Chapter 4: The Heir's Jealousy
Dmitri Fenix stood before the mirror, adjusting his tie, his reflection a perfect image of the man he was expected to be. The rightful heir. The one who would take control of the Fenix empire, the man who would inherit everything his father had worked for. Or so the world believed.
In truth, Dmitri was nothing more than a puppet, a marionette whose strings were pulled by his father's whims. He was an illegitimate child, a product of a hundred whispered affairs, his birth no more significant than the countless others that followed. Yet he had been presented to the world as the firstborn, the son of his father's supposed first wife, the man who would one day rule the empire.
But the truth—the truth that Kian was the legitimate son, the true heir—was buried in the shadows, a secret the public would never know. Dmitri's father had fabricated the story to protect his image, to keep up the facade of a perfect family. And now, Dmitri was left with nothing but the hollow title of heir, a role that came with the expectations of the world—and the crushing weight of knowing he was always second best.
Kian was everything Dmitri was not: intelligent, untouchable, and far more capable. Kian didn't want the title, didn't want the power, but it was his by birthright. That knowledge gnawed at Dmitri, a constant reminder that the one thing he desperately desired was already in Kian's grasp—without ever even trying.
And now, Kian's birthday loomed. A night where all the world's eyes would be on them, but Dmitri knew the truth behind the mask. Kian didn't care for the empire, didn't want the adulation or the expectations. Dmitri had spent years trying to earn his father's approval, but it had always been Kian who had outshone him in every way.
Tonight, Dmitri would take control of the situation. Tonight, he would ensure that Kian's light wouldn't steal the spotlight once again.
He reached into the drawer, his fingers brushing against a small vial—clear and innocuous, but laced with enough potency to render anyone helpless. It wasn't the first time Dmitri had considered using it. Over the years, his jealousy had festered, his bitterness growing until it consumed him. His father would never recognize him for who he truly was—Dmitri, the son who had suffered beneath the shadow of his younger brother's brilliance.
But tonight, he would take what was rightfully his. Dmitri's grip tightened on the vial as he pictured Kian, cold and aloof, walking into the party as if he owned the world. Dmitri had suffered long enough. It was time to level the playing field, to make Kian pay for the years of torment, for the feeling of always being overshadowed.
The plan was simple: a few drops into Kian's drink, enough to disorient him, to make him stumble and falter in front of their guests. His humiliation would be complete, and for once, the spotlight would fall on Dmitri—the true heir, the rightful ruler.
He glanced at the clock. Soon, it would be time. The party would begin, and the world would be watching. But tonight, Dmitri would finally have his moment in the sun.
As Dmitri's thoughts continued to darken with his resentment, the door creaked open, and one of his father's servants entered, their face etched with nervousness.
"Mr. Fenix," the servant said hesitantly, "it's time. The guests are starting to arrive."
Dmitri gave a sharp nod, his face settling into an expression of carefully controlled calm.
"I'll be there shortly," he replied, his voice cold and distant. As the servant retreated, Dmitri's eyes shifted once more to the vial in his hand.
Tonight, the world would see the truth. Kian's brilliance would no longer be a shadow cast over him. Tonight, Dmitri would make sure of it.