikko face-plants on the floor.

I wait for him to get up. He doesn’t

“But!” he screams, raising his hand only. “But Dad saw how upset you were. She crossed a line when she stole and sold your designs. That was it for him. Removed. Gone. Erased. Deleted. Nothing to worry about now, Rafael.” His hand drops back on the floor, then his own snoring fills the room.

Gone? Erased?

My heart races as I bend down to grab Mikko’s phone. I scroll through his gallery to find a picture of a burning car.

Quickly opening his messages, I try to find who sent him the pictures. They were from an unknown number with the message ‘Done’ under it.

Did they… kill Dakota?

They killed Dakota Gustav? They killed Dad’s second wife?

I look up at the sleeping figures of my dad and older brother.

My blood runs cold.

Why did they do that?

Have they always conspired together to do things like this?

Dakota cheated on Dad, and he could take that, but her almost destroying my career was what pushed him and Mikko over the edge? Despite her being Eiran and Khyros’s mother?

I know why she didn’t like me, seeing as I was taking over Gustav’s empire while her two sons were still young and unable to, but surely… I run a hand over my face.

I can’t wrap my head around what they just revealed to me.

How were they able to get it done and keep their involvement quiet?

Do we truly have that much power that…

I can’t believe it.