Joan held the steering wheel of the car, her knuckles turning white with pressure. Rain lashed the windshield, a mirror of the storm brewing inside her. She had gone to The Royale Club as asked by Alex, but now that she was there, doubt gnawed at her very being.
What if all of this was just another game? What if Alex was lying to protect his own behind?
No.
She shook her head, a part of her unwilling to believe it.
She breathed in deeply and opened the car door, getting out into the cold night air.
The club was dark inside, with the muted voices and gentle jazz drifting from the speakers. She spotted Alex in the back, sitting with Albert. They both looked up as she approached.
"You came," Alex said, relief creeping into his voice.
Joan settled into the other chair, arms crossed. "Make it quick."
"You don't trust me," Alex whispered.
"Should I?"
"See this," Albert said, pulling out his phone and playing a video.
Joan leaned forward, her eyes squinting as the grainy video rolled. It was the club that evening. She could see Alex at the bar, a waitress approaching him with a drink. Then, a dark figure—Davis—slipped something into his glass when Alex wasn't looking.
Her breath caught.
"He drugged me, Joan," Alex said, his tone filled with gentle anger. "I never cheated on you.".
Joan's hands trembled as she took in the truth.
Davis.
Her own brother.
The betrayal burned like acid through her chest.
"Why would he do this?" she panted.
Albert breathed sharply. "Because our father must rip you two apart. And Davis? He's eager to do the dirty work."
Joan swallowed. "So this was never about me. This was about control.
"Yes, indeed," Alex assured. "But now that you know, the question remains… what in the world are we going to do about it?"
Joan's gaze ascended, burning with determination.
"We fight back."
The Enemy Within
Davis lounged in his crisp office, sampling a glass of whiskey when the phone on his desk rang.
A text message from Mr. Harris.
Mr. Harris: Is it over?
Davis's lips curled in amusement as he responded.
Davis: She believed what she wanted to believe. She won't forgive him.
A minute later, a second message came in.
Mr. Harris: Good. Don't let her change her mind.
Davis leaned back, twirling the glass between his fingers.
Joan was stubborn by nature, but this time, she would not have her way.
A Mother's Warning
Mrs. Harris felt something was wrong the instant Joan came bursting through the door.
"Joan?" she said, but her daughter barely nodded, dashing toward the stairs.
Mrs. Harris caught up with her in seconds, seizing Joan's arm. "What happened?"
Joan turned to him, her face pale but her eyes ablaze with rage. "Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"That Davis spiked Alex. That Dad has been stringing all of us along this entire time."
Mrs. Harris came to a halt.
She had thought that her husband had caused the abrupt split between Joan and Alex, but she hadn't known he was capable of lying like this.
"Joan…" she started, but Joan shook her head.
"Just tell me the truth, Mom. Did you know?"
Mrs. Harris sighed. "Not about Davis, no. But your father… he's always been controlling."*
"Why?"
"Because he's afraid," she admitted. "Afraid of what your love for Alex could mean for this family."*
Joan's lips trembled. "Well, he should be afraid. Because I'm not letting him control me anymore."*
Lines Drawn
The next morning, Joan called Chelsea, needing an ally.
"You were right," Joan admitted. "Alex didn't betray me. It was all a setup."*
"I knew it!" Chelsea exclaimed. "What are you going to do?"
"Expose them. All of them."
"Then you have my full support."
Joan smiled, relief washing over her. "Thanks, Chels."
"Always."
But not everyone was backing her.
Ruth, Mrs. Swan's other daughter, stormed into the living room, arms crossed. "You're making a mistake, Joan."
"Excuse me?" Joan shot back.
"You and Alex can't be together. It's disgusting. It's unnatural."
Joan's temper flared. "We're not doing anything wrong!
"You're half-siblings!" Ruth spat. "No matter how much you try to justify it, people won't accept you."
"I don't care what people say!" Joan shouted. "I love him!"*
"And love will kill you!"
Joan's fists clenched. "Leave."
Ruth stood there, but when she saw the flame of anger in Joan's eyes, she turned and left without a word.
The Unexpected Alliance
That evening, Alex encountered Albert in an underground café.
"I need your help," Alex told him.
"I'm already helping," Albert replied.
"No. I mean I need real help," Alex said. "Joan and I can't fight this by ourselves. We need leverage."
Albert let out a sigh. "I might have something."
"What?"
Albert hesitated, holding up a flash drive. "I've been collecting information about our father for years. Business deals, bribes, threats… this would ruin him."
Alex's eyes went wide. "Why haven't you?"
"Because I was waiting for the right time," Albert said. "And I believe that time is now."
Alex took the flash drive, settling deep in his bones.
"Let's get this over with."
The Storm Approaches
That evening, Joan stood at the foot of the Harris estate, her heart pounding.
She wasn't here to beg.
She wasn't here to bargain.
She was here to confront the man who had spent his life trying to control her.
As she came in, Mr. Harris set his face toward her, his expression unyielding.
"Joan," he said. "I hope you're here to talk."
"No," she said. "I'm here to tell you I know the truth."
His eyes darkened. "And what truth is that?"
"That you and Davis set up Alex. That you've been playing everyone along the whole time.".
A grin played on the lips of Mr. Harris. "And what are you going to do about it?"
Joan set her chin. "Expose you."
For the first time, a flicker of shock passed across his face.
"You think you can beat me, Joan?" he demanded. "I've built this family. I make the rules around here.".
"Not anymore," she snapped. "You don't own me. You don't own Alex. And soon the whole world will know what a piece of work you are."
Mr. Harris glared at her for a very long time before he laughed. "You really are my daughter, aren't you?"
"No," Joan said brusquely. "I'm nothing like you."
And with that, she turned and walked away.
The war had begun.