Page 9

talie

My stomach twisted painfully as I stepped into the elevator after my sister. Damian was right behind me, and he hit the rooftop restaurant button. We were in a hotel, and the restaurant we were going to eat at was one of the best in the city.

“Does Dad know Talie is back?” Char asked, looking at Damian as the elevator hummed to life.

“He will in a few minutes.”

I bit my tongue, anger rushing through me. I’d seen my father a couple times in the last five years when he came to visit me in Europe. He believed I was in school the entire time, and I was able to keep up with the lie thanks to my mother.

She was from England. When she and my dad got a divorce, she moved back home, leaving me and Char in Connecticut.

Being a parent figure was something my mother never wanted.

We didn’t hear much from her after their messy divorce when I was twelve.

But when I called asking for her help to leave the States, she eagerly agreed.

My dad had strayed during their marriage, having multiple affairs, and my mother never missed a chance to make him pay.

She knew having one of his daughters across the ocean with her would piss him off.

Since her family was even wealthier than my father’s, he had no leverage to threaten her with to force me back home.

It wasn’t only wealth that made my father obey.

I was almost positive my mother’s family had ties with powerful people in criminal circles.

Though, I was never able to get a straight answer from her.

It was a win-win situation. My mother had been able to get under my father’s skin by signing me up for a prestigious university in England and taking his eldest daughter away.

I got the freedom I wanted. She didn’t care if I went to the school or not.

I’d actually only seen her a few times in those five years.

“Ready?” Damian asked, holding his arm out when the elevator doors slid open.

I gave him a fake smile, linking my arm with his. “You’re a fucking asshole, in case you don’t know.”

He chuckled as he led me forward. “I’m well aware, Talie. Now, keep that smile on and act like the wife you promised to be when you married me.”

Defiance bristled through me. I opened my mouth to make a snarky retort until I caught sight of my father. He and Damian’s father were deep in conversation near the restaurant entrance, making my steps falter. I wasn’t fucking ready for this.

“One hour of pretending,” Damian whispered in my ear. “Then you can go right back to openly hating me once we get home.”

I whipped my head to look at him, unsure of what he was playing at. Those words almost sounded like he didn’t want to do this, but this was all his damn idea. He could have easily let me leave the city again instead of making me stay.

“Natalia?” My father’s surprised voice filtered through the air, and I tore my eyes from Damian.

“Hi, Dad.” I plastered a smile on my face, leaving Damian’s side to give him a hug.

After a brief embrace, he pulled back to study me.

His lips tipped down in a frown when he looked at my hair.

It had been over a year since I’d seen him, but he looked the same.

His brown hair was peppered with light gray, and his green eyes were the same shade as mine and Char’s.

Wrinkles creased near his mouth and the corner of his eyes, showing his age.

He was dressed in a suit and tie as always, making him look every bit like the businessman he was.

He grew up in wealth, never knowing a life without money.

I wasn’t sure how his parents treated him since he never talked about his childhood.

But he was never warm or caring toward me and Char.

I couldn’t even remember a single time he’d told us he loved us.

To him, we were nothing but pawns to grow his empire through marriage.

“I didn’t know you were coming home,” he finally said, glancing at Damian. “I thought this was a business lunch.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He’d barely seen me in five years but was annoyed he had to waste precious time on a social lunch instead of talking business. Instead of speaking directly to me, he was looking at my husband for a response.

“She wanted to surprise you,” Damian said smoothly.

“I’m here for a short visit,” I said, trying to see if I could wiggle my way out of this. “I still have to finish my internship?—”

“Nonsense,” Damian’s father cut me off sharply. “It’s time for you to come home.”

“Let’s discuss this at the table,” my dad said, nodding at the hostess who was waiting on us.

Damian’s hand landed on my lower back as we walked into the restaurant, with Char staying on my other side as we all took seats at the round table. This place was fancy, and I recognized half of the people sitting at nearby tables. It seemed to be a popular spot for business lunches.

Damian pulled out my chair for me before taking his seat next to me.

My father and Damian’s sat across from us while Char took the chair on my other side.

There was already a server going around the table, pouring us water before asking what we wanted to drink.

Once she walked away, my father focused back on me.

“It’s good to have you home, Natalia. I’m sure your husband is glad he’ll no longer have to travel to see you.”

“I would travel anywhere to see her,” Damian responded, giving me a soft smile.

His acting was on point today. He looked over the moon to have me sitting by his side.

Over the last five years, he’d go on trips, telling our families it was to see me.

Because making sure our marriage was strong was important.

He’d fly to amazing vacation spots, acting like it was to meet me.

Every time he traveled, he emailed me to try to convince me to meet him, but I knew better. He would have brought me back home.

I wasn’t sure what he did on those vacations, but I never thought about it. As long as I was left alone to live my life, I didn’t care what Damian did.

“But now she’s home. For good,” Christian Valentin stated, looking at his son before giving me a warning look. His brown eyes bore into mine, and I swallowed thickly. I never cared for Damian’s father. He was a harsh man with a remorseless mentality.

“I haven’t finished my internship,” I countered, trying to keep my voice steady.

“No need to finish,” my father brushed my words off with a wave of his hand. “You don’t need a job or higher education. You wasted all these years getting a degree you’ll never use, Natalia. When you should have been here, supporting your husband.”

“I disagree, Jude,” Damian spoke up before I could. “Having my wife obtain such a prestigious degree is good for us. For business.”

Shock flared through me as I snuck a glance at him. I couldn’t tell if he was actually defending me or making a snide comment because he knew the truth that I really wasn’t at school this entire time.

“How?” my dad retorted before taking a sip of his whiskey. “She won’t be working outside the house.”

Fury flooded me, my hands clenching into fists under the table. God, he was such a misogynistic bastard. Christian was even worse, which was probably why they got along so well.

I nearly jerked when Damian’s hand landed on my thigh, and he squeezed lightly. He didn’t look at me while he answered.

“Business is changing,” he said firmly. “Women own companies as large as yours. They enjoy talking to other educated women. When we have dinner parties or other gatherings, Natalia can carry on conversations which are beneficial to us.”

A muscle in my father’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t argue. He respected Damian. But it really got under my skin that if I had said the same words, he would have had a completely different reaction.

“You’re staying here.” Christian’s words were the nails in my coffin.

“I already booked a plane ticket to bring you home when your internship ended in two months. It saves me a trip.” my father added before giving me a sharp look.

“Don’t fight about this, Natalia. It’s done.

Do I need to remind you what happens if you don’t listen?

” His emotionless voice held no threat. There was no need.

It wasn’t only me in this situation; I had to think about Charlotte too.

My father would use her to keep me under control.

There was no argument I could make to change their minds.

My mother wouldn’t do anything to help me leave a second time.

I didn’t have enough of my own money to try to leave and disappear on my own.

There was a trust fund set up, but I couldn’t touch it until I turned twenty-five.

I also couldn’t take money out without my husband’s signature.

Which was utter bullshit. Both of our fathers agreed to the clause when we married.

The server came back, and Damian surprised me again when he spoke.

“No food for us,” he said. “Only the drinks. We won’t be here long.”

I was sure he was busy today, but I was glad we wouldn’t have to go through a long meal with our fathers. I already wanted to leave.

“We need to celebrate,” my dad announced. “Reannounce your union since you haven’t been together in the city for so long.”

Christian nodded in agreement. “We could do it at the yacht party this summer.”

My heart sank as they both dove into plans.

The yacht party was something they’d been doing every year since I was a kid.

It was a three-day event where they had a large party the first night.

Once the boat docked, almost everyone left except our closest friends and business partners.

Then we stayed out on the water for another two nights.

The couple times I’d gone on the trip, it had been dreadfully boring.

“I’ll have my secretary change the invitations,” Christian said before glancing back at me. “Where is your ring?”