Knock knock.

While carrying Luca, Valentina knocked on the door of the sitting room.

As Kaiser opened it, he took one look at the red eyes of both her and Luca and felt his heart twinge.

“I came to bring him back since we’ve said our goodbyes. My ride is here, so I’ll be heading out. Thank you again for everything so far. I’ll be sure to pay you back tenfold.”

Valentina bowed her head to him before walking in and placing Luca on the couch without looking at the doctor. As she began walking out, Kaiser grabbed her hand and led her out the door before shutting it.

“Valentina, wait.”

“Yes, Mr. Grayson?” she quickly pulled her hand away before turning to look in his general direction.

Hearing her polite tone and seeing her blank eyes that weren’t even looking directly at him, he felt completely out of his depth. He didn’t want them to separate like this. Or ever. He had messed things up, wasn’t sure exactly how, and didn’t know how to go about fixing it.

“Let’s talk about this. The words I said this morning…it wasn’t supposed to come out like that……”

As he paused, Valentina snorted.

“Mr. Grayson, I’ll be honest. I really, really, really don’t want to talk right now. Or ever. If I open my mouth, a lot of words I shouldn’t say will come spewing out. Or I’ll scream and scream without stopping. Or maybe punch you in the face. I don’t like to argue, and I don’t particularly like screaming or hitting people, and I don’t want to be ungrateful for everything you’ve done for me so let’s just stop here.”

“Then do so. Curse me out. Hit me. Scream at me. That’s fine. Anything is better than being shut out like this and you just…leaving. Valentina.” His hands naturally reached out to grab her waist, pull her closer, and sink his head into her neck, but one look at her cold eyes and he stopped himself.

“I need space and time to process things because I think…I think it was a mistake to get so involved with you. I don’t think you understand how hurtful your words were, and I don’t particularly want to explain if you don’t understand especially after all the times you told me to depend on and trust you. Let’s just take it as a learning experience for both of us, call it a spring fling, and get over it. Thank you again for hosting me so far. I appreciate everything you’ve done and will repay you back. You have my number so that you can contact me about anything important about the lawsuit. Just let me know if you’re canceling it or if I need to sign anything or send you payments. I’ll continue my part with Luca until our contract is over and then figure out how to cancel my contract with Black Rock on my own before heading over to Platinum Entertainment. Have a good rest of your day, Mr. Grayson. I hope we don’t meet each other again.”

She bowed her head, her green eyes not once looking at him directly before turning and walking out. Rio glanced between her and Kaiser before walking her out to the car.

After making sure she was settled, Rio walked back into the house and caught Kaiser’s narrowed eyes.

Narrowing his own, he nodded at the man. “Let’s talk.”

“Sure, come with me.” Snorting at the audacity of the man, Kaiser led him into a rarely used sitting room far away from Luca.

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As the two men stared at each other, one resting against the window while the other leaned against the door, Kaiser lazily looked Rio up and down, smiling at the scowl on the other man’s face.

Maybe it was his bad personality rearing up but he felt as if somebody had delivered a punching bag in his time of frustration. Wouldn’t it be out of character for him if he didn’t put the man circling around his girl in his place?

Well, that all depended on what Rio actually wanted to talk about and if he continued speaking with that rude tone of his. Lighting a cigarette and opening the window, he looked out at the garden area where he occasionally found Valentina and Luca playing around. Releasing a long puff of smoke, he reminisced a bit before he was rudely interrupted.

“I don’t smoke so I’d appreciate it if you would put that out while I’m talking to you.” Rio snarkily commented.

“Oh. Step out for a second then, I’ll call you in when I’m done. Make sure to close the door behind you and flip the ventilation switch outside the room, I don’t want my kid to smell the smoke.” Unlike the soft tone he usually had with Valentina or Luca, Kaiser’s tone was cold and condescending as he carelessly ordered the man without looking at him.

Clearly, he was picking a fight. Not afraid in the slightest, Rio quickly shot back.

“You’re a rude bastard, you know that? Do you think I’m one of your employees? Talking to me like that? Do you talk to Valentina like that?”

“An employee huh? Well, aren’t you?” Kaiser lazily glanced back with an expressionless face as he ignored the last question involving Valentina, “I write the checks that pay your bills, provide housing, cars, toys, and more and you go and earn money for me. Sounds like an employee to me. Though I guess technically you’re Roman’s employee, not mine but that’s just semantics.”

Without waiting for a response, Kaiser put the cigarette out before turning back to Rio, “What did you want to talk about, Grenier? I don’t think you came to my house to talk about my personality or rudeness right? If so, get out.”

“I’m here to talk to you about my friend.”

“Ah. Your FRIEND. Well, shouldn’t you go and be a good FRIEND to my girl while I prepare to make it up to her? Or are you here to lodge complaints as a FRIEND?”

At each emphasis of ‘friend’, Rio’s face darkened.

Gritting his teeth, Rio took a deep breath to calm down before getting to his main point. “What did you say to Valentina? Why the hell did you make her cry? And now you’re kicking her out after using her to what-treat your kid and his issues? What the hell is wrong with you? Is it because you’re jealous of her friendship with me that you’re taking it out on her? That’s low even for you, Kaiser.”

“Well the two of us are having a lovers quarrel so I’ll have to say it’s none of your business what I did or did not say. If she shares it with you so be it. It wasn’t my intention to make her cry but I’ll be rectifying that promptly. I’m not kicking her out. Keep my child out of your mouth. And as for the fourth and fifth questions,” Kaiser counted off the responses on his finger before narrowing his gray eyes, the atmosphere around him becoming menacing, “I don’t think we have a close enough relationship for you to talk to me that way. Watch your tone, Grenier.”

“Or what? You’ll hit me?” as Kaiser arched his brow at him, Rio snorted. “Yeah, I know about your violent past. You’re acting like a good person now but I know you’re a vicious bastard who likes to crush those you don’t like. And please, don’t dirty my friend’s reputation like that. She’s not your lover, and if she even considered it for a moment it’s because she didn’t know your true face. You’re just a bad person pretending to be good. I guess she’s seen your real colors now. The truth can’t be hidden forever.“ Rio couldn’t help but sneer

“Despite what you think, the only place I hit people is at a boxing ring or the legal ring, after all, I’m no longer a child. If you ever want me to pummel you, feel free to grab some gloves and set a time and place. You can ask Jonathan, I know how to properly avoid the face so your fans will still love you and you can still make me money. As for my past, it’s not a secret. I’ve never claimed to be a particularly good person. I’m just good to my people and screw over everybody else. Everyone who needs to know my past and my personality knows it, including my girl. If you think Valentina thinks I’m a good person, you must not know her very well. She’s very aware of who I am and what I do. You. Are. Not.” Kaiser replied in a nonchalant manner.

It wasn’t the first time people accused him and it wouldn’t be the last. It certainly never bothered him in the slightest because he didn’t take most people seriously.

If a bug complained, most people didn’t spend time trying to understand them, they just swatted it.

The way he saw Rio, he felt like he was looking at a blond bug he wanted to swat. Repeatedly.

As if sensing his thoughts, Rio glared before responding.

“You- just stay away from her. She doesn’t need to be caught up with someone like you, especially when working so seriously on her career. And she’s not your girl.”

“Someone like me? What do you mean by that? Explain it so I can understand.” Kaiser gave the man a faint smile that threatened violence he claimed he no longer participated in.

“Someone who only depends on his family name and uses that position to oppress people. Somebody who uses connections not earned by their own merit and uses it to swindle other people. A vicious person who only looks out for their own best interest and doesn’t mind using and crushing anyone in their way. Be it people, businesses, or women.” Rio spat out angrily.

“Is that what you think of me, Grenier?” kaiser evaluated his words before laughing. “I can’t say you’re not fully wrong but you’re not fully right either. Who I am is built upon the foundation and legacy built by my family and ancestors. I enjoyed a lot of privilege as I grew and owe it to them. But in the same vein, can’t I say the same about you?”

“What about me? You and I are very different in outlook and life experiences. I worked hard to get where I am today. You were simply the eldest-born son of a prominent family.” Rio looked disdainfully at the arrogant man standing in front of him.