Dominated (Obsessed II)

10.

Dominik Klatan
The underdog
•••

I scrolled through Instagram absentmindedly, flicking past the usual flood of posts—influencers and models posing in some far-flung corner of the world, friends who used to party until sunrise now posting about their kids.

It was a strange shift. I wasn't judging them, but if I had kids, I wouldn't be putting their faces online for everyone to see. There are enough creeps out there without handing them a window into your life.

I paused on a post from an old friend—him and his wife, arms wrapped around their toddler. They looked happy, like they'd found the kind of peace that most people spend their whole lives chasing. It was strange. I had everything I'd ever wanted—businesses that practically ran themselves, properties spread across continents, a life most people would envy—but there was still something missing.

Family. That's what it always came back to.

I grew up watching my dad juggle a successful career while still being the best father he could be. Sure, he could be tough at times, but he paved the way for me, taught me what it meant to build something lasting. I admired that about him, the way he made time for me no matter how busy he was. And one day, I hoped I'd be the kind of father he was.

But right now? I wasn't there yet. Maybe one day, but not today.

The door creaked open, and Gabriella, my secretary, walked in. I didn't need to look up to know it was her, her perfume always announced her arrival before she spoke.

"You look like you're ready for a beach day," she teased, glancing at my outfit. I was wearing khaki shorts and a white button-up, though it was only half buttoned. It was casual, but it was comfortable, and I wasn't one for dressing up when I didn't have to.

I shrugged. "Figured it's better than sitting in a suit all day."

"You're not like most CEOs," she said, shaking her head, but there was a smile on her face.

"Why would I be? It's all about balance, Gabriella. A suit when I need it, but this—" I motioned to my outfit— "this is for when I don't."

She laughed softly and took a step toward the desk. "You have a call with the Dubai team later today. They need your final approval on the expansion plans."

"Tell them I'll take it when I'm on the plane," I said, glancing at my phone. "I'll fly out there next week to check everything out myself."

"Got it," she said, typing a note into her tablet. "Anything else before I head out?"

I shook my head. "No, that's it. I'll handle the rest."

As she turned to leave, I leaned back in my chair, looking out the window. The skyline stretched out in front of me, a reminder of everything I'd built. It was impressive, no doubt, but lately, I'd been feeling...off. It's not that I wasn't grateful for what I had; it was just that the more I accomplished, the less it seemed to mean.

I thought back to my dad, how he always made time for family. That's what I was missing. I could build all the hotels and clubs I wanted, but at the end of the day, what did it really mean if there was no one to share it with?

There was someone I wanted to share it with, though. The girl who had never really noticed me, but whom I had noticed. Bianca Dawson. My first memory of her wasn't at Junior's party. No, it was much earlier than that.

Flashback
Eight years ago

I sat in the car with my father, watching the buildings roll by as he gave me his usual lecture before these kinds of meetings. "We're stopping by a friend's house for a quick meeting," he said, adjusting his cufflinks, "and I need you on your best behavior, Dominik."