"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kingston." He greets stretching hand out to Carl but he doesn't shake it. My chest begins to tighten, and I find myself clinging tighter to Carl's arm.

"Carl." I softly mutter, trying to calm my fast beating heart. I look around finding many staring in our direction, and I lightly pinch his arm and he breaks out his stare.

"My apologies." He stretches his hand out to Assad and he accepts it. "I had just remembered something regarding the broadcast issue. I think I may have to find me a piece of paper somewhere to write it down so I don't forget." He chuckles, and those around us laugh as well.

"See Assad, I told you the idiot is a workaholic just like you. We're out for a relaxing night and he's thinking of work." Both men chuckle.

"And who may I ask is this fine young man?" Mother's voice is suddenly heard, and my smile drops; her eyes casting me a pointed look before she turns to face them.

"Mrs. Kingston. This is my good friend Assad Benjamin. He is the photographer who we are inquiring to shoot the winter issue with Ms. Paulina." I hold tighter to Carl's arm and he glances down at me with a very forced smile.

"Is that so? Gregory dear." She calls out to father who wasn't too far from us, chatting with Mr. Smith and Robert.

"Yes darling-?" His eyes widen in shock, when he sees Assad.
"W-What are you doing here?"

"You all know each other?" Carl's friends asks confused, and by now more people were closely paying attention.

"We go back a long ways." Assad states, and a shiver runs down my spine at the sound of the familiar deep voice, his lips twitching up slightly, and I feel my cheeks warm.

"How is your mother dear? I do hope she is doing well." Mother inquires but the frown on Assad's face causes us all to look at him questionably.

"She's ill, but I do have a caretaker looking after her."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I do hope she gets well soon." Mother says in feigning sympathy, yet I doubted anyone would notice it to be so, seeing as it sounded genuine.

——

"I can not believe he is here!" Mother yells the moment we entered the house. Sadly Smith and Robert had to join us home, so we can discuss this. Assad's sudden arrival was not good.

We enter the living room, and she walks straight down the middle to the grand window, leaving us all in suspense, before she spins around, storms over to me.

"You are to stay away from him, do you understand me." My face hardens, and she grabs me by the collar of my dress.

"Tabatha-"

"Shut up Gregory! The foolish girl couldn't even have respect for herself, far less her husband, gawking and blushing at the man like he is a hot meal!"

"I was simply caught off guard-"

"Well get your act together!" She points in my face, and I fold my fists to refrain myself from lashing out at her.
"There is no mistaking his reason for being here is for you, and he is the potential photographer for the winter issue you will be doing?!" She looks towards Carl.
"What do you have to say about this?"

"Eric said he had a friend that he knew would be a great choice. He hadn't told me who he was and said that I should trust him, so I did." He replies and mother huffs in irritation.

"Why does it seem like I am the only one that is truly concerned about this?!"

"You are not the only one Tabatha, but have you forgotten that they signed a contract before they left." Father states and I see Robert look at him confused.

"A contract?" We all look at him.
"Why would he have had to sign a contract, and who is he exactly to the family?"

"My daughter's virginity taker." Robert's eyes widen.

"The father of my unborn child." I grit out and she glares at me.

"Pardon?" Robert stands to his feet, looking between us all in shock.

"A child was killed? And what is this contract—actually just inform me of everything." He demands.

"Stay out of-"

"Six years ago, when we lived at our former estate in Willingson Pemberton, Assad and his parents were our servants. However one day, Paulina and Assad were caught having intercourse by her mother."

"Do not tell this man our family business Gregory."

"He is our lawyer Tabatha. Just this once act sober minded, and later you can return to your angered behavior." He tells her and she scoffs, turning her head away from him. So dramatic. I roll my eyes at her.

"So Paulina had sex outside of wedlock?" Robert asks and father nods. He glances at me and I fold my arms.

"Your judgment does not faze me." He chuckles.

"I hold no judgment towards you Paulina. You can not help who you fall in love with." My face softens, but it quickly hardens by mother's words.

"Do not encourage the hussy in her tainted ways. She could have ruined our reputation and her own by sleeping with that boy! Why not tell him how you also got pregnant by him! Oh and what about you Gregory? Say the whole story. Tell your lover how I had caught you screwing Assad's father just two days prior." She shouts making Father narrow his eyes at her, and me to roll my own.

"Why do you always have to shout mother." I mutter, rubbing against my right temple.

"You little-"

"You slept with his father?" Robert cuts mother off, gaining her attention.

"Yes he did. You are not his first colored man, and probably not his last." She folds her arms looking as if she was proud of herself. Such a wretch.

"I did have relations with Assad's father." Father admits, and mother lets out a loud Ha.

"Oh quit it Tabatha." Father curtly tells mother.

"Don't tell me what to do Gregory." She replies in the same tone.

"Both of you just stop." Robert commands. Mother lets out a dramatic gasp, clutching at her neck, with a shocked expression.

"Who do you-"

"Stop arguing and tell me what happened after?" He folds his arms, giving mother a stern look. She challenges his stare by narrowing her own at him.

"Don't test me woman."

"Tabatha just stop it." Father walks between them both, disrupting their stare off.
"As I told you previously Robert, according to Kingston law, they had signed contracts that forbids them of speaking of the things that they had witnessed, heard or had happened within this family."

"Okay and where does Carl come into this? According to the law, contracts are signed even with the betrothed family."

"You told him the laws of our famil-"

"Carl was always the potential betrothed for Paulina." Father states ignoring mother.
"And as stated in the law he would adopt the Kingston name— however, as agreed between both families, seeing as he the heir of the Ignius Business, his last name was to be hyphenated as Ignius-Kingston to keep the Kingston law as well as be able to carry in the Ignius legacy. We also agreed in that contract that the parents, him and Paulina, will have the right to choose which born child shall carry on which last name to continue the legacy of each the family."

Robert does not immediately speak when father concludes, and I am sure it is because he was processing the information. The Kingston family truly is the most strategic in everything that we do. Everything is down to give us an advantage. Everything.

"Okay...does Carl know of Paulina's past history?" Father nods, but there was something almost sparkling about his eyes. Could seeing Robert at work have such an effect on him? I smile to myself. Maybe so.

"Another contract was signed, but this time it was only between Carl, his father, Tabatha, and I."

"So your mother does not know?" He asks looking to Carl who was leaning against the wall for confirmation, and Carl nods yes, confirming.
"Okay and about the killing of the unborn child? Was he/she born when they were killed? Do I have to be prepared in case of a trial for murder? Or was it done through illegal abortion, which if anyone comes to know you can be criminalized for it." He says looking towards me while waiting for a response but I look towards my mother.

"Won't you like to tell Robert what occurred dear mother?" She narrows her eyes at me, huffing and turning her back to us.

"Tabatha-" father calls out to her but she doesn't turn around to look at us.

"It was done through illegal means.." I decide to speak for myself.
"Mother thought it wise to take the underground route. I ate soap, took herbal remedies but none of those worked. Eventually she went the way of having our family doctor, operate on me even though he was not fully confident to do the procedure." Robert passes his hand down his face, releasing a deep sigh.

"I ended falling ill for a few weeks because of an infection to my uterus but seeing as we are very wealthy indeed, every need to restore me to my proper health was provided. Such a wonderful mother isn't she?" I conclude looking towards her with a feign loving smile.

"I would have never thought that you all are like this. Never ever." Robert truthfully declares.

"Do not forget the money given to Assad's family." Mr. Smith mentions, making us look to him.

"What money?"
"What money?" Robert and mother say at the same time.

"Oh yes. I had given Assad's mother a sum of money to be able to at least have proper financial aid for a period of time." Father reveals and mother looks to him in shock.

"You never told me you gave them money Gregory! Why would you give them money! How much exactly did you give?!" Always shouting. I mentally whine.

"£75 000 pounds." My eyes widen, but I quickly cover my ears because I already knew mom's outburst was to be annoyingly loud.

"SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS!!! That's a fortune Gregory! You practically made them rich!"

"I felt sorry Tabatha! We were their source of income during the depression. I couldn't just send that back to their village. Pemberton and all of the UK was in a bloody depression for goodness sakes!" They begin to argue again, and I press my fingers to my temples, feeling the headache increasing it's intensity.

"No! Don't kill my baby please mommy!" I try to pull away from the nurses. They strap me down to the bed, one of them stepping away and returning with a needle.

"This will sedate her." She says and I begin to beat up on the bed but it was no use.

"Ma'am are you sure you want to do this.    Doing this procedure on top of the tear that she has already experienced can be dangerous. What if Mr. Kingston-"

"Don't worry about my husband. Get that bastard child out of her." She coldly states, glaring at me with so much anger.

"Yes Ma'am."

I remember waking up to find father shouting and yelling at everyone in the room. It turned out he did not know they were planning to do the abortion that day, and that he had told mother he did not care what people thought, he would not put his daughter in harms way for the sake of reputation.

Yet she did it anyway. And she wants me to believe she did this for me?

I could feel someone's intense gaze on me, but I knew it wasn't Mother and father seeing as they were now being held back by both Robert and Smith, so the only person remaining was...

I look over to Carl, staring blankly at him as he leaned against the wall now, a look of worry etched on his face.

"What?" I coldly ask, turning completely around to face him. He lets out a soft sigh, shaking his head.
"If you have something to say then say it Carl!" The room falls quiet.

"I have nothing to say Paulina."

"You always have nothing to say, you good for nothing bastard." I spit out and he looks to me, anger now replacing his worried face.

"What exactly do you want me to do Paulina. I care for you, you become angry, I avoid you, you are still mad. What do you possibly want?" He stands straighter.

I don't reply, and he chuckles.
"Shut up Carl."

"No I won't. I've tolerated your pointless hatred and bitterness towards me for years Paulina, years! Took your false accusations against me for cheating and your constant insults, because I know you are just hurting because of all that you faced, but how much more am I to tolerate? When you sleep with that bastard? "

"Don't speak-"

"I will speak of that man however the hell I want to." He shouts and I glower at him, tightly fisting my hands to hold back the need to slap him for speaking to me in such a manner.

"Why don't you tell my mother how you have been lying to her for years about trying for a child. Or how I caught you kissing that despicable woman that is to be on your next broadcast issue." I cunningly state, but he darkly chuckles instead of giving a angered response.

"What are you talking about Paulina? Are cheating on my daughter?"

"A little hypocritical of you don't you think Gregory?" Mother states and he glares at her. I see Robert glance at Mr. Smith, a knowing look passing between them, before they look back to us.
"So are you cheating on Paulina, Carl? I wouldn't be surprised if you are. I mean you have all right too." She states and I glare at her.

"What is that even to mean mother?" She goes to speak but Carl cuts her off.

"I am not cheating on her. Barbara tried to kiss me but I pushed her away at the exact same time you entered my office; and regarding not touching you, I have no desire to touch a woman that does not want to be touched. I'm not some scoundrel to just hurry up and get it over with." Familiarity sparks at his words and I take a step towards him, pointing at him.

"You blasted-"

"That is enough!" We glare at each other before I break eye contact and look towards Robert as he speaks.
"Let us focus back on the issue at hand. With what has happened tonight, people are going to talk—we left the dinner with them talking. Seeing as the contract was signed by both parents and the son, he knows he cannot speak of the past, but that does not mean he cannot show his face." He tells us.

"It takes an absolute fool to not see he has an agenda; he knows his presence will make you fumble. Both of you." He looks to father and I.
"You both need to be on your guard. Stay calm, stay neutral." He looks to me when he says that.
"One wrong move Paulina and you will not only ruin your own reputation and life but your family's. Do you understand?"

How much more pain must I endure for the sake of reputation? Was what I wanted to reply and say, but instead I just choose to just remain silent.

"Paulina-" Robert starts to speak but mother cuts him off.

"It makes no sense trying to get through to the stubborn child Robert. I won't be surprised if she meets with him tomorrow itself, but do know this Paulina Kingston." Mother walks up to me, pointing in my face.
"You can not, and will not be with him." I narrow my eyes at her. "Hate me all you want, stay angry at me for the rest of your life for what I did, but you are a married woman. Do not let your feelings, ruin your own life."

"Is that why you have yet to leave father?" I retort wanting to hit her low, but she slows aimed higher.

"You see Paulina," she chuckles.
"There's a difference between you and I. I have a right to loathe my husband, why do you hate yours?" She says and I bite down on my jaw in anger and she smirks.
"You have the privilege of having a happy marriage, yet you squander it over childish crushes. You are a Kingston, Paulina. Envied and admired by many. You and Carl are seen and held in high prestige for the "love" that you share, yet you waste it for a man that you can not have. Kingston Law no. Two, Paulina." I lower my head as tears beginning to fall from my eyes, but it wasn't because I was sad or hurt, god no, I was so bloody angry.

With everything in me I wanted her to choke on her pride, and die. With every bloody ounce of me.

"Kingston Law no. 2 Paulina, say it." She commands, grabs hold of my chin but I hit her hand away, holding my head high, eyes glaring at her through tears and filled with so much hatred.

"There is no such thing as divorce for a Kingston." I grit out.