Chapter 20

TWENTY

C haos stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his Manhattan penthouse, gazing out at the glittering cityscape. The sun had long since set, but New York buzzed with its usual nocturnal energy. He sipped his scotch, savoring the smoky flavor as he contemplated the past few weeks.

Olive. The name alone sent a jolt of electricity through him. Their relationship had progressed rapidly, each moment together only deepening their connection. Chaos couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so... alive.

His phone buzzed on the nearby desk. He ignored it, knowing it was likely another message from Tia. His sister had been relentless lately, her disapproval of Olive growing more vocal with each passing day.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Chaos frowned, setting down his glass. He wasn't expecting anyone at this hour.

"Mr. Amato?" His housekeeper's voice came through the intercom. "There's a Miss Vanessa here to see you. She says she's a friend of your sister's."

Chaos suppressed a groan. Vanessa. Tia's best friend and perpetual thorn in his side. "Send her up. Thank you."

He straightened his tie, steeling himself for the encounter. Moments later, the elevator dinged, and Vanessa sauntered into the penthouse.

"Chaos, darling!" she cooed, air-kissing his cheeks. Her designer dress clung to every curve, leaving little to the imagination. "I was in the neighborhood and thought we could grab dinner. I know this divine little place in SoHo..."

Chaos took a step back, maintaining a polite but firm distance. "Vanessa. This is... unexpected."

She giggled, twirling a lock of platinum blonde hair around her finger. "Oh, don't be silly. Tia mentioned you've been working too hard lately. I thought you could use a night out."

The pieces clicked into place. Of course, Tia was behind this. Chaos's jaw clenched, his patience wearing thin.

"I appreciate the thought, Vanessa, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline." His tone left no room for argument. "I'm actually seeing someone."

Vanessa's perfectly plucked eyebrows shot up. "Oh? Tia didn't mention that. Who's the lucky girl?"

"Her name is Olive," Chaos replied, unable to keep the warmth from his voice. "And it's quite serious."

Vanessa's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. "Well, that's... nice. But surely you can spare one evening for an old friend?"

Chaos shook his head. "I'm sorry, Vanessa, but no. And I think it's best if we clear up any misunderstandings. Tia was wrong to encourage any ideas of romance between us. I'm not interested in you that way."

The words hung in the air, sharp and unmistakable. Vanessa's face flushed, a mix of embarrassment and anger flashing in her eyes.

"I see," she said stiffly. "Well, I suppose I'll be going then. Give Tia my best."

As the elevator doors closed behind her, Chaos let out a long breath. He'd have to have a serious talk with Tia about boundaries.

Hours later, Chaos sat at his desk, poring over quarterly reports. The incident with Vanessa had thrown off his concentration, but work always grounded him.

"Boss?" Baxter's voice crackled through the intercom. "You need to see this."

Moments later, Baxter strode into the office, tablet in hand. His normally composed expression was tight with concern.

"What is it, Bax?" Chaos asked, dread pooling in his stomach.

Wordlessly, Baxter handed over the tablet. A gossip site blazed across the screen, the headline making Chaos's blood run cold:

"TECH TYCOON TIED DOWN: CHAOS AMATO ENGAGED TO SOCIALITE VANESSA SINCLAIR"

The article was a masterpiece of speculation and falsehood, complete with candid photos of him and Vanessa at various events over the years. Chaos's grip on the tablet tightened, his knuckles turning white.

"This is bullshit," he growled. "Where the hell did they get this information?"

Baxter shifted uncomfortably. "The article cites an ‘anonymous source close to the family.' But boss... the timing..."

"Tia," Chaos finished, his voice dangerously low. "She's gone too far this time."

Without another word, he snatched up his phone, dialing his sister's number. She answered on the third ring, her voice syrupy sweet.

"Chaos! To what do I owe the pleasure of-"

"Cut the crap, Tia," he snapped. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Tia replied, but Chaos could hear the smirk in her voice.

"The article, Tia. The lies about me and Vanessa. Did you really think I wouldn't figure out it was you?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. When Tia spoke again, her tone had lost its saccharine edge. "Oh, come on, Chaos. I'm doing you a favor. This little fling with that vlogger girl is cute and all, but it's time to get serious. Vanessa is perfect for you. She understands our world, our responsibilities."

Chaos's free hand clenched into a fist. "My relationship with Olive is not a fling. And it's certainly none of your business. I've told you before to stay out of my personal life."

"I'm your sister," Tia shot back. "Everything you do affects our family. Our pride. You can't just throw away years of tradition for some human you barely know!"

"Enough!" Chaos roared, his lion rising to the surface. "You will retract that story immediately. And if you ever try to interfere with my relationship again, you'll regret it. Do I make myself clear?"

The line went silent for a long moment. When Tia finally spoke, her voice was cold. "Crystal. But don't come crying to me when this all blows up in your face."

The call ended with a click. Chaos tossed his phone onto the desk, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Boss?" Baxter's quiet voice reminded Chaos he wasn't alone. "What do you want me to do?"

Chaos took a deep breath, trying to center himself. "Call our PR team. I want a statement refuting this garbage ready to go within the hour. And get our lawyers on standby. If this rag doesn't print a retraction, we'll bury them in lawsuits."

Baxter nodded, already tapping away at his tablet. "On it. And... Olive? Should we reach out to her before she sees this?"

The thought of Olive reading that article made Chaos's stomach churn. "No," he said after a moment. "I'll handle that personally. This isn't something that should come from a PR statement or a phone call."

As Baxter left to carry out his instructions, Chaos turned back to the window. The city lights blurred as he lost himself in thought. He'd known Tia would be difficult about Olive, but this level of interference... it was beyond the pale.

His lion paced restlessly within him, furious at the threat to their chosen mate. Chaos had to clench his fists to keep his claws from emerging. He'd been too lenient with Tia for too long, allowing her spoiled behavior to go unchecked. That ended now.

Decision made, Chaos grabbed his jacket and headed for the elevator. It was time to have a face-to-face conversation with his sister. One that would leave no doubt about where he stood.

The drive to Tia's Upper East Side townhouse was a blur of neon lights and honking horns. Chaos barely registered the journey, his mind focused solely on the confrontation to come.

He pounded on Tia's door, not bothering with the doorbell. After a moment, it swung open, revealing Tia in silk pajamas, a look of feigned innocence on her face.

"Chaos? What are you doing here so late?"

He brushed past her, striding into the opulent foyer. "We need to talk. Now."

Tia sighed dramatically, closing the door. "If this is about that silly article, I already told you-"

"Stop!" Chaos's voice echoed off the marble floors. "I'm done with your games, Tia. This stops now."

Tia's facade cracked, a flash of genuine fear crossing her features before she rallied. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just looking out for you, for our family-"

"No," Chaos cut her off. "You're looking out for yourself. I know you're young but you're acting like a spoiled brat. You're so scared of losing your place, of not being the center of attention, that you'd ruin my happiness to keep things the way they are."

Tia's eyes narrowed. "That vlogger isn't right for you, Chaos. She'll never fit in-"

"You don't know her," Chaos growled. "You've never even given her a chance. Olive is kind, intelligent, and stronger than you could ever imagine. She challenges me, makes me want to be better. And I love her."

The words hung in the air between them. Chaos hadn't planned to say it, hadn't even fully admitted it to himself until that moment. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he knew they were true.

Tia's mouth opened and closed, shock written across her face. "You... you can't be serious. You barely know her."

"I know enough," Chaos replied, his voice steady. "And I'm telling you now, Tia. This is your last warning. Stay out of my relationship. No more schemes, no more rumors, no more interference of any kind. If you can't accept Olive as part of my life, as part of this family, then you'll be the one who doesn't fit in. Do you understand?"

The silence stretched between them, heavy with years of unspoken tensions and shifting dynamics. Finally, Tia nodded, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Fine," she whispered. "I'll back off. But don't say I didn't warn you when this all goes wrong."

Chaos turned to leave, pausing at the door. "It won't. And Tia? I expect that article to disappear by morning. If it doesn't, our next conversation won't be nearly this pleasant."

As he stepped out into the cool night air, worry unraveled in his stomach. He'd been putting off this confrontation for far too long, allowing Tia's behavior to spiral out of control. It wouldn't be an instant fix - years of enabling couldn't be undone in a single night. But it was a start.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. A text from Olive:

Hey, you free to talk? There's something we need to discuss.

Chaos's heart sank. She must have seen the article. He quickly typed out a reply:

Yeah, want me to come over?

I'd rather meet you at your place.

As he slid into the back of his waiting car, Chaos steeled himself for another difficult conversation. But this one, at least, he looked forward to. Because at the end of it, Olive would know exactly how he felt about her.

And if he had anything to say about it, she'd never doubt her place in his life again.