The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 43: Amani

Amani looked around the room and fully assessed the damage to the office. Most of it was broken glass and china littered between bits of crumpled paper and splinters of wood. She picked up a cracked piece of glass with the Blarcum family crest engraved into it. "Aren't you upset that you broke all this stuff? Aren't these like family heirlooms?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, they are, but I couldn't give a shite about any of it."

She threw the shard of glass into a garbage bag. "Why not? This is your family's legacy. Don't you want to protect it?"

"I don't really care about the Blarcum legacy. My name has always ruled my life and dictated what I can and cannot do," Lord Blarcum said as he pulled a sword out of the obliterated curio cabinet. "It's not always glamorous being born into nobility, Amani."

She frowned. "Why do you let it?" He had more money than he could ever spend in his lifetime. She didn't understand why he couldn't just buy his way out. Surely, his mother would take the money. She seemed pretty greedy.

He placed the sword on the brass brackets over the fireplace and turned to her with a confused frown on his face. "What?"

"Why do you let your name rule you? Why don't you just buy the manor from your mother and be done with living a legacy or whatever?"

His eyes softened and a smile tugged at his lips. "It's cute that you think paying my mother for the manor will be enough for her to let me go."

"What do you mean? Isn't that what's keeping you prisoner to her?"

"Yes, she knows I only care about this place, but she needs me to complete my parents' lifelong dream of being the Mionlach's most powerful family." He rolled his eyes and pushed the lopsided cabinet against the wall. "It's the only reason my parents had a child. Cùm an t-ainm Blarcum làidir!" he exclaimed and smiled at her. "It means 'keep the Blarcum name strong.' That's what my father and grandfather used to tell me all the bloody time."

Amani's heart broke at the sadness that pooled in his eyes even though he was smiling. 

What a fucked-up reason to have a child just to treat him like this.

"So your mother is forcing you to marry Lady Fife for...power and status?" She smirked. "No amount of money would deter that. That's so fucked up. I'm sorry."

"Don't feel sorry for me. It's fucked up, but you see it's not as easy as buying my manor." He chuckled and bent down to pick up the rest of the splintered wood.

Amani scrunched her face as she tied up the trash bag. "I still don't think you should let your name or your mother rule you." She sat back on her knees and put her hands on her hips. "There's always a way out. No one's ever stuck in a situation."

Lord Blarcum stared at her as if he were contemplating something. He laughed softly and nodded. "You're right, there is a way out. If my mother dies or I magically acquire more than thirty-five percent ownership of Blarcum Industries. Then I'd control her precious empire, but those two things aren't going to happen any time soon."

He wasn't wrong. There was no way any of the shareholders would give up their piece of Blarcum Industries or support him in a coup against his mother. She could tell none of the shareholders liked him as CEO. They made so many rude comments about him being an absent leader and Lord Blarcum definitely wasn't the type to have his mother assassinated. So, that wasn't an option for him either.

"Well," Amani clasped her hands together, "you better figure out how to make the most of your situation because having these tantrums is unacceptable." She stood up. "And you can start with that," she said and pointed at the arrows sticking out of his family portrait.