Uncharted Territory

Chapter 20: Brothers

Adrian, buried in a mountain of paperwork, sighed as his phone rang. Leon's name flashed on the screen, and he quickly answered.

"Sir, your brother arrived earlier."

"I know," Adrian replied, his voice steady. "Just keep an eye on him."

No sooner had he ended the call than the intercom buzzed. His secretary's voice came through: "Mr. Brian Harrington is here to meet you."

Adrian's grip on his pen tightened for a second, but he maintained his calm demeanor. 

"Send him in."

The office door opened, and in walked Brian Harrington, exuding arrogance as usual. He glanced around the office briefly before his eyes settled on his younger brother.

"Hello, little brother," Brian greeted, his tone thick with sarcasm.

Adrian leaned back in his chair, a smirk creeping across his lips. "Good to see you, Brian. Finally stopped hiding, I see."

Brian scoffed, walking closer to the desk. "Hiding? Not at all. I'm here to claim what's mine and ensure you finally understand what it feels like to lose."

Adrian chuckled, unbothered by the statement. "Claim what's yours? You never change, do you?" His grin turned more serious as he added, "Still as immature as you were ten years ago. If you had your way, this company would've crumbled under your 'leadership.' That's why our father handed it to me."

Brian's face darkened with anger, but Adrian continued, unrelenting. "If you weren't so stubborn, I would've helped you build your own empire. But, of course, you'd never accept anything from me, would you?"

Silence settled between them for a tense moment, the weight of their history thick in the air. Brian's eyes gleamed with venomous determination.

Brian's smug grin twitched, but he wasn't finished yet. "You've always had it easy, Adrian. I wonder, though," he paused, leaning in slightly, "how about lending me one of your employees, someone smart and feisty? Brown hair, brown eyes—just might consider giving you a little mercy if you do."

Adrian's eyes didn't waver, though his mind instantly connected the description to Clara. He forced his expression to remain unreadable, refusing to give Brian any satisfaction.

"Leave my employees out of your fantasies, Brian," Adrian said calmly. "And mercy? You should be asking for it. You're already on the losing side."

Brian's smugness flickered briefly before his usual arrogance returned. Adrian stood, his voice cold and dismissive. "Now, if you've got nothing useful to say, get back to wherever you've been hiding. Stop wasting my time."

Brian's expression soured, but he didn't press further. He gave Adrian a final, hard look before walking out of the office, leaving Adrian alone in the sudden silence.

-

As soon as the door clicked shut, Adrian let out a slow breath, his thoughts racing. He knew Brian wouldn't let this go—and Clara's safety had just become a lot more personal.

As soon as Brian left, the tension in Adrian's office lingered like a storm cloud. Without hesitation, he picked up his phone and dialed Clara's number.

"Hello, baby," he greeted, his voice smooth but laced with an underlying urgency.

Clara, sounding pleasantly surprised, responded, "Hey, is everything alright? You never call during work."