Chapter 26

TWENTY-SIX

C haos stood at his usual spot in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his Manhattan penthouse, his hazel eyes fixed on the glittering cityscape below. The tension in his jaw betrayed the storm brewing within him. Tia's latest stunt - shutting down Olive's website - had pushed him to the brink of his patience.

He rubbed a hand over his face, exhaustion seeping into his bones. The past months had been a whirlwind of emotions - the exhilaration of falling for Olive, the joy of their budding relationship, and now, the constant stress of Tia's interference.

His phone buzzed. He ignored it, knowing it was another message from Tia trying to explain herself. He'd had enough of her excuses.

A soft knock at the door interrupted his brooding. "Mr. Amato?" his assistant's voice came through the intercom. "Your parents are here to see you."

Chaos took a deep breath, steeling himself for the confrontation to come. "Send them in, Sarah. Thank you."

Moments later, Marco and Isabella entered the room. His father, ever the businessman, wore a sharp suit despite the late hour. Isabella, elegant as always in a designer dress, her silver-streaked hair perfectly coiffed.

"Chaos, darling," Isabella began, moving to embrace her son. Chaos stepped back, maintaining his distance.

"Mother. Father." His voice was cool and controlled. "I think we need to talk."

Marco's eyebrows rose at his son's tone. "Indeed we do. Your sister-"

"My sister," Chaos cut in, his voice sharp, "has gone too far. Her behavior is not only childish but potentially damaging to my relationship and AmTech's reputation."

Isabella's face fell. "Chaos, we know Tia can be... difficult. But she's your sister. Surely we can work this out as a family?"

Chaos laughed, the sound bitter and hollow. "From where I'm standing, it looks like we're enabling a spoiled brat who thinks she can manipulate everyone around her without consequences."

Marco gave a frustrated growl. "Son, I understand your anger, but we're still your parents."

"Then act like it," Chaos snapped. He took a deep breath, trying to rein in his temper. His lion rumbled within him, agitated by the conflict. "I'm not a child anymore. I'm the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company and the leader of our pride. It's time Tia started respecting that. The only way that's going to happen is if there are consequences to her actions."

Isabella reached out, her hand hovering uncertainly before dropping back to her side. "Of course, we respect you, darling. We're so proud of everything you've accomplished."

"Then respect my choices," Chaos said, his voice softening slightly. "Olive isn't some passing fancy. She's intelligent, kind, and challenges me in ways no one ever has. She makes me want to be a better man, a better leader."

Marco and Isabella exchanged a look, a silent conversation passing between them.

"We like Olive," Marco said carefully. "She's a lovely young woman. But Tia is your sister. Surely you don't expect us to choose between our children?"

Chaos's jaw clenched. "I'm not asking you to choose. I'm telling you that if Tia doesn't stop her childish games, I will cut her out of my life. And if you continue to excuse her behavior, I'll have no choice but to distance myself from you as well."

The silence that followed was deafening. Isabella's eyes filled with tears while Marco's face hardened into an unreadable mask.

"You can't be serious," Isabella whispered.

"I've never been more serious in my life," Chaos replied, his voice steady. "I love you both, but I won't let Tia's jealousy and pettiness ruin what I have with Olive. It's time for her to grow up and face the consequences of her actions."

Marco cleared his throat, his voice gruff with emotion. "What do you want us to do?"

Chaos met his father's gaze, unflinching. "Talk to her. Make her understand that her behavior is unacceptable. And if she can't respect my choices and my relationship with Olive, then she needs to stay away from both of us."

Isabella dabbed at her eyes with a delicate handkerchief. "We'll talk to her, darling. We promise."

Chaos nodded. "Thank you. That's all I ask."

As his parents left, promising to handle the situation, Chaos sank into his leather chair. He felt drained, the weight of the confrontation settling over him like a heavy cloak.

His phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Olive:

Hey, you. How'd it go with your parents? Everything okay?

A smile tugged at Chaos's lips, warmth blooming in his chest. Even in the midst of all this drama, Olive's concern for him shone through. He typed out a quick reply:

It went as well as could be expected. I'll fill you in later. How about dinner tomorrow night? I have something special planned.

Her response came almost immediately:

Ooh, color me intrigued! Can't wait.

Chaos's smile widened. He may have just had one of the most difficult conversations of his life, but knowing Olive was in his corner made it all worth it.

The next evening, Chaos stood in his penthouse kitchen, surveying the scene with a critical eye. The dining table was set with fine china and crystal, a centerpiece of fragrant roses adding a romantic touch. Soft jazz played in the background, and the scent of garlic and herbs filled the air as his personal chef, Pierre, put the finishing touches on their meal.

"Everything looks perfect, Pierre," Chaos said, nodding approvingly. "Thank you."

The chef beamed, his Italian accent thick as he replied, "It is my pleasure, Mr. Amato. I hope you and the lovely Miss Russo enjoy your evening."

As Pierre departed, Chaos glanced at his watch. Olive would be arriving any minute. He straightened his tie, a hint of nervousness fluttering in his stomach. It was ridiculous, really. He'd faced down corporate raiders and rival prides without breaking a sweat, but the thought of a romantic evening with Olive had him feeling like a teenager on his first date.

The elevator dinged, announcing Olive's arrival. Chaos's breath caught as she stepped into the penthouse. She wore a deep green dress that hugged her curves, her flaxen hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled as they met his, a smile lighting up her face.

"Wow," Chaos breathed, crossing the room to greet her. "You look incredible."

Olive's cheeks flushed rosy. "You clean up pretty well yourself, Mr. Amato." She glanced around, taking in the romantic setup. "What's all this?"

Chaos took her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "I wanted to do something special for you. To thank you for being so understanding about... everything."

Olive's expression softened. "Chaos, you don't have to thank me. We're in this together, remember?"

He led her to the table, pulling out her chair. "I know. But you deserve to be appreciated, Olive. I hope you're hungry - Pierre has gone all out tonight."

As they settled into their meal, conversation flowed easily between them. Chaos found himself relaxing, the stress of the past few days melting away in Olive's presence. She regaled him with stories from her latest vlog recording session, her animated gestures and infectious laughter bringing a smile to his face.

"Oh!" Olive exclaimed suddenly, her eyes lighting up. "I almost forgot to tell you. Remember that romance author I've been raving about? She reached out to me about doing a collaboration for her next book launch!"

Chaos grinned, genuinely happy for her. "That's fantastic, bella . I'm so proud of you."

Olive's smile faltered slightly. "Yeah, it's amazing. I just... I hope Tia doesn't try to sabotage this too."

Chaos reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "Hey, don't worry about Tia. I've handled it. She won't be bothering us anymore."

Olive's eyebrows rose. "Oh? What happened?"

Chaos sighed, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I had a talk with my parents. Made it clear that if Tia doesn't back off, I'll have to cut her out of my life. They've promised to talk to her and make her understand her behavior is unacceptable."

"Oh, Chaos," Olive breathed, her eyes wide. "I never wanted to come between you and your family."

He shook his head firmly. "You haven't. This is on Tia, not you. Besides, you're my family now too, Olive. And I protect what's mine."

The intensity in his gaze sent a shiver down Olive's spine. She leaned across the table, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "My big, strong lion," she teased, lightening the moment.

After dinner, they moved to the plush sofa, Chaos pulling Olive close as he queued up a movie on the massive flat-screen TV. She snuggled into his side, a contented sigh escaping her lips.

"So," she said, tilting her head to look up at him. "What cinematic masterpiece are we indulging in tonight?"

Chaos's lips quirked into a smirk. "Well, I thought we'd go with a classic: The Matrix ."

Olive burst out laughing. "Seriously? Mr. Tech Genius wants to watch a movie about evil AI?"

"Hey," Chaos protested, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's a great film. Besides, I thought you'd appreciate the unexpected romance subplot."

Olive's laughter subsided into giggles. "Ah yes, nothing says true love like unplugging someone from a simulated reality."

As the movie began, Chaos found himself paying more attention to Olive than the screen. The way she bit her lip during tense scenes, how she'd occasionally mutter snarky comments about the characters' choices - it all endeared her to him even more.

Halfway through the film, Olive tilted her head up, catching Chaos staring at her. "What?" she asked, a hint of self-consciousness in her voice.

Instead of answering, Chaos leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. Olive melted into him, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair. When they finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Chaos rested his forehead against hers.

"I love you," he murmured, the words slipping out before he could second-guess himself.

Olive's eyes widened, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. "I love you too, my big, sexy lion. Now all we need to do is mate."

He opened his eyes wide at her words. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

A flash of doubt passed through her eyes. "Unless you don't want to…"