"Nicolette!" My brother knocked on the door loudly.
"Nicolette, quit stalling…everyone is waiting for you"
"I'm coming. D-don't hurry m-me!" I yelled back at my insolent brother.
"Nicolette…now!" He ordered like he had any authority over me. We could hear his retreating footsteps.
"R-remind me to have him d- disinherited when I'm CEO" I told Eva Belle. It was my favorite joke about my oldest brother, Ark.
"Cut Ark some slack. He is ten years older yet by some twist of fate his baby sister is next in line to take over a company that is rightfully his. I would be pissed too. Just give him some time, he will come around" Eva Belle said.
"Ark has been coming around to the idea that he will one day bend a knee to me for years now, he's had enough time. I'm simply going to have him disherited or my personal favorite executed and be done with it…I'm thinking probably by firing squad. Maybe then you would get over your stupid crush on him"
Sometimes I could say a whole sentence without stuttering. It didn't happen often but I was always proud afterwards.
"I can't" Eva Belle yelled "He's hot…have you seen him?" Eva Belle asked me. "I would let him pin me against a wall any day of any week and have him fuck me senselessly untill I…"
"Eww, image! He is my b-big brother, Belly" I covered my ears. It was too late, the image had already formed in my head.
"Sorry. Got carried away. Now, let's find you a dress to be married in"
**
We walked out of the room. It took a few minutes but we settled on a red dress that complimented my skin tone and wasn't overly showing.
I was nervous no doubt but I wanted Kincade Essex more than anything because then, I would finally I have someone.
Clearly, I haven't had that in my life…not with this family.
Finally, I would escape this family and most importantly, my dear old dad.
We barely made it a few feet before we bumped into my parents, they were with some people - two ladies and a bald headed man.
I have never met them before, so they were probably from Essex group and was of some value to their company if the interim CEO and his wife were playing tour guide.
"Nicolette, these are emissaries from Essex, Madam Bridgette Essex, Kincade's mother and her assistant, Yolanda, and this is Dr Stephens. They are here for you" my father introduced in his usual brisk voice which was curtier than usual today.
I didn't say anything at first.
I just watched my parents...my Dad and my stepmom.
Were they afraid for me?
Were they ashamed that they placed such an enormous responsibilities on my little shoulders?
Dad looked stern and step Mom was beaming with smiles like she did one hell of a job.
What was her favorite words, again? You were born to rule in the background over two giant empires, Nicolette...you should be grateful.
Can she tell how ungrateful I feel right now to be pushed into something I didn't want?
Sure, I was grateful for Kincade Essex but I wasn't grateful I was forced into this in the first place.
When I hesitated to say something, Eva Belle had to.
"May I present Nicolette Octaleign Avalon -Hackett to you?" She pinched my arm, a subtle reminder to remember my manners.
I didn't. Obviously.
His mother was just like my parents. Kincade and I were simply transactional pieces in their game of chess but I was polite and I said hello. Briefly of course.
"Where's K-kincade?" I asked afterwards. "C-can we get married already?"
"We will get to that as soon as we get a little thing out of the way" Bridgette said and looked around like she misplaced something of little value. "I suppose any number of these vacant rooms would suffice for the inspection"
Kincade's mother stood tall, her slender frame ramrod straight, as if she had a perpetual stick lodged in her ass.
Her silver hair was styled in an impeccable bob, not a single strand out of place. Even her eyes, a piercing blue, seemed to bore into those she looked at, as if she was sizing them up and finding them wanting... she certainly found me wanting.
"What little t-thing?" I asked my future mother in law.
Bridgette pointed at the room behind us and announced "This would do. Come" she commanded like we were dogs.
She walked past me and pushed the door open.
I was ushered inside the room and when Eva Belle tried to enter, the door was shut in her face.
"The mother can stay but I doubt the father is needed, Yolanda" Bridgette spoke over us like we were servants in our own mansion.
Sure, Avalon group was smaller than her Essex group of companies but an old fart like her had no right to disrespect us.
I didn't say a thing. All I wanted was Kincade, the rest of my family and his can kindly fuck off.
"What's going on?" I asked as my father per her request started walking towards the door.
"Just do what she says, baby" My father whispered, his voice softening for the first time since I was six years old and then he walked out.
Baby? Did he just call me baby?
Good God!
What in the hell's name did interim CEO Charles Hatchet get me into now?
"Okay, what's going on?!"
"Hop on the bed, take off your undies and spread your legs, Nicolette" Bridgette commanded.
I almost laughed out loud.
"L-lady, are you high on f-fumes?" I asked her and laughed, turning around to laugh at the joke with my stepmother but she wasn't laughing.
"Molina?"
"Just do what they say. It would only take a minute, Nicolette"
"A minute to..."
"Doctor Stephen is here on behalf of Essex group to check...to see...if you are still...intact" my stepmother murmured.
I stood froze. There was nothing remotely funny about this.
"They want to check to see if I was a virgin? For real? Is this a joke?" I stuttered harder than I have ever done before and somehow it infuriated Kincade's mother even more.
"Just do it" my step Mother said.
"Dad!" I yelled on top of my voice. He couldn't have gone far both mentally and physically.There was a thin line between abusive and being a perverted devil.
"Hop on the bed willingly or you would be restrained" Bridgette threatened.
"Dad!!!" I yelled and took a step back.