The CEO's Addiction ⚣ ✓

05

Christian

"As of now, we need to work out how to handle this with the least amount of damage. I already had to apologize profusely to the guests at the Gala for both my disappearance... and the scene presented tonight due to your assistants charity case of a mother." Slav continued.

"Speaking of which, what are you going to do with her?" My mother asked. "I can tell you this much, she is not welcome at another company event ever again."

"Understandable." I sighed. "I was doing my best to help her, and to help Alex. Somehow, I think I created more of a problem, than a solution."

"We Ivanov's aren't meant to associate ourselves with this sort of mess. It doesn't reflect well upon the company." My father insisted.

"Everyone struggles with an addiction, father. It could be food, or exercise, or even shopping... but we must treat Vanessa's addiction no different than any others. I think what Christian did was stupid, yes, but his heart was in the right place. If he's in the position to help, I understand why he would feel such a clear need to. Alex means a lot to him." Brad cut in.

"I noticed." Our mother replied. "Tell me more about that. Clearly the relationship between you two stretches beyond the means of strictly professional. Are you two dating? You've never dated a man before. That's pretty far out from your MO."

My lips parted to reply, but I hesitated at the last moment.

Alex and I hadn't really had that conversation. I knew I cared for him, more than I had ever cared for any of my previous girlfriends.

Mother always said I was a bit extreme when it came to love, but I didn't see the appeal in doing something half-assed. In my mother's own words, if you are to do something, commit to it.

And I could see myself growing old with that idiot.

"I'm not sure how this relationship looks like from Alex's perspective, but from mine, I am fully devoted. No ones ever made me feel the way he does, as cheesy and unoriginal as that sounds." I replied finally.

My mother gave me a nod. "You know we've already had this discussion about not sleeping with assistants, Christian. Love and work shouldn't mix."

Of all the things I could speak with my mother about, my sex life fell at the very bottom of that list.

"Explain to me how you and fathers relationship started again?" Brad butt in.

Damn, Brad was really in my fucking corner tonight.

It was my mother who, now, hesitated.

"You know I'm a hopeless romantic." Our father chimed in. "If this is who you want to peruse, than there's no reason for your mother and I to interfere."

I offered Slav a smile. He'd never been one to judge my relationships, or even my nightly escapades. The way he saw it was, I was experiencing life as it should be. Plentiful. He used to tell me that one day, I'd find someone who would quench every thirst. Who would fulfill every void, and satisfy my soul.

At the time, I was thirteen... so I really didn't know what fucking void he was talking about, or any of that other fulfillment shit. Fast forward a little over a decade, and woah and behold, the void did indeed exist.

"You're father is right, I guess. Just don't fuck this one up. I actually really like the kid." My mother replied. "He's got this spunk to him."

Brad and I groaned immediately.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Please don't ever say spunk again. That word is so incredibly outdated." Brad whined.

"Well I don't know what these young hip kids are saying these days." Mother replied.

"They're definitely not calling themselves hip, I can tell you that much." Brad mumbled. Our mother rolled her eyes at us.

"Oh, whatever. Anyways, your father and I have an awfully long day ahead of us tomorrow. We will keep both of you updated, but for now, go get some sleep."
Brad and I both gave our mother a nod. Slav stood up to follow her and she made her way out of Brad's study.

Somehow, everything about her had remained as Impeccable as when I saw her at the beginning of the day. Not a strand of hair slipped out of place. My father, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. When his hand went out to hold the door open for the rest of us, you could see the bruises already forming on his knuckles.

I used to watch my father box when I was younger. That was really the only time I had ever seen him punch anything. Tonight was an accurate representation of what this man was capable of. Thinking back to the state in which he left Vadik in, I was surprised he hadn't killed him.

Every fiber of being in my body told myself that he had wanted to... and if given the opportunity, he probably would have.

When we made it back out towards the front of the home, I noticed Alex was sitting on one of the sofas in the entry of the house. He looked tired, yet alert. Like someone would come out and tase him or something if he dare fell asleep again.

"Oh! Mr and Mrs Ivanov." He gave both my parents a polite nod.

"Alex." My father replied with a friendly smile.

My mother ended up pulling him into a small hug. "I'm glad we got to see you before we left."

"The pleasure is all mine." Alex replied. "I just wanted to personally apologize for my mother's behavior and actions at your Gala tonight. She's a recovering addict- well, recovering is being used very loosely here... but I really had no idea she would do something that embarrassing."

"Stop apologizing." My mother replied immediately. "You should not apologize for others actions. I appreciate the fact that you are trying to make things right, but the most impactful apology would have to come from your mother herself."

"Family is family." My dad chimed in. "You don't get to choose who you are, or your upbringing. As you clearly saw tonight, the Ivanov family is not shielded from this. Apologizing for something you didn't do, is useless."

I took a seat besides Alex, and gently placed my hand over his. "None of that was your fault. It was all mine. I'm learning to put less faith in instability."

I heard my father chuckle. "We Ivanov's are the very definition of unstable."

And he wasn't wrong. For a while now I'd floated through life disregarding my privilege, but I since decided I'd had enough of that.

Instability was no longer my forté. I was going to have to learn to be here for Alex. Even if it was a major ego death.

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