There, sitting in the room was a beautiful woman, her face looked as if sculpted by the hands of gods.
Her body sculpted with both generous curves made firm by her training. Her hair was tied in a bun allowing view of her soft fair neck and the golden locket around it, the delicate chain catching the light with each subtle movement.
She wore slim cut blue pants that hugged her curves and a light blue blouse with a deep neckline.
Staring at Dante with soft violet eyes, she pointed one of her pained blue fingernails at him and motioned for him to come over.
“Come here Dante.”
Samantha, smart, beautiful, influential, a natural charisma, tactical and strategic, with a fantastic business acumen.
Each of my siblings was given a business of the family, one of the many ways to see who in the family would be worthy. Samantha was given a failing media company called The Real Elite Entertainment or Tree as it's more commonly called.
She created deals with other media companies. Dipped her fingers in news as well as entertainment. Created a cheap membership with some outrageous ones that were highly accepted after using the social media stars to endorse them.
The membership for regular was set at a price that even someone with minimum wage wouldn't need to spend more than a day or 2 of pay to cover the year.
Premium members, however, jumped in price by 10 times. Yet it came with many benefits, the most noticeable and the one that kept people coming was a lottery held once every 6 months. The requirements were that the member had to have had a premium membership for at least 3 months. Many people would cancel and reapply for it 3 months before the lottery.
The prizes of said lottery:
1st Place – Role in a show/movie + Paid industry-rate minimum
2nd Place – Voice role in animated feature + VO pay minimum
3rd Place – 2-year free premium membership
Samantha held back no cost in making sure the first movie was a hit. And she even made plenty of backroom deals to make that first subscriber seem like a professional.
After that role, the subscriber turned into a professional actress, and her name now is spread far and wide in the industry. Of course … since then it hasn't happened again.
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Yet once was enough to call upon all the dreamers.
Then there is the king membership. Only 1 full year subscription. This one cost 10 times what premium did however, at the end of the year for 24 hours a party was held in an island she bought where all the actors and actresses of Tree gathered, and all king membership subscribers were given an invitation to participate.
She is a genius, Samantha, my half sister. But still, she is sometimes blinded by a righteousness that doesn't belong in the Mercier family. Though she is smart and not easily manipulated in a mental standpoint, emotionally, she isn't nearly as strong as she pretends to be.
“Hello Sam.” Dante greeted as he walked over.
“Ah so you have returned from your mental world I see. So what were you contemplating this time with those pretty blue eyes of yours.” Samantha teased.
“I was wondering what the gathering was about this time,” Dante lied as he sat next to her.
Samantha gave Dante a concerned and sympathetic look as she placed a comforting hand on his arm.
“Don’t worry Dante once I’m head of the household i’ll make sure no one can bother you. You’ll be free to pursue what you wish.”
To Dante, Samantha’s voice was the most beautiful thing in the manor. Filled with care and affection.
It’s unfortunate, but with our father’s mindset, you won’t win, dear sister.
…
You’re too kind, and father looks down on such a trait.
You just don’t have that natural instinct, the predatory kind.
“It’s alright I am thinking of fighting back alittle.”
Upon hearing Dante’s declaration, Samantha’s hands twitch slightly, almost noticeably. Dante noticed a hint of something else beyond sympathy and concern mixed in for a moment. Nervousness, perhaps even fear.
“Are you going to fight for the inheritance now?” Samantha asked.
“No. I couldn’t care less about the inheritance,” Dante sighed, running a hand through his hair. “If my siblings want to come after me for stepping back into the ring, that’s fine. But I won’t be their punching bag anymore.”
“I just… need to get back in. I need Father to give me the tools to train. Say what I will about him—his methods work. Even if they’re a bit pompous.”
He glanced at Samantha, whose expression had shifted into one of quiet confusion.
“Something happened today. I just want to get stronger, that’s all.” Dante responded to the confusion he saw by recounting what happened at the gym.
…
A moment of silence passed.
“I see I understand if that’s the case I support you.” Samantha broke the silence with a hint of relief in her voice.
Hmm, does she think it would be difficult to win if I joined the battle?
Is that why she was so worried about it?
…
Damn it, because of the conditioning, I’m always looking for things, even if they aren’t there. Maybe she was just worried for me, for what this fight would do.
Yeah … that’s probably what it was.
“Young master Dante, young lady Samantha, would either of you care for tea or coffee?” an older bald headed man asked as he played with his twirly mustache.
“I’m well Regenald thank you,” Samantha answered.
“I’ll take coffee Reggie, also feel free to have Sai or Clare help, Sai is over there in the corner hoping I forget about him so he can be lazy and Clare…” Dante glanced at Clare and felt her cold gaze.
Still mad about the tickling huh.
“Actually just take Sai, Clare might try and poison me.” Dante grinned.
“Dante you should call him by his name properly,” Samantha sighed.
“What? He likes the nickname don’t you Reggie?”
Regenald gave Dante a neutral glance and bowed his head slightly before walking to Sai and picking him up over his shoulder, carrying him away as if he were luggage. Sai's eyes opened wide in shock, his normally expressionless face momentarily showing genuine surprise as his feet left the ground, and he seemed, even if for but a moment, as if he would struggle…
Such a thought lasted for at most a single second before his eyes returned to an expressionless gaze, his body going limp as he dangled over the butler's shoulder. Any hint of struggle passed away as if he decided it was too troublesome to resist his fate, accepting it with the same passive resignation he had shown since Dante saw him this day.
Dante watched the two leave the room. He purposely avoided Clare's cold gaze and glanced at Samantha, who was reading through financial reports. With a shrug, he laid down, finding a gap between Samantha’s arms and legs and rested his head on her lap before activating his holophone and reading novels once more.
