Chapter 12 Shattered Hope

“Hear me out,” Vinnie said earnestly. “The pay is solid — five thousand dollars a month. That’s life-changing money, even for you. Hell, it’s more than I’ve ever made, and I’m your older brother.”

Kane crossed his arms and shook his head. “Vinnie, I’m grateful. I really am. But I can’t accept the offer. I’m sorry.”

Vinnie’s face frowned deeply. He was clearly not expecting such an outright rejection. “Why not?”

“Because I’m a soldier,” Kane replied. “Not just any soldier — a mercenary. I’ve spent my life holding a gun and taking down the bad guys. That’s what I know and what I’m good at. I don’t know the first thing about managing a company, writing reports, or telling people what to do in the corporate world. I belong in the field, Vinnie, not in an office.”

Vinnie did not respond immediately. Instead, he pushed off the car and took a step closer, his expression turning serious. “You think being a soldier is all that defines you?”

“It’s not just what I do,” Kane said. “It’s who I am.”

Vinnie let out a deep sigh. “Kane, you’re looking at this all wrong. You think the corporate world is so different from the military? Let me tell you something — it’s not.”

Kane scoffed. “Oh, come on, Vinnie. It’s nothing alike.”

“Really?” Vinnie replied. “When you were in the field, what did you do? You made decisions under pressure, right? You analyzed situations, adapted to threats, and kept your team alive. You think those skills don’t apply here?”

Kane stayed silent. Vinnie continued, “In the corporate world, it’s the same game, just different tools. Instead of ambushes, you deal with market shifts. Instead of bullets, you face competition. And instead of keeping a team alive, you keep a business thriving. It’s all about strategy, Kane. And if anyone knows how to strategize, it’s you.”

Kane shook his head, still not convinced. “That’s different, Vinnie. Out there, it’s life or death. In your world, it’s just numbers and deals.”

“Is it?” Vinnie countered. “You think the lives of the people who depend on this company aren’t at stake? The families who rely on those paychecks? The employees who trust their leaders to make the right call? You’re not just managing numbers, Ryder — you’re protecting people, just like you always have.”

Kane looked away from him for a moment. Vinnie added firmly, “And don’t tell me you can’t do it. You’re not just a soldier; you’re a leader. You’ve led men into battle and brought them back alive. You’ve faced impossible odds and come out on top. If you can do that, you can do this. And think about it — the pay, Ryder. Five thousand a month. That’s not just survival; that’s a future.”

Vinnie patted Kane’s shoulder. “Just think about it. You don’t have to decide now. But don’t sell yourself short, Ryder. You’re more than you think you are.”

Kane exhaled, not wanting to drag the conversation any longer. “I’ll think about it,” he said. He turned and went back inside to continue his work.

The afternoon dragged on. Kane wiped down a worn-out table when he heard a knock at the door. He rose to check who it was and saw Delilah Carter standing there.

She walked in, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on him. Instantly, the memory of the previous night came rushing back — the ridiculous chase after the cockroach, the fall, and how she had landed on top of him. Kane shook his head slightly to clear the thought.

“Hi, Kane,” she said softly with a small smile.

“Delilah,” Kane replied, standing straighter than necessary.

She stepped closer. “I just wanted to thank you for last night. It meant a lot.”

Kane shrugged, trying to play it cool. “It was nothing. Just a cockroach.”

Her smile widened, and for a moment neither of them spoke. A comfortable yet charged silence settled between them as if both were waiting for the other to say something more.

Before Kane could figure out what to say next, Vinnie’s voice suddenly broke through the silence.

“Kane!”

Kane turned toward the entrance and saw his brother running inside with a huge grin on his face. Before he could react, Vinnie pulled him into a tight hug, nearly lifting him off his feet.

“Whoa, Vinnie,” Kane said, trying to wriggle free. “What’s gotten into you?”

Vinnie stepped back, his grin as wide as Kane had ever seen it. “What did you say to my wife?”

Kane blinked in surprise. “What? I didn’t—”

“She promoted me to manager!” Vinnie interrupted excitedly. “And get this — you’re my deputy manager! I never thought I’d get the position, but she said you had something to do with it. Kane, this is insane!”

“Vinnie, calm down,” Kane said, raising a hand to stop him. Delilah excused herself quietly and walked away, leaving the brothers alone.

“Calm down? Kane, this is life-changing!” Vinnie exclaimed, unable to control his happiness.

Kane sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I didn’t do anything, okay? Just… take a breath.”

Vinnie finally stopped bouncing on his feet. “Still, you’ve got to admit, this is huge. We’re moving up, Kane!”

Vinnie’s phone suddenly buzzed loudly, cutting through their conversation. He glanced at the screen and frowned. “Sorry, Kane, I need to take this. It’s important.” He stepped away, leaving Kane alone in the corridor.

Kane sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and decided to check the rest of the building to see which areas he had not cleaned yet. As he walked toward the other side of the company, faint voices reached his ears. They were coming from behind a door that was slightly ajar. He did not mean to stop, but something about their tone made him pause and listen.

“Have you seen the notice board?” a woman asked.

“Yeah,” a man replied. “Vinnie and his brother Kane as manager and deputy manager? What a joke.”

Kane froze but continued listening carefully.

“Can you believe it?” the woman continued, almost laughing. “Vinnie’s barely competent, and now his brother, some ex-soldier, is supposed to help run this place? What does Ryder know about business? Probably nothing.”

“I heard he was a mercenary,” another man interjected. “What’s he going to do? Manage us with a gun? Maybe we should start wearing bulletproof vests to work.”

They all started laughing, each chuckle feeling like a direct insult to Kane’s pride.

“Let’s be real,” the first man said. “The only reason Vinnie got this promotion is because he’s married to the chairman’s daughter. Elizabeth probably pulled all the strings to make this happen. Nepotism at its finest.”

“Exactly,” the woman agreed. “And now we’re stuck answering to them. Vinnie’s useless, and Kane? He doesn’t even belong here. What does a soldier know about running a company?”

“Nothing,” the man said flatly. “This is the beginning of the end for this place. They’re going to ruin everything.”

“I can’t believe we’re all supposed to take orders from them,” the woman added. “It’s embarrassing. Kane’s probably still figuring out how to use a computer, let alone manage people.”

They all laughed again.

“Mark my words,” the man said. “This company’s going to crumble with them in charge. We should all start looking for new jobs now before the ship sinks.”

Kane stood there hidden behind the door, clenching his fists tightly. Every word felt like a blow, not just to him but to Vinnie as well. He had begged Elizabeth to promote his brother, hoping it would finally give Vinnie the respect he deserved. He had believed that if Vinnie became the head, no one would dare look down on him anymore.

But hearing this was like watching that hope shatter into pieces.

Kane’s heart ached. He wanted to storm into the room, punch every single one of them, and demand they say those words to his face. But just as he was about to move, he heard Vinnie’s voice behind him.

“Kane.”

Kane turned around. Vinnie was standing there, his usual smile completely gone, replaced by a sad and tired expression.

“Vinnie,” Kane said, stepping toward him. “What’s wrong?”

Vinnie shook his head and let out a shaky breath. “It’s nothing.”

Kane knew better. Whatever call his brother had taken had not gone well. “Vinnie,” he said again, more firmly this time. “What happened?”

“Let’s just go,” Vinnie finally said, his voice strained. “I don’t want to talk about it here.”