DRAVEN'S POV
The click of the penthouse door closing behind me was a good sound. It ended the messy morning. It was almost 8AM. Elena had been thirty minutes late to her door and she apologized. I expected nothing less. My schedule was like a shield, and any crack in it, no matter how small, had to be fixed. The fear in her eyes, the way she clutched her robe, it was easy to predict. People, especially women, were predictable.
My driver was waiting, the car engine humming quietly. The silence was a nice break before I had to face Sterling Holdings. I looked out at the city, a huge place built on ambition. It was a game I had already won.
I got to my father's company, "Sterling Holdings," a massive building of steel and glass that almost touched the sky. By far the best stock company. The workers were already there, busy and disciplined. It was a little later than usual for me, and a few people looked up. They all greeted me with respect.
As I walked through the perfect lobby, I heard a familiar, friendly voice.
"What kept you so late, Draven?"
I saw Gordon, my best friend since we were kids. He leaned against a marble pillar, smiling easily. We had been neighbors when we were little, and we'd done everything together. Seeing him there, in my serious work world, was a nice break. I let myself smile a little.
"Is Elena giving you pleasure even before work?" he laughed, his eyes full of mischief.
My smile dropped. I gave him a serious look. He knew my rules, knew that my relationship with Elena was strictly business. He saw my face and quickly hit my arm playfully. We both started laughing, the sound weird in the quiet lobby.
"She woke up pretty late today," I admitted, still annoyed. "I don't know what happened with her last night."
Gordon raised an eyebrow. "The new housemaid is causing trouble? I thought you'd finally found someone who understood the sacred morning routine."
"She understands," I said, my voice hard. "It was a mistake. I believe it won't happen again."
"Right, because you'll scare her into being on time," Gordon joked. "You know, some bosses try a softer approach. A bonus for waking up early?"
I scoffed. "Rewards are for people who need to be talked into things. Obedience is for people who want to keep their job. There's a big difference."
"And she wants this job, I guess? Or maybe she wants something else you can give her?" His eyes had a knowing glint.
"She wants opportunity," I corrected, a quick thought of Elena's fierce ambition passing through my mind. "Something I am in a good position to give her."
We walked toward my private elevator, the doors opening quietly.
My office was my real home. It was on the thirty first floor, with glass, dark wood, and simple art that showed who I was. My assistant, Clara, was at her desk, a quiet, capable person. Gordon sat in a chair, watching everything.
"Morning, Mr. Sterling. The documents for Meridian Holdings are on your desk. Your first call is with Tokyo in five minutes."
"Understood," I said, my voice sharp. "Gordon, if you're staying, be quiet. I need to focus completely."
"I wouldn't think of it, King Draven," he said, holding up his hands and smiling.
I went to my desk. The Meridian Holdings file was open. It was just a formality. I had studied Meridian, found its weak spots, and now I would take it over. That was the business. That was my world. There was no room for feelings. Deals were made, empires grew, and those who couldn't keep up were left behind. Their weakness was my chance.
My phone rang. The screen showed an international number, the call from Tokyo. I answered and put it on speaker.
"Mr. Nakano," I said. My voice was calm and smooth, a blade covered in silk. "I trust your legal team has reviewed the contract for our joint venture?"
A voice, tight with stress, replied. "Mr. Sterling, yes. We have. But your terms are... unprecedented. They demand we sell a thirty-five percent stake in our subsidiary, Tokyo Innovate. That was not our original agreement."
"The original agreement was for a company on the rise," I corrected him, my voice growing colder. "Your financial reports from the last quarter indicate a decline in market share. Your company is no longer on the rise, Mr. Nakano. It is in a precarious position. The new terms reflect the new reality."
"But this is too much! It leaves us with no leverage, no..."
"Leverage is what you lost when your stock dropped," I cut him off. My words were precise, like a surgeon's knife. "The offer is simple: give me the subsidiary and a minority stake in your holding company, or I will initiate a hostile takeover. Your shareholders will see me as a savior, not a predator. The choice is yours."
I ended the call without waiting for a reply. I leaned back, stretching. My victory was certain.
Gordon, who had watched the entire conversation with wide eyes, let out a low whistle.
"Damn, Draven. That was cold, even for you. Did you have to go for the throat like that?"
"Business is not a game of friendship, Gordon," I replied, a tired sigh escaping me. "It is a game of strategy. I identified his weakness, and I used it to get what I wanted. He will thank me later, when he's not bankrupt."
Gordon shook his head. "Sometimes I think you enjoy the hunt more than the kill. And it's always 'targets' and 'weaknesses.' Do you ever just... see people?"
"Feelings are a weakness, Gordon. Especially in my world. And especially with women." My mother's face, a ghost from my past, appeared in my mind. Her dramatic moments, her constant need for a new thrill, her leaving me, it was a wound that hadn't healed and it left me hard. It created a vow to never be weak again. Never to trust. Women were beautiful and useful, but in the end, they only cared about themselves, leaving a path of brokenness.
"Ah, yes. The great Draven philosophy on women," Gordon said, sounding tired. "Still thinking they're all the same? Not all women are your mother, Draven."
"No," I agreed, my voice flat. "Some are just worse at hiding what they truly want. They chase power, money, or safety. I just help them get what they want, and in return, I get what I want."
"So, the new housemaid," he pushed, not giving up. "Elena. She just wants a bigger stage, a fashion brand, an empire, you said. And you're just... helping her? With no other reason from the calculating Draven Sterling?"
I looked at him and gave a slow, hungry smile. "Every deal has a return, Gordon. Hers will just be more complete than most."
He watched me for a long time. I could see a flash of understanding and maybe worry in his eyes. He knew me well, knew the darkness under my perfect outside. But he also knew better than to push too far.
We continued with other necessary things that needed to be attended. The work day ended at seven PM, but Gordon insisted on dragging me out. "It's Friday night, Draven. You can't just go home and stare at your spreadsheets." Let's have fun tonight as celebration of the stocks you just bagged.