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She had a point. I blushed and looked down at the ground as Rachel gathered up her coffee cup and placed it carefully in the sink. “We should go to that new upscale boutique that opened last week,” she said nonchalantly “It’s supposed to be high-end and extremely fashionable.”
“But you know that I only like to…” I trailed off as she grinned at me.
“All their clothes are eco-friendly and sustainable,” she said as I relaxed “so there’s no excuse for not checking it out. Vegan friendly,” she said triumphantly.
“But I don’t have time to go shopping, I’m supposed to be in the studio…”
“Don’t even think of it. We both took today off so that we could recuperate from the club” Rachel interrupted.
Damn. I deflated. I finished my juice and Rachel handed me a granola bar to nibble on.
I heard my cell phone begin to ring and Rachel glanced at it before she handed it to me to answer. “Speak of the devil” she whispered, giggling slightly.
I glanced down at the caller ID and my heart almost stopped. It had been over three years since I had heard from him and yet, it was like I couldn’t wait to hear his voice again.
I knew instinctively why he was calling. I didn’t care. I turned my back to Rachel who was eyeing me with a wicked grin and pressed the answer button, my voice cracking slightly. “Hello.”
The voice of my father reached my ears, hoarse and powerful, instantly filling my heart with joy and at the same time causing my stomach to churn “Come home. I’ve seen the papers.”
The dial tone as he hung up. Rachel hovered over my shoulder as I resolutely put the phone down. “So what did he say?” she asked eagerly.
I gave a cracked smile, reaching for my handbag and purse. I woodenly began to make my way towards the door, while Rachel followed behind me.
“Nothing,” I said in a monotone, opening the door and getting my keys out “other than to give me instructions to return home.”
My childhood home. The last time I had been there, I had defied my father’s wishes and married the man I had convinced myself I was in love with. I hadn’t stepped foot inside it since. Now I was going back. Would my father embrace me with open arms, or was I to be shunned for the choice I had made, so many years ago?
Christian POV
The atmosphere in the Vance Family home was tense the next morning. I sat at the dining table uncomfortable as Lexi’s grandfather proceeded to rage and reign down his fury at her behavior and her conduct.
“You, you, stupid girl” he snapped, waving the newspaper with the scandal contained on the front page as Lexi flinched next to me “Are you trying to destroy the Vance’s good name?” he demanded “Do you have no regard for your roots and the hard work that has gone into making the Vance name one to be proud of?”
“It’s not my fault” Lexi protested weakly and her grandfather’s eyes almost bulged out of his head with anger as he slowly unfurled the newspaper to read out the title that was in bold letters.
Spoilt Heiress Has Affair with Married Man. Given Slap by the Woman She Wronged!
“What do you have to say about this?” he hissed, brandishing the paper at Lexi wildly, from his position at the head of the table.
I kept silent. Lexi’s mother, Karen, attempted to intervene “Chris, you know that she’s young” she soothed “She’s bound to make mistakes. This isn’t some blatant attempt to bring the Vance name down.”
Grandfather’s head whipped around and he glared at his daughter-in-law. “Silence woman” he barked, causing Karen to sit quietly at the table “This is all a reflection of your parenting. You coddle your daughter and spoil her rotten. Not to mention I’m assuming the man you are sitting with, is the man you had an affair with? Have you no shame” he growled, pointing at me as I stiffened.
I smoothed down my coat and gave him my best smile “My name is Christian Thorne sir and I’m very much in love with your daughter” I began and he snorted.
“In love, shame you couldn’t wait until your divorce was official before you began sleeping with each other,” he said icily “A man such as you should have known better. This woman,” he said, pointing to the picture of Serena in all her glory, her hand raised from slapping Lexi “is this your wife?”
I winced. Lexi fidgeted with her hands, cowed into submission by her angry grandfather. I couldn’t afford to anger this man. Not when I had my eyes set on marrying Lexi and building up my law firm. “Yes Sir,” I said apologetically “it is. But I fully intend on sending her the divorce papers” I added as he went bright red, looking like he was about to go apoplexy with rage “And while it’s not the best way for the press to find out that Lexi and I are seeing each other, at least it’s out in the open” I added.
“I do not condone your actions” the Grandfather boomed, startling us both “They are the actions of a coward” he added, staring me in the face “A real man would have divorced his woman first and then moved on. Lexi, you, you disappoint me,” he said shaking his head and making Lexi look down at the table, fighting back tears “if you were in the same situation as this woman, no doubt you would have wanted to slap her too. Quite frankly, you got off lucky” he added darkly as Lexi’s lips parted in indignation “back in my day the woman would have dragged you by the hair and punched you right in the face.”
“Chris” Karen said sounding scandalized.
The man rolled his eyes. “It’s true. Now you have to do damage control” he instructed Lexi with a glower and a meaningful look at me “At least you’re not dating a loser musician” he added sighing.
I didn’t know whether to take that as a compliment or a subtle dig. Lexi merely nodded, accustomed to her grandfather’s moods. “Grandfather,” Lexi said suddenly “does this still affect my chances to take over the company?”
He looked at her with a great degree of annoyance. “Hmmph” he muttered “Is that all you can think about it that damn company? Are you marrying that man to get your greedy claws into it?” he pointed at me.
Lexi shook her head “No, I’m in love with Christian” she said hastily, a little too hastily for my liking.
The grandfather looked unconvinced. “The terms are as before,” he said snidely “It’s not just the first to get married but the first to give me an heir that will take over the company. Though the way you are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if that goes in reverse order” he muttered under his breath.
“Chris” Karen said in a shocked tone.
“It’s true” the grandfather growled. “Just so you know, a baby born out of wedlock will not inherit anything and neither will its mother” he snapped at Lexi who quickly nodded, blushing.
