Chapter 5 You Need An Heir

• EVANDER
• I leaned over, fingers barely brushing the barbell as Carter pressed upward. His face was scrunched and red—making him look even more annoying than usual.
• He needed to learn his limits, but that’s why I was here, spotting his ass as always.
• “Come on, man. Push it,” I sighed, feeling impatient.
• “I’m…trying…,” he breathed heavily.
• I clicked my tongue and shook my head. “You should have picked the lighter weight.”
• He sucked in a breath, veins popping against his skin, but the weight stayed put.
• I watched, unbothered, letting him struggle a bit longer before intervening.
• It was part of the process, making them sweat it out. Helped build character.
• Just as I stepped in to lift the weight, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
• I pulled it out, glancing at the screen.
• Dad.
• I groaned and held in the urge to press the decline button. However, I knew better than to ignore it.
• I nodded at Carter, signaling that I had his back for a second, and answered.
• “Evander,” came the familiar voice, brisk and businesslike. “Guess what?”
• “What?”
• “You know Barry’s son, right? He is a good kid with a good head on his shoulders. Well, he just had a child! A daughter.”
• I sighed quietly. I already knew how this conversation was going to go.
• “That’s...nice, I guess?” I said, still holding the bar with one hand while Carter grunted beneath it, struggling.
• “A son would’ve been better, but hey, it’s a start.”
• “Dad,” I warned, feeling annoyed.
• “Well, well. You can’t really choose those things, can you? Anyway, I called you because of this. You need an heir soon, too, you know.”
• “Dad, I’m 25.”
• He let out a deep chuckle.
• “And? I was 24 when I had you. Look where I am now. Retired early, living comfortably. You should follow in my footsteps.”
• I clicked my tongue, finally giving in as Carter let out a desperate, “Bro, seriously!”
• I lifted the bar with ease and racked it back, rolling my eyes at him.
• “Thanks, man,” Carter wheezed, collapsing against the bench. “Thought you were gonna let me die there.”
• “Maybe next time,” I said dryly, stepping back to let him breathe. He gave me a side-eye, catching his breath as I finished up with my dad.
• “We’ll talk about this later, Dad,” I said, cutting him off before he could launch into another lecture about family legacies and heirs.
• He always had a way of timing these calls when I was at the gym—like he knew I couldn’t escape.
• “You should start thinking about it now, Evander,” he insisted. “You’ve got everything else figured out—business, money, the right connections. All you’re missing is a family.”
• “Yeah, I got it,” I muttered, already pulling the phone away from my ear as he initiated into his usual rant about legacy.
• I hung up, turning back to Carter, who was grinning like an idiot.
• “Let me guess,” Carter said, sitting up and wiping sweat from his forehead. His face was still red like a tomato. However, he couldn't even lift the weight for more than ten seconds.
• “The old man wants grandkids.”
• “Same old, same old.” I shrugged. “He’s like a broken record.”
• With that, I carried the weight that Carter struggled to lift and replaced it with heavier ones.
• Carter looked at me before sighing. “Ah, such perfect genes are wasted on a cold guy like you.”
• “Shut up,” I deadpanned, asking him to lie down once again.
• He settled on the lifting bench and then asked a question.
• “Is that why you’re dating Heather?” he asked, smirking as he leaned back against the bench.
• “You know it’s not.”
• My voice turned colder after his accusation.
• Heather was there when everything was falling apart and I could barely drag myself out of bed. She’s been the one constant, even when I didn’t deserve it.
• Carter raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Then why don’t you ask her for it? She loves you—at least, I think she does.”
• I didn’t say anything for a moment, just stared at him, then glanced away.
• “She’s still in school,” I said finally. “She’s finishing her course.”
• “Right,” Carter said slowly, like he didn’t buy it. He was always too perceptive for his own good. “Or is it because of you? Are you not ready?”
• I snorted. “Of course I’m ready.”
• “Is it because you’re still thinking about Jul—”
• I cut him off with a glare, stepping back from the bench and crossing my arms. “Don’t,” I warned.
• Carter’s smirk faltered, and he held up his hands in surrender, eyes wide. “Alright, alright. My bad. Chill, man.”
• I shook my head, turning away from him. “You’re on your own for the next set.”
• “Anders! Bro, come on!”
• Ignoring his protests, I headed for the showers.
• The water scalded, and I let it, leaning my head against the tiles. Carter always had to push his luck—bringing up things better left buried.
• He didn’t get it.
• He couldn’t understand what happened back then.
• I closed my eyes, the spray beating against my neck, trying to drown out the memories.
• When I got out, some girl was eyeing me from across the gym. I could feel her gaze on my back. I shot her a brief look but shook my head and walked past.
• Not interested.
• Outside, the sky was cloudy, the kind of dull gray that swallowed the sun.
• I got into my car, the familiar rumble of the engine soothing me as I drove to Heather’s school. The traffic was light, and it didn’t take long before I spotted her by the gate.
• She looked pretty as always—hair tied back, a slight smile on her lips as she scrolled through her phone.
• She saw my car and waved. With that, I parked my car in front of her and got out. I smiled as I walked toward her, placing a kiss on her forehead.
• “Let’s go?” I softly said.
• She nodded with a smile.
• However, at that moment, I felt a prickly sensation on the side of my face—like someone was staring at us.
• With that, I turned my gaze to the side, feeling my heart stop.