REVENGE OF THE ILLEGITIMATE HEIR

Levan paced the room, the fine Persian rug muffling the sharp clack of his Italian leather shoes. His jaw tightened with every glance at the newspaper crumpled on his desk. The bold headline screamed

“Corporate Playboy Quinn Destroys Business Ties with a Scandalous Affair!” Below, a grainy photo of Quinn, draped over the shoulder of a stunning brunette, captured the essence of the humiliation.

The door swung open, and Quinn sauntered in, oblivious to the brewing storm. His tailored suit hung casually on his lean frame, his confident smirk adding fuel to the fire.

“You called, Father?” Quinn’s tone was annoyingly flippant.

Levan didn’t respond. Instead, he crossed the room in three long strides and slapped Quinn hard across the face. The sound echoed in the grand office, silencing even the ticking grandfather clock in the corner.

“What the hell, Dad?” Quinn staggered, clutching his cheek.

“You shameless fool!” Levan thundered, throwing the newspaper at Quinn’s chest. “This! This is what you’ve reduced our family to!”

Quinn caught the paper and glanced at the headline. His smirk faltered for a split second before reappearing, albeit weaker this time. “Oh, come on. This? It’s just another tabloid hit piece.”

Levan’s face darkened. “Millions, Quinn. I’ve lost millions in hours! Clients are withdrawing deals because of you.” He jabbed a finger at the article. “Do you even understand the damage you’ve done?”

Quinn shrugged, tossing the paper onto the desk. “It’s not that serious. People love a comeback story. We’ll spin it.”

Levan’s fist slammed onto the desk. “Spin it? This isn’t some nightclub brawl or a drunken night in Monte Carlo. You slept with the wife of my biggest business rival, Quinn! And then flaunted it for the world to see!”

“Why do you care so much about their marriage?” Quinn retorted, his voice rising. “Maybe she came to me because her husband wasn’t man enough…”

“Shut your mouth!” Levan roared. “You disgust me. Is this what I raised you to be? A careless, entitled child who thinks he can ruin lives without consequence?”

Quinn’s jaw tightened, the playful glint in his eyes replaced with a flicker of resentment. “You raised me? That’s rich. You’ve never been a father…only a dictator obsessed with control. Maybe if you’d been around more, I wouldn’t have turned into this ‘disgrace’ you so despise.”

Levan froze, the words hitting harder than the slap he’d delivered moments ago. For a moment, silence hung between them, thick with unsaid words and years of tension.

Finally, Levan spoke, his voice low and icy. “Get out. Leave this office, this building, now. Until you learn to take responsibility for your actions, you are nothing to me.”

Quinn stared at him, disbelief flickering across his face. “Fine. If I’m nothing to you, then you’re nothing to me either.” He turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Levan exhaled heavily, his shoulders sagging as the adrenaline ebbed. He rubbed his temples, the weight of the scandal and the fight settling on him like a physical burden.

The door creaked open again, this time with far less force. Dimitri stepped inside, his movements cautious. His dark eyes, so much like his father’s, scanned the room. “I heard shouting,” he said quietly.

Levan waved a hand dismissively, his voice weary. “Quinn.”

“Another scandal?” Dimitri ventured.

Levan gave a bitter laugh. “When is it not? That boy… he’s determined to destroy everything I’ve built.”

Dimitri hesitated, then moved closer. “He’s reckless, yes. But he’s still your son.”

Levan’s gaze snapped to Dimitri, sharp and probing. “And what about you, Dimitri? Are you not my son too?”

Dimitri stiffened. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No?” Levan’s tone softened, but his eyes remained hard. “You’ve spent your whole life cleaning up after Quinn, proving your worth in a family that has done nothing but remind you of your place. Yet here you are, defending him.”

“I’m not defending him,” Dimitri replied, his voice steady. “But I understand why he acts out. He’s never had to face consequences before. You’ve let him get away with everything.”

Levan sank into his chair, the weight of Dimitri’s words hitting him harder than the scandal itself. He buried his face in his hands. “Perhaps you’re right. But what am I supposed to do? He’s my firstborn, my heir. If he fails, the entire empire crumbles.”

Dimitri stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “Maybe it’s time to stop seeing him as your heir and start seeing him as your son. He’s crying out for something, even if he doesn’t know what it is.”

Levan looked up at Dimitri, his eyes glistening with unspoken pain. “And what about you? You’re my son too, Dimitri. I see it, even if the world refuses to.”

Dimitri’s throat tightened, but he held his ground. “Then start acting like it, Father. Not just for me, but for both of us. Because if you don’t, one day, there might not be a family left to fight for.”

Levan nodded slowly, the cracks in his stoic facade beginning to show. “You’re wiser than your years, Dimitri. Your mother would be proud.”

Dimitri’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “I hope so.” He paused, then added, “You should rest. The board will expect answers, and you’ll need your strength to face them.”

Levan leaned back in his chair, watching as Dimitri turned to leave. “Dimitri.”

He stopped at the door, looking over his shoulder. “Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Dimitri gave a small nod and stepped out, closing the door behind him. Alone in the office, Levan stared at the crumpled newspaper, the faces of his sons…so different, yet so similar…burned into his mind. For the first time in years, he wondered if his empire was worth the price he’d paid to build it.