Peyton Griffin's POV

I sat down and looked straight into the car park full of cars with a neutral expression, my mind running faster than usual.

I had heard of the Wellingtons. They were among the families in the British Empire. They were the third in command while the Griffins were the head.

There was a day that Father dearest had forced Lola and me to sit down and read about our family's heritage. Long story short, Lola fell asleep while I explored the library. There was a map that had the family trees from whatever year this shit show started till now.

I took a closer look at it and noticed that one particular branch had stopped abruptly.

I looked around till I found a book that had the recordings of the deaths of our members.

It turns out the Wellingtons had some shady stuff going on, and my Grandfather had them killed. It wasn't the first time Grandpa Griffin had sentenced someone to death like a queen of hearts; funny how that beheading wasn't his style.

Anyway, they had them poisoned, a family of ten children and two adults died that night, but only one child survived, never to be found. Marcel Wellington.

Now that I think about it, his surname should have rung a bell in my head, but it's not like we met in good circumstances.

"I will regret telling you this later but for now, just hear me out," He said and looked into the car park as if seeing the memories pass within his eyes.

"Faith, Troy and I grew up together. It was no secret that all the subordinates of the Empire knew about the marriage that was sure to happen between Troy and Faith except the bride herself.

Ironically, Faith and I had a little romance blooming between us, and I felt bad that all the dreams she built around us would never come to life. So I told her what her father planned to do, but she swore that she would rather be dead than marry Troy.

Unfortunately, someone had heard me, and so I betrayed the Empire. Sam said nobody should tell the bride until she was of age.

I was the reason my family was killed before me, and that food poisoning was just a lie to make people believe that the Griffins weren't capable of killing their own to outsiders.

After my mother had her throat slit before me, Sam Griffin took the gun from no one other than Troy, who looked nothing near remorse to watch his best friend and his family killed before his eyes and aimed it at me.

Word must have reached Faith. She ran into the room, stood before her father, and made a deal that changed all odds.

She said that if she agreed to marry Troy and stay where she was, I would get to leave the room alive. Heck, I would be banned from Britain as a whole.

And if Sam refused to see eye-to-eye with her; she would kill herself and die alongside me right there and then. We both walked out of the room after Sam gave us a stiff nod as his answer. She walked me to the nearest bus station and gave me a ticket.

I had no doubt that she had planned that deal; she knew that her father would not have the balls to kill her, but even I know that was not the case. If he had a son, all of it would have been avoided, but karma had other plans.

Faith gave me a letter and a kiss goodbye. I watched the girl I loved cry her eyes out as I was forced to continue moving with the bus." He stopped to wipe under his eyes and sniff.

"So, how exactly are you, my true father?" I knew it was a dumb question, but I knew he was retaining information.

"Not what you want to hear, but I took Faith's virginity. The same night I told her of her arranged marriage, I believe her exact words were, 'I would rather die a virgin than give it to Troy.' But either way, I knew if I knocked her up, they would never let her keep the child."

"So, what happened after you got shipped off here?"

"I was just seventeen by the time, and wandering around like a lost puppy. A family of Hispanics found me and took me in. I grew up with them, and they helped me realize my dreams of becoming a music producer."

I remained quiet after that. I wasn't sure of what to make of things. I was once told to always hold family dear to your heart. I learned that family was just a term thrown carelessly around and that not everyone deserved it, but I know that things aren't still adding up. Another thought popped into my head.

"You said we once lived in Britain, but all my memories are based in the Bahamas. Why is that?"

"Your grandfather was devastated that his daughter died but vowed not to let nature repeat itself, so he bought a share of land from the American government and shipped Troy, you and your sister away. His way of dealing with grief because you looked so much like her." He scoffed at the thought.

"One more question," I finally turned to look at him, "Do you have the letter?"

-

I walked back into the party and had to physically restrain Marcel from marching onto the dance floor and ending poor Nate's life before it was his time to go. A slow song was playing, and they were dancing hand in hand, but the space between them was as big as Remy.

Shawn walked to me with Gail, who had a bounce in her steps.

"Can we leave before I lose my breakfast all over this place?" Marcel asked with a disgruntled look.

I get him though. I can only imagine how angry I would be if anyone took advantage of the three morons I left at home.

The music had ended, and Marci and Nate separated. Nate left a chaste kiss on her lips as if he was restraining himself not to take things further. I was already finding it hard to hold Marcel back even now that Shawn was helping. I didn't want my instincts to kick in on her.

Marci simply smiled shyly, gave him a quick hug, and started to hunt us down. When she did spot us, she looked hesitant to be near us, but it's not like she had a choice.

I mean Marcel's death glare could even wake up the dead and put them back in their graves. Either way, Marci finally made up her mind and came over and awkwardly hugged her dad and thanked him for coming.

Marcel rolled his eyes, hugged her closer to himself, and said something around the lines of her always being his little girl.

We made our way to the limo that was waiting for us.

Gail found poking around Shawn's suit exciting. Marcel and Marci talked amongst themselves.

I felt my eyes brim as my hand gripped the envelope my mother had addressed to her children. It was sad enough that she wasn't here, but I didn't want her other child, my sister, to see the pieces of literature that she left for us together.

Yes, I am the most selfish person on planet earth, but I am also very selfless to go with what I'm doing while having high hopes that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

The press must have picked on my cheerless demeanour, so they all parted a way for us to make it up to the Penthouse. Marcel had kissed Marci on the top of her head before she left the limo to join us in the elevator.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Immediately we were up, Shawn grumbled a good night and made his way to his room while Gail started pleading with me to read her story. Marci picked up on my mood when I refused to look Gail in the eye because I knew she would try to convince me further and break my resolve.

"You good?" Marci asked as concern took over her features.

With a rehearsed smile, I nodded.

"Great, Caleb is here. You can both read me a story now," Gail said as the elevator doors opened and in walked Jack, Caleb and Jacob, clad in formal attires or what was left with it back from the Halloween bash at the Wellington's mansion. Not having the usual spunk in me, I didn't bother to ask them what happened to the rest of their suits.

"It's alright. I'm sure Peyton is tired from having to spend her night with the kids. I'll tell you the story, and then she can sleep." Caleb tried to persuade Gail to not allow me to read her story.

I was close to losing my shit because her sweet yet annoying voice prevented me from wrapping my head around everything.

She pouted and made a whining noise. I knew I was not going to get out of this.

"Fine. Go change into your PJs; we will be right behind you."

The excited six-year-old broke into a happy dance as she made her way to the room, and I started walking in that direction.

"You okay, cause if you don't feel up to it. I'm sure Gail will understand." Caleb came to stand in front of me and took in my sad look. I wiped off some of my ruined makeup and shrugged off their curiosity.

Some burdens are easier to bear when one is left alone.

"I'm alright. I need you to contact your pilot to please get my friend from the Bahamas." At least I knew Danny was coming in a few weeks to cheer me up a bit.

I walked towards Gail's room with Caleb following behind me. He knocked on it, and we both walked in.

"So what kind of story are you guys reading me tonight? Is it another version of Mulan?" Gail's eyes sparkled with excitement.

I couldn't resist the urge to laugh at her love for the movie because it basically showed people how women we're more capable than they gave them credit for.

With that thought in mind, I had an idea in mind.

"Caleb, get in bed with her." I directed to Caleb, and he looked me over with suspicion and an uplifted brow.

"Why?"

I rolled my eyes at his blatant questioning and pushed him to bed myself. I should be getting paid double. I am about to read the two Parks siblings a bedtime story for the price of one.

They got comfortable on the bed, and I could clearly see the lack of traits they would share if they were to be related.

I took out Gail's reading chair and straddled the back of it.

"Once upon a time, there was a Scottish village. The king had a daughter who was a force to be reckoned with. He also had three sons after her. Her name was Merida.

She had a thing for wanting to be herself and defy the traditions set in the land. Since she was a girl and the rightful heir to the throne, they wanted her to be married off to a man who would reign as the king after her father stepped down and she would be queen, but she wasn't having any of it.

The men interested in having her hand in marriage were to best each other in a game of archery while her mother Elinor made her sit prim and proper with her bright red hair scraped and tucked away in a stiff white cap.

I believe her exact words were 'I wed meself'" Gail giggled a bit at my horrible accent, but I carried on with the story.

"She came down from the makeshift throne they made her seat on and went towards the targets. With one arrow each, she launched at the ones of her suitors, slicing them in half as she hit the bull's eye.

Her mother was angry, to say the least, and lashed out at her. Merida ran through the forest and discovered a witch who gave her a magic cupcake to change her faith."

"Did she get married in the end?" Gail yawed.

"Yes, but she needed no man to prove that she could rule the land."

By the time I was done telling the story, the siblings were fast asleep, and I couldn't resist the urge to kiss the top of their heads and place the blanket on them.

I was not ready to rip the bandage off just yet. I came out of Gail's room and went into mine. I kept the envelope on a page in my mother's journal.

The next two weeks passed in a blur. I juggled helping Gail and Marci with school work, working at the orphanage, getting Shawn to talk more, turning Jacob into a gentleman (I almost lost a chunk of my hair for this one, don't ask) and finally seeing less of my employer.

It felt like we walked around eggshells whenever we were near each other. It was far from the case. But who was I to argue with the less drama it brought? Though if I was being honest, I wanted us to have more talks even if one of us had to be forced to come. Of course, it was only wishful thinking.

So I was occupied, and within the three months I spent with these people, I discovered a new type of family but too bad that I was either lying to them or leaving out so many empty blanks. The three musketeers who had already figured out part of my back story were still yet to uncover why I do what I do. And I would like to keep it that way

We all stood by the arrival gates awaiting Danny. I was expecting to see his mop of shaggy dull yet blonde hair but imagine my shock that he had cut and brought out the yellow in it.

I approached him with a giddy smile, "If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you would have added a lone line of red into this hair of yours." I eyed it sceptically.

Danny scoffed but welcomed my sense of humour by pulling me into a bone-crushing hug, and I was stunned but hugged him back with equally as much force.

"I missed you." He said as he rested his chin on my head; I hummed in reply.

When we turned around to face the rest of the posse, I realized that the musician and his best friend had left.

Disappointment coursed through my veins; Caleb had mindfully bailed out on meeting one of the few people I care about. The jokes on me because now I was starting to, unfortunately, add him to that list.

I rolled my eyes and reminded myself that it was better this way.

I pointed out everyone that was left to Danny. He bumped fists with Jacob and Shawn, played a funny-looking leg game with Gail and pecked at Marci's hand.

"Careful, Tiger, you both are taken and not with protection." I grin.

I have been spending way too much time with Jacob.

Marci rolled her eyes at me, but she and Danny continued to have playful banter as we walked out of the airport and towards the uber that was there. I found a comfortable position on Jacob's shoulder and slept on it.

By the time we reached the Penthouse, it was mid-day, and I was glad that Marci, Shawn and I had cooked the dinner the night before and stuffed it into the fridge.

Shawn brought everything out and began heating it up. Danny was shown to his room by Marci and Gail while Jacob went towards the amusement corridor.

I was about to go after Danny to ensure his mouth had been set to the PG-13 settings I was forced to go through when I first arrived.

I heard a slight cough behind me, and I turned around to see Caleb leaning on the balcony doors in a hoodie and sweats.

"See who finally grew a pair," I remark with slight annoyance, but it's not my fault he acted like a pussy.

That comment must have pushed him off because he dragged me onto the balcony and locked the door behind me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I tried to make my glare as cold as the November air around us, but Mother Nature had other plans.

"Here," He shoved a hoodie in my direction.

I figured this might take a while. I reluctantly took the hoodie, slipped it on and tried to strengthen my resolve, not sure where this was going.

"Mind sharing what made you think that your recent attitude was more welcoming than Eeyore's or so help me, I will gladly adopt Gail if you so much as think that..."

He had his back to me as I was settling into my rant. It infuriated me even more, and I had half the mind to rip off his sweater and throw it down to the ground where there were millions of paparazzi milling around.

Caleb abruptly turned around and cornered me against the edge of the balcony, and if he made me bend over than I did, I was sure I would have fallen down.

"Why are you such a thwart?!" His breath fanned my cheek, but I found it hard to get angry at the lack of personal space between us because I was getting lost in the hazel eyes which stared coldly at me. "You are driving me nuts."

"Excuse me?" I muttered with venom. "Do I have to remind you that I am..."

Again he made the words stop in my throat, "First it was, Jacob then you bring your little boyfriend to come over here and torment me do I have to.."

He stopped talking and glanced down at my lips. I wanted to grip his shirt, but I thought otherwise because this was not the time. He must have realized this and stepped away from me as if I had burned him.

I tried to connect the dots, but I drew a blank. The only thing in common between those people was that I spent much more time with them than I would averagely. Not to talk of one being thousands of miles away and my stepbrother.

Then it clicked.

"You're jealous." I started with a triumphant smirk on my face.

"And you're in it over your head." Either he was intoxicated or saddened by something, judging by the bags under his eyes. It's safe to agree that Caleb was upset about something.

"Don't worry, I'll be gone soon enough, and you can go back to living..."

The words got stuck in my throat again as he once again came closer to me, "your life."

He took one strand of my hair, looking unbothered by our closed space, "What If it's better with you in it."

At that moment, Danny walked in with a less than pleased expression. "Never mind," Caleb muttered and walked out.

Danny stared at me expectantly and furrowed his brows, and began to open his mouth,

"If you dare to make an innuendo right now, I will throw you off this balcony." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What if I said it?" Jacob popped his head through the door with a smirk.

Dinner should go great. In other news, I wonder if Jack would allow me to get a snip from his popcorn.