Chapter 2: Kian Fenix
Kian Fenix stood at the edge of the penthouse, his gaze fixed on the sprawling city below. The world he was born into, a world shaped by the Fenix name. It was an empire built on lies, manipulation, and an unyielding grip on power. The Fenix family ruled with a cold hand, their influence spreading across industries, governments, and every corner of the globe. But despite the empire's vastness, Kian often felt like an outsider in his own bloodline.
Kian was the only legitimate son of his father, Dmitri Fenix's father, the man who had built the empire from the ground up. And yet, to the public, the Fenix heir was Dmitri, the older brother who had been thrust into the position of heir through a carefully constructed lie.
The truth was simple. Kian's father, Dmitri Fenix, had only ever married one woman—the mother of Kian. Kian's mother was the love of his life, his true wife, the one who bore him a legitimate son. But Dmitri, Kian's older half-brother, was not the product of this marriage. Dmitri was the illegitimate child of one of Kian's father's many affairs, an affair that the world knew little about. His mother had been a mistress, one of many, and Dmitri had spent his life in the shadows, hidden from the world that would never truly accept him.
To preserve his public image, Kian's father had concocted a story. He claimed that Dmitri was the legitimate heir, that Dmitri was born to his "first wife" and that he was the rightful ruler of the Fenix empire. But this was a lie, a lie carefully manufactured to protect the family's reputation, to give Dmitri a place in the world, to hide the truth of his birth.
And the world bought it. The public accepted Dmitri as the heir, the firstborn son of the Fenix family. They bowed to the illusion, not knowing the truth behind the façade. But even then, there was an undeniable reality they couldn't ignore. Kian was better. Everyone knew it.
Kian was the true heir, the one who deserved to wear the crown, but he had always rejected it. He didn't want the empire, the throne, or the responsibility that came with it. Kian was the one who was superior—his intellect, his power, his beauty, and his command over every aspect of the empire. Dmitri, by comparison, was nothing more than a figurehead. He had been molded into the heir, but in the eyes of the public, it was always clear that Kian was the one who was truly worthy.
There was no comparison. Kian was better in every way, but the world had to pretend otherwise. Dmitri's public position as the heir was a necessity, a lie they had to swallow. The public knew it, his father knew it, and even Dmitri knew it. But Kian—he didn't care. He didn't want to be the heir. He didn't need the power. Let Dmitri have it. Let him pretend.
Kian's life had never been about the throne. He didn't need to claim what wasn't his to begin with. He was the shadow, the true heir who didn't care for titles, for fame, or for the world's opinion. But even in his indifference, the truth was clear. Kian was untouchable, a force of nature. He had always been better than Dmitri in every way.
Kian's superiority wasn't lost on anyone. Even those who whispered about the Fenix family couldn't ignore the truth: Kian was the better man. Dmitri might have been the public heir, but Kian was the one who truly held the power. He was the one who controlled everything from behind the scenes. And Dmitri? He was a shadow in his own right, forced to live in Kian's towering presence.
Yet, Kian didn't want it. He didn't care. Dmitri's bitterness didn't touch him. Kian lived his life quietly, outside the limelight, knowing that he could have taken everything—he could have owned it all—but he chose not to. Dmitri, on the other hand, wanted it all. He wanted the empire. He wanted the power. But it was never his to claim.
The public watched their drama unfold from the outside, knowing Kian was the better one but unable to do anything about it. Kian's indifference had made him a legend—someone who didn't need the empire to rule the world, someone who commanded respect without even trying. Dmitri could never live up to that.
And Kian? He wasn't interested in playing the game. His brother could have the title. Kian knew the truth: the empire didn't define him. But Dmitri? He was trapped in the lie that his father had built around him, and no matter how hard he tried, Kian would always be the one who overshadowed him.
In the shadows, Kian watched his brother, silent and still, knowing that the empire—and everything his father had built—was not something he ever wanted. But still, the world would never stop looking to him.
And as much as Dmitri hated it, there was nothing he could do about it.