TBG - Chapter 16: Tangled Fates

Nadia stood frozen for a moment after Theodore left the room. She wasn’t sure what to do. Should she follow him, or stay behind? The moment had felt surreal, especially after that tense exchange. She had been rehearsed for every interaction, every scenario—except this one. The business partners had filtered out, leaving her standing alone in the room.

Just as she was about to leave, she heard Drake's voice behind her. “Are you really Theodore’s fiancée?”

Nadia turned to see him leaning against the table, his casual demeanor unchanged despite the earlier tension. His grin was in place, but there was something in his eyes—curiosity, maybe even a hint of amusement.

“Yes, I am,” Nadia replied, her voice steady despite the racing thoughts in her head. She wasn’t sure where this conversation would go, but she felt strangely compelled to answer him truthfully.

Drake smiled wider, clearly intrigued. “I didn’t expect to see someone like you here. The whole corporate vibe isn’t exactly... your scene, is it?”

Nadia gave him a raised brow. “What makes you say that?”

Drake shrugged nonchalantly, his smirk not fading. “Just a feeling. You seem... different from everyone else in this room. More down-to-earth.”

Nadia wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but before she could say anything, Drake continued, his tone shifting slightly, as if he were deciding to share something personal.

“I’m an actor, you know,” he said, his eyes glinting with a mix of pride and something else—maybe vulnerability. “Hollywood. It’s where I’m supposed to be. But my father... he didn’t see it that way.” He paused, as though unsure of how much he wanted to reveal, but then went on. “He wanted me to take over the family business, push me into the company, prove myself worthy of inheriting everything—millions, power... all of it.”

Nadia watched him carefully. His carefree smile had faded slightly, replaced by something more introspective. It was a side of Drake she hadn’t expected to see.

“I didn’t really have a choice. It was either follow his plan or get cut off completely. So here I am, doing business I never asked for, and watching my acting dreams slip further away with every meeting. But...” He shook his head, an amused glint returning to his eyes, “I have no choice. If I prove myself here, maybe I’ll inherit the whole empire. All this”—he waved his hand around—“this nonsense.”

Nadia felt an odd sense of sympathy for him. She, too, had been pushed into difficult situations, but hearing Drake’s story made her realize how different their worlds were. His life seemed to be one of privilege, yet the weight of family expectations was still crushing.

“And you know what the worst part is?” Drake continued, a frustrated edge creeping into his voice. “My father—Victor—always compares me to Theodore. He says I don’t have the same discipline, the same... edge. He expects me to be like Theodore, to be as ruthless, as sharp, as focused. Like it’s a game of who’s more deserving of everything Theodore’s father left.”

Nadia raised an eyebrow. “Victor compares you to Theodore?”

Drake nodded, frustration flashing in his eyes. “Every chance he gets. Theodore’s always the golden child, the one who ‘gets it.’ And no matter how hard I try, it’s never enough for him. Theodore’s already got it all, you know? The businesses, the reputation, the power. All Victor talks about is how Theodore’s the future of the company, how I need to ‘measure up’ to him.”

Nadia felt a surge of empathy. It was clear that Drake was struggling with living up to his father’s impossible expectations, constantly overshadowed by Theodore’s dominance.

“I guess, in his mind, it’s easier to look at me and see flaws, to compare me to Theodore and say I’m not enough. But the truth is, I never asked for any of this,” Drake said, almost to himself.

Nadia couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for his honesty, though it was tinged with frustration. She had no doubt that being in his shoes, constantly compared to someone like Theodore, was suffocating.

After a beat, Drake suddenly extended his hand toward her, his smile returning in full force. “You know, I could use a friend in this circus. You seem like someone who knows how to handle themselves. What do you say? Friends?”

Nadia hesitated for a moment, unsure. She had been so focused on her role in Theodore’s world that the idea of making friends here felt almost out of place. Yet, there was something disarming about Drake—he wasn’t asking for anything from her, and he seemed genuinely offering a friendship, without any strings attached.

“Friends?” she repeated, almost testing the word. She glanced at his outstretched hand and, after a brief pause, took it. “Sure, why not?”

Drake’s grin widened, and for a moment, the tension of the meeting seemed to dissipate. “I promise I’m not as bad as I look.”

Nadia chuckled softly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good,” Drake said with a wink. “And hey, if you ever need someone to escape from all this corporate chaos, I can show you a bit of the Hollywood life. No boardrooms involved.”

Nadia smiled, but there was a hint of amusement in her expression. “I think I’ll pass on that for now.”

---

As Miranda swirled the wine in her glass, she watched Chris swim confidently in the pool, his smile lighting up the area. After months of uncertainty, hearing from the doctors that Chris was on the path to recovery felt like a miracle. He had been so brave, enduring treatment after treatment, but now his future looked brighter than ever.

Miranda turned to Nadia, her tone casual but filled with curiosity. “So, how did it go with the Thatcher family? How did they react to the news?”

Nadia sighed, taking a sip of her wine, and looked out at the horizon. The experience had been much more difficult than she had expected. “Leonora…” Nadia started, her voice hesitant. “She’s… meticulous. I didn’t expect her to threaten me to leave Theodore.”

Miranda’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Leonora, but she didn’t seem surprised. “That’s just Leonora for you,” she muttered bitterly, swirling her own wine. “Always trying to control everything and everyone around her. She’s a snake.”

Nadia looked at Miranda, sensing the underlying tension in her words. “You seem to know her well.”

Miranda’s face twisted in disdain. “I should. My father was a business partner of hers, years ago. But Leonora tried to sabotage my father’s company—she was always manipulating things, trying to squeeze out every penny. It cost us everything. My father lost so much money because of her.”

Nadia was taken aback by the intensity of Miranda’s emotions, but she understood. “So that’s why you dislike her so much?”

“Dislike her?” Miranda let out a humorless laugh. “That’s an understatement. I hate her with every ounce of my being. If I could, I’d curse her to death for what she did to my father’s legacy.”

Nadia was quiet for a moment, letting Miranda’s words settle before continuing. “And then there’s Victor,” she said, her tone more neutral. “He doesn’t believe that I own businesses. He thinks I’m lying about my background.”

Miranda rolled her eyes, as though hearing the name was enough to stir her annoyance. “Victor’s an idiot,” she said dismissively. “He’s too busy trying to control everything that he can’t even think straight. But if you’re not careful, he’ll keep questioning you. He’s trying to assert himself, probably to take control of everything. Don’t let him rattle you.”

Nadia nodded in agreement, grateful for Miranda’s words of advice. “Then there’s Drake…” She trailed off, not sure what to make of him yet. “He’s... somehow good. Maybe he’s just misunderstood?”

Miranda raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Drake? The same Drake who comes off as a spoiled, arrogant brat?”

“Maybe,” Nadia replied thoughtfully. “But after talking to him, I think he’s not as bad as he seems. He’s just... easygoing, and maybe too confident sometimes. I think he’s just trying to fit in and prove himself in a family like theirs.”

Miranda stared at Nadia in shock. “Wait, you’ve talked to him? I’ve seen him around plenty of times, but I’ve never really spoken to him. But from what I’ve observed, he’s nothing but a show-off.”

Nadia smiled slightly, shrugging. “He’s not that bad, really. I think he just gets a bad rap.”

Miranda shook her head, unable to hide her surprise. “I never would’ve guessed. But if you say so... Maybe I’m just too quick to judge.”

They both took a quiet sip of wine as they watched Chris swim, a sense of peace in the air. Despite the drama of the Thatcher family, Nadia knew she had found some comfort in her new life—and in Miranda’s friendship.