Chapter 53

Chapter 53
  Hunter:
  There is only one word to sum up my life right now:
  Hell.
  And I mean every bit of it.
  Everything’s been chaos. It’s been a month since I pulled what I thought was a genius move—taking Anika—only to find out she was already marked.
  By him.
  Matteo. That beast.
  I knew then if I didn’t want an all-out war—something our packs have been simmering toward for years—I had no choice but to send her back.
  I pretended it didn’t tear me apart. But it did. It still does.
  And yet… I can’t let go. I’m Hunter Ford. I don’t break. I don’t bow. And I sure as hell don’t back down.
  And as if things couldn’t get any worse..like the universe just wants to laugh in my face..my business is tanking.
  I’ve been pacing the length of my study for what feels like forever, reports clutched so tight in my hands the paper’s crumpling at the edges. The numbers don’t lie, no matter how many times I scan them.
  Sales have taken a nosedive in just two damn weeks.
  Hunterika. My billion-dollar empire. The company that sat comfortably in first place, untouchable for years… has slipped.
  No, crashed.
  Straight down to third.
  Third!
  I can’t even wrap my head around it. How the hell does something like that happen within just..?
  My eyes land on the one name glowing at the very top of the charts, mocking me like it was put there just to spite me.
  Anivelle.
  Skyrocketed to number one like it owns the world, while mine bleeds out.
  What the actual fúck?
  “Hunter, you’re gonna fry your brain if you keep that up. You’ve been pacing nonstop for thirty minutes.”
  The voice cuts through my haze.
  I freeze, snapping my head around.
  Kyle.
  Sitting there like he doesn’t have a care in the world, legs crossed, cool as ever, as though this downfall isn’t gutting us both.
  My face hardens into a frown as I stalk toward him. “Seriously, Kyle?”
  “Okay, calm down? I totally understand you.”
  “Oh no, you don’t.” My voice rises. “You fúcking don’t! Do you realize how bad this is going to hit the business and the pack as a whole?”
  “Of course I do.” He jerks forward in his seat now, no longer lounging. “But pacing around and swearing isn’t going to fix a damn thing. What we need is to restrategize.”
  “Restrategize? Fine, then find the strategy!” My voice comes out hollow as I drop into the chair opposite him, rubbing my face. “Because right now, I’ve got nothing. I’m point blank.”
  Kyle smirks, like he enjoys watching me unravel. But when he sees I’m dead serious, his expression sobers.
  “Honestly, I have to give it to Anivelle, though.” he finally says. “Whatever they did, it’s working. Their brand’s literally everywhere.”
  “I’m aware.”
  “Oh, I don’t think you are.” He leans in, voice steady but firm. “Everyone..and I mean everyone, is wearing their pieces. They’ve taken over every feed and every platform. Anivelle is trending nonstop. It’s like Hunterika doesn’t even exist anymore.”
  “Well, it still does,” I snap, frustration lacing my voice. “But tell me, what the hell could make Anivelle blow up this hard in just one month? It’s insane! It took me months to get Hunterika recognized, to fight my way into the spotlight. But Anivelle? It’s like they literally shot to number one overnight!”
  “Yeah,” Kyle says dryly. “And they’re driving in nearly a hundred times what we used to generate.”
  I throw my hands up. “So freaking sad!!”
  Kyle only shrugs. “Honestly? I think it’s their prices.” He pulls out his phone, taps a few times, then shoves the screen toward me. “Look. Best-quality jewelry at the lowest price in the industry. It’s ridiculous!”
  I squint at the numbers, disbelief clawing at me. “How the fúck is that even possible? They should be drowning in losses, not raking in profits!”
  “Welp.” Kyle purses his lips, leaning back with a little too much ease.
  I drag a hand through my hair, muttering, “Is it… uh, possible to maybe schedule a meeting with the CEO? Propose an alliance, or something—”
  “Don’t bother,” Kyle cuts me off before I can finish. “The CEO isn’t exactly known. Nobody knows who runs Anivelle. And get this, whoever it is doesn’t attend meetings.”
  My face hardens. “What?”
  “Yup.” Kyle shrugs. “At this point, we just have to pray they don’t drain the few customers we’ve got left. Because honestly, I’ve never seen this kind of—”
  BANG!
  The door slams open with a deafening crack, echoing through the room. My heart jolts, and for a split second, I forget how to breathe.
  I whip my head toward the intruder, anger bubbling, ready to rip into whoever the hell thinks it’s okay to storm in like this. But the words freeze in my throat the moment my eyes land on him.
  Stefano.
  “Surprise, dearest brother!” He throws his hands up, while his lips stretch into a wide, arrogant smile. “Did you miss me?”
  For a moment, I can’t even find my voice. Shock roots me to the spot until one broken word slips past my lips.
  “Stefano?”
  He chuckles at my reaction, clearly amused by how rattled I am.
  “Your expression says it all. You’re not exactly thrilled to see me.”
  “I.. I am.”
  “No, you aren’t.” He begins to stalk towards me slowly,with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. “Not that I give a damn. All that matters is I’m back…” His smile sharpens into something darker. “…and I’m here to take my son, Neo.”