I woke up with a terrible hangover and now I had to go downstairs to listen to Adrian shout at me and dad passing me disappointed looks.

Well, speaking of Adrian...I was drunk yesterday but I did remember him wearing a red tshirt and black denims. I had never seen him wear casuals, not even at home.

Boy, did he look fine. That t-shirt really brought out the blue in his eyes and he definitely works out in the gym...

Seriously?

I mentally slapped myself for being an idiot. This is Adrian we are talking about. An insolent jerk who has a lot of issues.

Now, that's better.

I headed down before my mind wandered elsewhere. I needed to get some medicine cause my head was killing me.

I tried my best to smile as I greeted everyone at the dining table.

Paula asked me to take a seat and drink something in a glass. I drank it and my hangover began to fade. It was "The Remedy".

"Better?" My dad asked.

"So much." I sighed with relief.

Adrian got up and cleared his throat, "I need to speak to the three of you in the hall after you are done with breakfast."

Not much later Adrian and the others gathered in the hall. He began and the seven of us listened, "Yesterday you three went out on a shopping spree and ended up drunk in a club...explain?"

"You were there too. Don't you have to explain something?" I argued. Why the hell are we answerable if he is not.

"Because I am 26!"

"She is 29!"I pointed to Charlotte innocently.

"Yes she is! But she is also the one who passed out. And Casey you are underage."

"What! I am 21!"she yelled.

"Not until January 2nd and anyway you were the one who can't be trusted near alcohol!"

She sighed giving up. He could be a good lawyer. What was he even doing here?

"Whose idea was this again?" He looked at me icily.

"I..." Casey began but Matthew interrupted her saying, "Son, it just happened once. I am sure you can grant that much freedom to your sisters, right?"

"But dad I..."

"Vanessa was quite right. If you want them to behave, you need to tame yourself too. You are the one setting examples for Casey. She will do what you will."Matthew said.

"Wow! That means that I get to be angry with someone every 3 minutes and...extra cash!!"

"Nope. That is not gonna happen."Paula and Adrian said in unison.

"Don't do anything stupid like this again. Please! "Adrian sighed and walked away.

■■■

I was dressing up in my room.

Why?

Nate, Olivia and Kate were coming for dinner and dad was finally gonna tell us his decision - whether he went by my plan or Nate's.

I put on an elegant teal dress with a cowl neckline and small black wedges before I went down.

Within a few minutes, Nate arrived with Olivia by his side, her dark curls tucked away in a bun, her long dress flowing over her baby bump.

Now I knew why Nate kept rushing after her. Seeing her, I could tell that it must have been her eighth or ninth month.

Behind her I saw a familiar face. Kate, just like when I saw her last time. My face automatically contoured into a welcoming smile.

Kate walked up to dad and hugged him. She had been living with Nate for the past few days so that she could properly take care of Olivia. I was glad that Nate did love someone after all, not just money and power.

I walked up to Kate and hugged her. No we were not extremely close but close enough to bring a smile on my face when I see her. She did raise me since I was twelve and though I tried to keep my distance knowing what she and dad did hurt my mom so much, it was hard to ignore that she did treat me with as much care as she did with her own children and was trying hard to repent for her mistakes by being a good mother to me.

"It is lovely to see you again. Vanessa."She smiled, though I could see the formality, by the tone of her voice.

I hadn't spoken to her for three years, I couldn't...not after what happened.

"You too."

After the meeting and greeting was done,Paula suggested,"Why don't we head for dinner ?"

So we all did. I took my seat facing Dad and Kate and uh...oh...between Adrian and Casey.

"So Vanessa, how is London?" Kate asked.

"It keeps raining all the time but I am accustomed to it by now, Kate."

"Wait a second. Why do you call her Kate and not mom?" Casey asked.

Oh no...

I admired Casey's curiosity but right now, there was nothing that I hated more.