Page 41 of No Mane, No Gain
“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 soscared 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.”