THE DEVIL I LOVE

VERONICA’S POV

The elevator bell dings as I reach the fifty-sixth floor, signaling my arrival. I step out, relieved to be away from the confined space. The hallway offers a stunning view of Manhattan. Clicking my heels, I head towards the conference room where my brother and father await. They're clearly impatient. "Veronica, finally. Did you bring it?" my brother demands, ignoring me as he turns back to my father.

I find myself sighing softly as I hand over the manila folder to Brady, my brother.

"You could've asked any one of your assistants, Brady," I remind him, trying to hide my irritation. My father, Patrick Harris, CEO of Harris Enterprises, shoots me a stern look. Brady shrugs, muttering something about confidentiality as he snatches the file from my hand. Ignoring me, he dives back into conversation with my father. Feeling dismissed, I take a seat at the enormous table, feeling their combined lack of interest in my presence.

As I sit down, they both shoot me annoyed looks. "What?" I ask, knowing the answer. They probably don't want me here. 'A pretty girl like you shouldn't be here,' my father would likely say, even though he's the one who pushed me to study and be involved in the company.

I place my bag on the table, feeling their disapproval, but I'm not sure why. After all, it was my father who pushed me to be involved in the company, not me.

Things weren't always like this. Brady used to be the slacker while I excelled. Parties, girls, disappearing acts – that was his life post-college. But on his twenty-sixth birthday, everything changed. Suddenly, he wanted in on the family business.

My father, who had groomed me for years to take over, quickly shifted his attention to Brady. All my hard work was tossed aside. Instead, Dad had other plans for me.

"Don't you have to get ready for the charity gala?" Dad raises his eyebrow, his real message clear: "Go home, get ready, and don't screw this up."

I bite my lip, holding back the retort bubbling inside. My gaze shifts between Dad and Brady, but Brady avoids eye contact, burying himself in papers. Our dynamic has shifted. Brady used to have my back, but now he's all about pleasing Dad.

In the last six months, since Brady decided he wanted what I'd worked for, our relationship crumbled. He was once my closest friend, but now? We barely talk about anything meaningful.

"Right, how could I forget?" I force a smile, shaking my head as if I'm the one losing it. Grabbing my bag, I make a swift exit, holding back the mix of anger and sadness brewing inside. I won't make a scene.

"Dad, seriously? You can't talk to her like that," I hear Brady's faint protest just before the door closes behind me. It's a relief to know he still has my back sometimes, but things have changed.

How could they not? Our lives aren't what they used to be, and there's no going back.

_______________________

Checking my reflection, I smooth out the gloss on my lips. "Is he here yet?" Annalise, tall and stunning in her red ballgown, asks about my so called boyfriend as she washes her hands.

"I don't think so. You know him, always late," I shrug, wiping off excess gloss before adjusting my emerald green gown. Paired with heels, I feel taller than my 5'2".