Without warning, I reached down and gave her ass a hard smack.
"That's for spray painting my car," I said.
Her breath hitched, and she bit her lip, trying to suppress a smile. "You're such a caveman."
"Caveman? How about this?" I said, smacking her...
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Esmeralda had barely slept after Caleb dropped her off. The raw tension in the car, the hurt on her face that he didn't even try to comfort—it all replayed like a broken record in her mind. She knew he had a dark side, but there was something else she'd heard, something that wouldn't stop echoing in her head.
"I want Trevor's legacy."
It had slipped out of Caleb's mouth before he realized she'd overheard. The words struck her to the core, igniting a fire of confusion and betrayal. Caleb, her Caleb, wasn't just some rebellious, dangerous boy. He had ambitions that ran deep, ambitions that put him directly at odds with her family.
As the first light of dawn streamed through her window, Esmeralda made up her mind. She needed answers—and not just from Caleb. She had to confront Trevor.
Trevor sat in his study, flipping through documents, though his mind was somewhere else entirely. He hadn't told anyone, but the weight of his family's legacy had been weighing heavier and heavier on his shoulders. All his life, he'd been the reluctant heir to their father's world, taking on responsibilities that felt like chains instead of opportunities.
Esmeralda entered without knocking, her expression tense. "Trevor, we need to talk."
He looked up, surprised by her tone. "What's up, Es?"
She walked in, her shoulders tense as she spoke, her voice a bit shaky. "It's about Caleb. And about you."
Trevor leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "What did he do this time?"
"Nothing," she replied, crossing her arms. "At least not to you. But... I overheard something. He said he wants your legacy, Trevor. He wants what you have."
Trevor's face went blank. He'd always suspected that Caleb's ambitions were stronger than he let on, but hearing it confirmed by his little sister felt like a punch to the gut.
Esmeralda continued, her voice wavering, "I thought you wanted this life. But lately, it feels like there's something you're not telling me."
Trevor sighed, running a hand over his face. "Es, it's complicated."
"No, it's not." She stepped closer, looking at him intently. "You're my brother. If you don't want this, why are you doing it?"
His eyes softened as he looked at her, realizing that maybe she deserved to know the truth. "I never wanted this world, Es. Not really. But someone has to step up. It was supposed to be Gwen—she's smarter, tougher, more capable than any of us. But in this world, people won't listen to a woman, no matter how much she deserves it."
Esmeralda felt a pang of sadness for her older sister. "So you're doing this... for her?"
"And for our mother," Trevor admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "Mom's poured everything into keeping our family's legacy intact. She expects me to be the one to take it over and keep it strong."
Esmeralda nodded slowly, letting his words sink in. She knew her brother was tough, but now she could see the burden that his strength came with. Trevor wasn't leading the family because he wanted to—it was because he felt he had to.
She whispered, almost to herself, "And Caleb wants to take it from you."
Trevor's eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and pain. "If Caleb wants this life, he can have it. I won't stand in his way. But he needs to understand the price that comes with it. This isn't just about power or status. It's a life filled with sacrifices, danger, and loneliness."
A new determination filled Esmeralda's heart. She'd always seen Caleb as someone she wanted, someone she could love, but now... he was a rival to her family. A man who would hurt her brother for his own gain.
And still, a part of her couldn't help but feel drawn to him. The fire, the intensity, the danger—all of it was part of why she couldn't let him go. But now, she realized that if Caleb truly wanted Trevor's world, then she had to confront him, too.
Esmeralda found Caleb the next evening in his usual spot at the secluded rooftop of an old building they used to visit in their rebellious younger days. He sat alone, leaning back against the railing with a cigarette between his fingers, looking out over the city lights below. She approached quietly, her heart thudding with a mix of fear and anger.
Without waiting for him to acknowledge her, she spoke. "So, you want Trevor's legacy?"
Caleb turned, surprised by her directness, but he didn't deny it. "Esme, I—"
"No, don't give me excuses." She crossed her arms, fixing him with a hard glare. "Why, Caleb? What is it that drives you to want this world? This legacy?"
His eyes were intense, unreadable. He took a slow drag from his cigarette before speaking. "Because I know I can handle it, Esme. And because, deep down, I want more than what this life handed me."
"Even if it means hurting me? Hurting Trevor?" Her voice cracked, but she kept her gaze firm.
Caleb's expression softened, and he stubbed out his cigarette. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Esme. But I need a purpose. I need a reason to keep fighting, and this... this is the only thing that makes sense to me."
She swallowed hard, her hands clenching by her sides. "And what about us? What about everything we've shared?"
He stepped closer, his gaze softening as he reached for her hand. "Esme, I feel something for you. But I can't ignore what I want, what I feel destined for. Trevor doesn't want it. He's in this out of obligation, but for me... this is my way out. My way to the top."
Esmeralda pulled her hand back, her eyes filled with disappointment. "Then go take it, Caleb. If this is all that matters to you, then chase it. But don't expect me to wait around while you do."
He looked at her, conflicted, but didn't reach for her again. She turned and walked away, her heart heavy with the realization that Caleb would always choose power over love, ambition over loyalty.
But as she descended the stairs, she felt a glimmer of hope for Trevor. He was bound to this life because he felt he had no other choice. And maybe, just maybe, if Caleb wanted it badly enough, Trevor could finally walk away.
In the weeks that followed, the tension between Trevor and Caleb grew. Caleb was beginning to make moves, subtle shifts in the organization that hinted at his increasing influence. Trevor observed silently, a growing realization settling in him: this life he'd been thrust into, this legacy that had been weighing him down, didn't have to be his forever.
Esmeralda supported him every step of the way, the two of them forming a silent alliance. She'd seen Caleb's hunger, felt the ruthless ambition that drove him. And while it hurt to admit, she knew he was a better fit for the legacy than Trevor could ever be.
One evening, Trevor and Esmeralda sat together, watching the city lights from their penthouse balcony. She glanced over at her brother, the faintest smile on her face. "You're going to be okay, Trev. You don't have to hold onto something that was never really yours."
Trevor exhaled, the weight of her words washing over him. "Maybe you're right. Maybe it's time I let it go."
As they sat together, the understanding between them grew stronger. For the first time, Trevor allowed himself to imagine a life away from the danger and power plays. A life where he could just be Trevor Kensington, a man free to make his own choices.
Caleb, meanwhile, watched from the shadows, his eyes dark and determined. This world had been denied to him for too long. He was ready to claim the legacy that had been haunting him, to become the leader he'd always believed he was destined to be.
And somewhere deep inside, he felt a pang of regret—for Esmeralda, for the love he had walked away from. But the hunger for power overshadowed it, driving him forward.
In the end, the Kensington legacy would be his. And Esmeralda, she would be his greatest loss.
