Chapter Text
Jane Roy had no Intention of attending her father’s birthday party, but here she was, in the elevator to his apartment, together with her oldest brother, Connor.
By sight no one would have guessed that he was her brother. Not only were there very few resemblances between them, but Connor was also over two decades older than her.
Which was why Jane couldn’t understand his reasoning sometimes.
She glanced at the gift bag that, what her brother told her contained bread dough. Why for heaven's sake he wanted to gift their father, who by Janes knowledge had neither cook nor bake in at least fifty years, bread dough.
But Jane wasn’t going to tell Connor that. It was anyway to late, the elevator doors opened, and Connor stepped out quickly.
His body covered someone she assumed was Marcia. She heard her stepmother complementing him for being so early here. Jane was more convinced that this was a death sentence worth instead of a compliment.
While giving her coat to one of the servants, Marcia discovered her. The older woman enclosed her into a tight hug. “Hello darling.”
“Hi.”
Marcia took a closer look at her, which led Jane to give her a smile.
“You look good.”
“Is that so surprising?”, she asks jokingly.
“No, but it’s pleasing. Now come, go to Connor, your… siblings aren’t here yet and I have some things to do before they come. “
Jane nodded and walked over to her brother, who for some reason gave her a little grin.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“What Connor?”
“You are definitely her favorite, you know that?”
From the other three Roy siblings that would have been an insult, but Jane knew that Connor was just stating facts.
“It’s not a hard competition, is it?”, she mumbled.
“No, not really.”, he agreed.
Jane watched as Marcia walked through the apartment, giving instructions. The competition really wasn’t hard. Connor was about ten years younger than their stepmother, Kendall and Roman did not really mind her, but also never took a greater interest in her and Shiv disliked her openly.
That left Jane. The youngest Roy was always left in some ways, but she didn’t mind this as much anymore as she once did.
Slowly the other members of the family showed up. First Roman with his current girlfriend Grace plus Graces daughter, Isla.
“Hey, you little bastard”, he greeted her.
“Roman.”, Connor said in a warning voice.
“What, am I not allowed to greet my little sister?”
Jane shook her head and gave him a small smile, “Hello.”
“Hello? Not Bonjour? That’s not really french of you.”
Jane rolled her eyes she lived for now two years in France. “I bet your French doesn’t go further than that, so I will spare you.”
“Merci Madame.”, he said mockingly, and Jane bet he would have said something else if Connors rather concerning conversation with Isla wouldn’t have interrupted them.
“And it’s very important because someday water is going to be more precious than gold and people are going to kill each other for it.”, Connor sounded a bit too excited about that.
Jane tried to hide her amusement, though it seemed she didn’t do it well enough since Marcia raised one eyebrow at her. She grinned apologizing and pulled Connor towards her.
“You probably shouldn’t tell an eight-year-old about the consequences of climate change. That could be scary.”
“Oh yeah.”, he said. “But I am going to share it with you two.”, he pointed at Isla and Jane.
“I very much appreciate that.”
In the meantime, Shiv and her boyfriend Tom had arrived. Jane watched the awkward exchange between Marcia and her half-sister.
She saw Tom approach her. “Hey Janie.”
“Tom.”
Before she could stop him, he had his arms wrapped around her and squeezed her tightly. She hated this, this sudden physical touch.
But she survived it.
“It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah, you too Tom.”, that was a straight lie.
Now she got Shiv attention “Jane how long are you going to stay?”
Also hello to you sis.
“For a week, I guess. I have some business here to do and then I will fly back.”
“Like drawing together with a friend?”, Roman shouted over the other guests.
“Very funny Rome.”
Before this could become an actual argument Marcia declared loudly, “Everyone, get ready. He’s back. Hide for the surprise.”
“We are surprising him?”, she asks skeptical.
“He’s gonna love this, I think the last time I surprised him he took a swing at me.”, Roman replied, finishing his drink.
Oh, she could imagine that. Jane tried to find a place where she wouldn’t be at risk if her father would lash out.
At the door was good, that was far enough away but not too far.
As the elevator doors opened everyone shouted “Surprise.” And “Happy birthday.”
Logan Roy was as expected not happy about that, but at least no one got harmed. He just muttered something probably insulting under his breath before exchanging a few words with his wife.
It was only when Logan was in the pavilion that Jane got a look at the person behind him. A tall but skinny man who was somehow familiar.
Before she could ask her father spoke again.
“Connor primo.”, Logan gave him a brief hug, ignoring the gift bag in Connors hands.
He greeted Rome next and then Shiv, before he turned to her.
“Jane, good you had time to come here.”
“Hey dad.”, she said as he pulled her into a short hug. “Who is this?”, she ask nodding at the strange man.
“Oh, oh, everybody, this is Craig. Cousin Craig.”
“Greg? It’s Greg, no?”, Shiv asked confused.
Jane had the faded memory of a picture in her mind. A picture with a pretty ugly baby, and Kendall’s words about an egg.
Seemed that was Greg the egg.
After some awkward moments in which Greg tried to explain that it was also alright to call him Craig, the last Roy sibling appeared.
Though Logan was clearly not happy about Kendall being here and not in the office.
He was also not happy about Connors bread dough. Calling it old bread, while Rome made fun of their brother.
Jane sends him some glares, buying gifts for a millionaire was not easy, although Connors gift probably wasn’t the best, it was also not that bad.
“Dinner in ten minutes.”, Marcia declared.
Jane was at her heels, “You didn’t sit me next to Greg, Shiv or Tom, did you?”
Before Marcia could answer Logan announced, “Kids, just two minutes, in my office.”
Oh fuck. Jane knew what was about to happen, but she had hoped that it would happen after dinner.
She followed her siblings into their father's office. Logan closed the door before he showed them the files. “So… this is about the family trust, which will decide the situation, in the case of my unlikely dismiss”, he paused to truly get their attention. As if he didn’t had them after the word trust-found.
“I am going to add Marci to myself and the fife of you.
A “Woah” escaped Shiv mouth.
She should have waited a few more seconds, Jane thought to herself, that would be a surprise.
“And after my death, Marcia will revive my seat.”, he added and turned to the files on his desk.
And there it was, the bomb that made them all look like deers in headlights.
“Wait”, Shiv interrupted. “This would mean that Marcia gets two votes.”
“So, I have some papers you have to sign.”, Logan said unbothered.
“But… why gets Marcia two votes when you die?”, interjected Kendall.
“If he dies.”, Roman commented.
“If? There is no if Roman.”
Logan cleared his throat. “Well Kendall and Jane already signed them so it’s just you three left.”
Jane watched Kendall. When did he sign the papers? She had done it two weeks prior, but Ken… why would he sign them?
Kendall looked pretty dumbfounded, “I… two votes… I don’t think that I…”
Roman read the papers through. “Then read the small print, asshole.”
“I am going to talk that through with my lawyers.”, said Shiv.
“Of course, of course, take your time. But I love the bread clue, but this is the gift I truly want.”
“And”, he added. “as I already mentioned to Kendall, I will stay for another few years before retiring.”
Ok, that was new. But not only for her as it seemed.
“Dad, wh… you…what?”, Kendall stammered.
“I just said it boy, or weren’t you listening, as usual? I stay.” With that Logan turned for the door. “At four o’clock then?” He was outside before anyone could reply.
Shiv was the first to speak again. “What the fuck Jane? How could you give her two votes?”
Roman began to laugh.
“I don’t understand what’s so funny about this.”, said Kendall.
“Well, you two are just fucking stupid.”
Jane could tell that Shiv didn’t share this belief regarding her, but her sister didn’t say anything.
Kendall and Shiv argued, but Jane didn’t listen. She watched Connor, was he angry? She could live with the other three being angry, but not Connor.
He looked conflicted, “Ok, I am out.”
“What?”, Shiv and Kendall looked at him disbelieving.
“I go with what ever you two decide. I will not play I am water.” And so he went too.
Roman chuckled again, which was Kendall breaking point.
“It’s not fucking funny. He’s gonna ruin the firm, for some gold digger…”
Jane decided that it would be best to leave. But the door already opened, revealing Marcia.
Just in that moment Kendall said something about her being a cunt, he looked a bit embarrassed.
“Dinner is ready.”, she gave everyone in the room, except Jane an icy stare.
She followed her stepmother, hearing Romans “she got definitely mommy issues” clearly.
As if he didn’t.
The dinner was not all too bad, compared with what had happened earlier. She got the sit next to Marcia, though Tom sat next to her. But you can’t get everything right?
After Franks Toast they all went to play the game.
She was happily entered her own car. Alex her driver waited for instructions, but before she could give them to him she heard a knock on the car window. It was Connor.
“Can Willa and I drive with you?”
She gave them a short nod before making space. He wanted to talk with her obviously, he had his own car and driver.
After they were on their way he asked, “You ok?”
“Sure. Shouldn’t I ask you that?”
He shrugged. “Why did you do it?”
She sighed, Connors voice was free from blame, he was just interested. Which was maybe worse.
“It’s not my firm.”
“And?”
“Well out of all of us, we two will definitely not inherit Waystar.”
That was the funny thing about Logan, his dislike for his oldest and his youngest. They both never took a path that would lead them to become CEO of Waystar. So, they were automatically out. Not that that bothered her, she already owned a fashion company.
“So, you want the money?”, Connor asked.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “We all want the money Connor. But I am not interested in being CEO unlike the others.”
Connor nodded.
She didn’t want to ask, but the question just slipped out, “Are you angry?”
“No, I could never be angry at you dove.”
Jane smiled at the use of the old nickname.
She took the helicopter with Connor Willa and Greg together. Dad had Roman with him, most likely to pressure him into signing the papers.
She chatted with Willa, unlike the other Roy’s, she actually liked her. She was nice, so why should she mind her job.
Jane knew that she had no right to judge the other woman for her work and you could actually talk with her about several interesting topics.
As they arrived at the field, a tent was already built up.
Everything was set up just for them, as usual. Jane played a bit with Sophie, Kendall’s daughter, since her mother had to stay with Iverson and Kendall was talking to Shiv and Roman.
The little girl giggled as Jane missed the ball for the second time. “Aha, you think this is funny?”
“Yeah.”
Jane took a short run towards her niece and began to tickle her.
Sophie began to laugh, “Stop it. Auntie Jane.”
“Alright, alright.”, she said making a natural face, even though she just saw her father stepping next to Shiv.
Looks like he is now talking her into it. Interesting.
Just as they started to play the real game Kendall’s phone rang. He apologized and disappeared. Jane who stood at the side of the field watched Roman. He looked at the family that stood nearby, at the boy.
“When Kendall leave we need another player.” He pointed at the boy with the the gray blue hat. “Hey boy wanna play?”
Jane knew that this wasn’t going to end well.
But she just watched Roman writing the check, and the young boy running only to lose. She was disgusted when Roman ripped the check apart and laughed.
Soon after that they all sat in the helicopter again. Jane was glad that the day was over. She could return to her hotel room and take bath after landing.
But this plan was ruined by a phone call from Shiv.