Ashley’s POV

Mom looked at me when I came into the living room. Her mouth set in a deep frown and she focused her eyes back on the papers she was reading.

I will never trust uncle John on his words again.

I told him not to tell mom anything and he did the exact opposite. He knew how sensitive she was when it came to me.

Especially after that accident.

Even a minor scratch on me made her panic.

I was glad that he didn’t mention Nathaniel Rothschild to mom.

I never wanted her to know of that man.

“Why are you standing here?” Fey and Sam came as well. I motioned toward mom in silence.

“Mom!” Fey went to her. “For how long are you going to mope?” I followed her with Sam and we sat around our mother.

“She is fine, mom.” Sam tried to reason with her too. “Don’t be like this, please.”

“Yeah, mom!” Fey nodded. “Don’t be like this. It could have happened to anyone.”

“Don’t try to justify it,” Mom looked at her sternly. “She could have–”

“I am sitting in front of you, aren’t I?” I palmed her clenched hand. “Nothing is going to happen to me, mom. Nothing is going to happen to any of us.”

“I cannot win when you team up against me.” She scowled at us. “But never again are you going to walk around carelessly like this or do something dangerous.” She looked between us. “Any one of you.”

“Okay.” We said in unison.

“Tell me right away if there is something wrong. I know you kids like your privacy but I am a single parent. At least, give me some peace of mind to sleep at night without worrying about your safety.”

“Okay,” We said again.

“And stop synching,” She groaned in annoyance. “Now leave me alone.”

“You are not going to the office?” I asked her. “I thought you had a meeting.”

“I am having the meeting at home,” she answered. “I just cannot leave you alone after what happened.”

We just looked at each other.

“Why?” She looked at us. “Did John ask you to convince me to take it to the office?”

“He is against you having a meeting over here?” I asked her.

“Without any solid explanation,” Mom huffed. “I don’t know why he is so edgy these days?”

“It’s the adult thing,” Fey whispered to me. She straightened up when mom glared at her.

“We are not expected to act like we don’t exist when you will be having this meeting, right?” Sam asked her. “I cannot pretend like a ghost.” He crossed his arms in a big no.

“Me too,” Fey nodded in agreement. “It’s impossible for me as well.”

“I think I know why John didn’t want me to have the meeting at home,” Mom said solemnly while looking at Fey and Sam.

“You two don’t need to act like non-existent species.” I snickered at their jaw-dropping expressions. “It’s still snowing,” I wiggled my eyebrows.

“Bloody hell!” Sam grinned. “Of course.” He high-fived Fey.

Our mother looked between us, confused.

“It’s something we always do,” I assured our mother. “When is your guest expected?”

“I don’t trust anything that involves you three but I will let it go for now.” She just shook her head in defeat. “I just want you three out while he is here.”

“Your client is a he?” Fey asked curiously.

“Yes,” Mom said and stood up. “They will be here in an hour. Get on with whatever you plan on doing. Just make sure you don’t cause trouble in any way.”

“Sure,” We ran to our rooms to change.

Mom looked at us in mild amusement when we returned, all packed. We just winked at her and ran out through the backdoor.

To the lake.

*****

I screamed when Sam pushed me off the slope and toward the lake. Fey was waiting for me. As soon as I neared her, she ran forward to stop the sled.

We tipped over in the snow and fell face down.

“Bollocks,” Fey pushed me playfully while getting up. We straightened the sled and dragged it back to Sam again.

“Sam,” I yelled, “push a little harder.”

“I don’t want you to end up in the freezing water” he reasoned. Fey ran forward when we reached the top of the slope.

“My turn” she jumped excitedly and got in the sled once we adjusted it over the edge.

“Go and be ready,” Sam told me. I ran down and stood where Fey was standing. “Ready?”

“Ready” I yelled back.

Fey giggled when Sam pushed her down. I ran forward to stop the sled from moving towards the lake when she neared me.

We tipped over again and were buried in snow again.

It was so much fun.

We got up and dragged the sled towards Sam again.

“Your turn,” we said in unison when we reached him.

“Are you sure?” He asked. “I am not small anymore.”

“Just get in” Fey ran toward the lake after we adjusted the sled and Sam got in.

“Are you sure?” Sam looked at me for affirmation. “Will you be able to push me?”

“Yes,” I ruffled his hair. “Ready?” He nodded. “Off you go” I pushed him with all my might.

Sam hooted while going down and I laughed running after him. Fey ran to tip him over and both of them fell into the snow.

The scene was hilarious.

Our laughter ended in a snow fight. We were screaming, laughing, and throwing snowballs at each other.

We had seen the worst period of our life in the past, and that was why we cherished every little and big moment of our life.

I might not be the same person but I would never let my family suffer because of me.

If it meant that I had to pretend all my life then I would.

I could and would sacrifice myself if it came to that, just to see them smiling like this for the rest of my life.

Because I could not do anything to protect my father.

I looked at our home.

“Ash?” Fey called me when I kept looking toward the window of our living room. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I shook my head and went back to them.

I swear I felt someone’s gaze just now.

*****

Nathaniel’s POV

“You have a beautiful family” I moved away from the window and picked a frame from the mantle. “It would pain me greatly if they suffered the aftermath of your decisions.” I put the frame back before looking at Alison Belford.

Now I see where Ashley got her steely nerves from.

“It won’t change anything, Mr. Rothschild” Alison stated calmly. “I will not sell the factory to you. Too many lives are dependent on it. My lawyer already told you that. I don’t see why you are still insisting?”

“You won’t be able to shake her, Mr. Rothschild,” John said the same thing again.

“I get what I want and I want your land and factory,” I said coldly. “I will raise the price ten times but I will have it.”

“That won’t change anything,” Alison said confidently. “My answer will remain the same.”

I went back to the window when my ears picked up her faint laugh.

Ashley looked different. So carefree and happy.

Different from the girl I encountered over time.

She was laughing and screaming openly while playing with her siblings.

I watched her amused when she got up excitedly after falling face first in the snow and ran back up happily while dragging that heavy thing as well.

That broken doll was not that weak.

“Exactly what I want.”

“Mr. Rothschild?” I tilted my head slightly when Alison called me.

“My offer still stands, Mrs. Belford,” I turned to her. “Believe it or not, you will accept it.”

It is time to use that.

“Marco!” my right hand came with a file. He gave it to her when I nodded.

Alison read through the file. The horror became evident on her face with each passing second.

I just smirked and looked at Ashley.

How completely oblivious you are to the harsh reality!

You will shatter into pieces before my eyes.

“No!” Alison stood up. Her calmness morphed into fear. “No! This–John?” She looked at him helplessly.

“What?” John took the file from her.

“Deny all you want, Mrs. Belford,” I eyed them coldly. “But this is the bitter truth of your husband.”

John and Alison looked at each other.

“It’s–” John paused when Alison shook her head at him. “Nothing will happen,” he assured her and faced me calmly. “I don’t know how much you know but I will just tell you one thing. Jared didn’t make this deal.”

He looked at Alison when she sat down on the sofa.

What did I miss?

“Jared died in the car crash the day this deal was signed.” John faced me grimly. “He never met anyone. When the accident happened, Ashley was in the car with him.”

That explains her reaction at that time.

“Someone did in his stead,” I retorted coldly. “That project involved billions invested in it.” I looked between them. “You owe us the money we lost because of your husband.”

“That company is not even ours now,” Alison said through gritted teeth. “Ask those who are responsible.”

“Alison!” John warned her.

“I am willing to let it go if you agree to sell your land to me. Otherwise, I can take it to court. It’s one of the two. The choice is yours to make.”

“How can you expect me to make a choice?” Alison yelled in frustration.

“Unless...You think of an alternative.” I smirked.

“What are you suggesting?” John asked after seeing how tense Alison got suddenly.

They were trapped where I wanted them.

“You don’t want to sell the land and don’t want to return the loan.” I walked around their small space leisurely. “I don’t want to drag this matter out legally. I don’t have time for that.” I stopped in front of John. “But you know the consequences of not paying the price that is long overdue.”

“What do you want?” Alison asked.

“A collateral.” I looked at her. “I want your daughter’s hand in marriage. Your elder daughter to be specific.”

“What nonsense?” Alison stood up angrily. “How dare you?” John pulled her back when she tried to reach me. “My daughter is not a thing. You can do whatever you bloody want. I don’t care. I will never sacrifice my daughter for this.”

“I see,” I chuckled darkly, “You will receive the legal notice soon.” I walked out of their living room.

I stopped when I sensed a very familiar presence nearby.

Seems like my little princess heard everything.

Ashley looked at me in shock and fear. Her cheeks were flushed and her wide eyes were glossy with tears.

Oh, how I want to taint her right now.

The purity of being innocent and untouched!

I suppressed a growl when my eyes fell on her mouth.

Those soft plush lips!

I wanted to suck the life out of them. I wanted to kiss them and bite them until she fainted in my arms.

I wanted to taste her.

From her head to her toe.

I wanted her the first time I saw her in my room that night.

She was the perfect piece. The piece I was looking for all this time.

I would not have resorted to such means if she only submitted herself to my will.

But she had to be the obnoxious one.

The kind that believed that they were self-righteous in this fucked up world.

She was rude and disobedient.

She was everything that I loathed.

But she was so wrong into believing that she could act however she pleased before me.

What did she know?

Nothing.

I truly pitied her ill fate that brought her to me. I felt sorry for her future which was overshadowed by my presence.

But that was all that she was going to get from me until I was done.

I clenched my hands the longer I looked at her.

I wanted to taste her fear once more. I wanted to see her helplessness once more.

To what extent I was not willing to go just to see her break down before me?

I could never forget the feeling of having her in the palm of my hand. To make her bend how I wanted after crushing her pride.

She was a mere human.

I could crush her right now with a mere touch.

I smirked when she looked away from me in disgust.

“You have not learned your lesson yet, I see” I whispered to her and walked out of their home.

“They have gotten the wind of things,” Marco informed me once I sat in the car.

“Just what I wanted,” I looked at their house and smirked.

All was going according to plan so far. Now I just needed them to attack.

“Keep an eye on them from afar,” I told Marco. “Make sure she is not harmed. I want her in one piece until I say otherwise.”

“Yes, boss,” Marco answered.

“Being pure is a curse in itself, princess,” I mused darkly. “You will learn it the hard way.”

Soon!

“Go” I ordered and Marco drove off.

You will beg me on your knees to take you.