Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 61160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“Yes?” I asked.
“You have a visitor,” he said.
I spun around to see a woman in a beautiful purple dress. A woman who looked extremely familiar.
“I’m Tyler’s younger sister, Priscilla.” She extended her hand. “Hello, Chloe.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said. “You’re not attending the Queen’s party with Tyler?”
“No,” she said. “I convinced everyone I wasn’t feeling well and made some arrangements to come spend time with my brother upon his return, but…You live here with him? Permanently?”
I nodded. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m okay.” She took off her gloves, slowly dragging them atop the furniture.
“I’m having a baby shower soon,” I said, picking up one of the embroidered invitations. “I’m having it at my best friend Kristin’s rental penthouse for now, but the official date and location will appear on the app when we have a plan for the press. I know you and your family have a busy schedule, but I just thought you’d appreciate the invitation.”
“A plan for the press, huh?” She smiled, tucking it into her pocket. “Look, confession. I came here to tell you thank you.”
“For what?”
“For embarrassing our entire family.” Her entire demeanor changed. “For taking the focus away from me and my other brother and what we have planned, and making it to where no one can talk about anything else except the scandalous spawns you’re currently carrying in your slutty little womb.”
“Okay. Give me my fucking invitation back.”
“We’ll never accept you into this family, so you don’t have to try to get in our good graces. You have no idea what ‘grace’ is, and the fact that Tyler even lets you live with him and be seen in public with him is an affront to us all.”
“You should leave right now. Otherwise, I might forget you’re related to Tyler and beat the shit out of you. While pregnant.”
“Where do you think this is going when it’s all said and done, huh?” Her hateful smile was unnerving. “He tells you he wants to be with you for life?”
“He’s already told me that. You’re late.” I reached for the invite in her pocket, but she stepped back.
“Well, at least one person in this family likes you, but be forewarned.” She lowered her voice. “I’m determined to make your life a living hell through the media—back at home and Stateside—until you’re out of our lives, until you’re nothing more than a forgotten, fuzzy footnote that everyone laughs about.”
She brushed past my shoulder on her way out of the room, and then she looked over her shoulder. “You could’ve at least kept this quiet and got a few million out of it. What were you thinking?”
A Spot of Tea
Tyler
London, England
I should’ve never come here…
“Tyler, don’t you want to catch up with Princess Victoria while you’re here?” My stepmother cornered me in the high tea room. “She’s worried sick about you amidst this latest scandal.”
“For the umpteenth time, I’m only here because I promised my grandmother that I’d show my face,” I said. “Don’t expect anything more than that.”
“Fine.” She signaled to security, and suddenly the room cleared, leaving only the two of us.
For fuck’s sake.
“My flight leaves in a few hours,” I said. “I would prefer if you left me alone. Unless, you’re not the only person in this family who has cancer?”
“Who in the family has cancer, Tyler?”
I shook my head. “No one, clearly.”
“How much does the girl want?”
“Who?”
She sighed, lowering her voice. “The one you’ve knocked up. This homely, Chloe March girl.”
“There’s nothing homely about Chloe.”
“That’s subjective.” She shrugged. “How much do you think we can pay her to go away and claim that this is all a ruse?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We’ve lost our hold on the narrative ever since the news broke. Just when we were getting back on top, this loose woman knocks us out with her game.”
I set down my drink, my blood simmering.
“You’ve never stayed faithful to any woman for more than a few weeks or so at a time, so it’s not like it wouldn’t be believable that the two of you didn’t work out. Especially if we can put a leash on this story before it gets out of hand.”
“Define out of hand.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She had the nerve to smile. “Someone could think that this is an actual relationship and not a mistaken drunk night on your part. Marriage rumors and such.”
“I’m proposing to her sometime next week.”
“That’s a very funny joke.”
“Neither of us is laughing.”
“I just want what’s best the family,” she said. “Whether you’re here performing duties and being in the London public, your actions have consequences and we need to get rid of this problem sooner rather than later.”
“Okay.”
“Okay, you’ll help us get rid of her?”
“No. It’s more like ‘Okay. I was wrong about coming here, even for my grandmother.’” I said, looking directly into her eyes. “I’m done with you, all of you.”