Peyton Griffin's POV

"So, where to now?" Shane asks as we pull out of the alleyway and drive down the back roads to avoid attention.

I turn to him and smirk, "I think it's time I made my presence home known. Take me to the Griffin estate."

The Griffin estate.

Where I spent most of my teenage years when my grandfather shipped both Lola and me here with Father Dearest. We own this land, and since we play a vital role in not only the politics of the UK but America as well, the people have no choice but to let us be and allow us to get away with anything we please.

Since this is not our mother soil, the structures here are still magnificent yet temporary, at least that's what I believe. Sooner or later, Lola and I have to take the power of the Empire, and I plan on doing it in my home town at least.

During my stay in Miami, I realized that no matter how much you fight it, you can't run from destiny or fate, as some people call it. Nature will still take its course, and all you can do is not be caught off guard.

We pull up to the largest building in the estate that sits in the middle, taunting people with how white it looks. If you ask me, it bears a striking resemblance to the white house.

Shane cuts the engine off and looks at me, "I think this is the part where I ask if you want to go through with this?"

I sigh and look around. The guards are walking around with dogs by their side since it's already curfew. The streets are illuminated by the lonely lamp posts. The tension in this place was always there, but today it felt thicker.

"It's now or never, Li." I offer a small-hearted grin, and we walk out of the car.

The guards look at us with raised brows, and their hands tighten on their guns, not that I blame them. I am the runaway heiress while my friend beside me is a wanted man; my sitcom life never has a dull moment, does it?

I roll my eyes at their antics; they dare not hurt one of their own. Heiress or not, my grandfather is the only one allowed to kill people. Even though he isn't here, killing his granddaughter is not a good idea. It's like they tattooed 'untouchable' on my forehead.

Runaway or not, it's time I do what I was born to do.

Shane and I walk towards the building I grew up in; so much has happened, but I refuse to go down memory lane. Now is not the time.

I lead the way as the two of us walk to the office where the Devil in sheep's clothing sits.

"It's about time the prodigal daughter returned home, but if you think I will welcome you with open arms, then you, my dear, are denser than I thought."

I scoff and walk deeper into the office while Shane closes the door after us.

"I think we should finally have that talk which was brewing, don't you?" I say with a grim tone.

He smirks, "Oh, do tell Peyton, what could you and I have in common to want to discuss?"

"Let's start with what you did with my father?"

My Father and I haven't had a good relationship, but I'd pick him over the Devil before me. If I wanted him dead, which I partially do, I'd kill him myself.

"He's been indisposed." He waved off dismissively.

"Is that the term you use when you give him a mind-blowing orgasm, and he falls into a coma?" I say in a sugar-sweet tone.

He grits his teeth while pinching the bridge of his nose, "Get to the point of this whole meeting."

"I want to get married tomorrow."

I can already picture the confused and shocked look on Shane's face.

I would love to wipe that smirk off Joey's face, but I'm not in the position to do so, at least not now.

"You've been in town in less than twenty-four hours, surely you'd want to give my son a heads up that he is no longer a bachelor, but I'm not too sure Chloe's youngest spawn will be happy about it."

I shake my head firmly, "By noon, I will wed Danny, but I want something in return."

"And why would I strike a deal with you?" He cocks a brow as if to try and see my inner motive.

"Because Torent, I know something. Something you want to stay in the wraps till the day you die. You didn't think I went on a vacation to Miami, did you?" I fake a pout.

I have him where I want him.

"And what is it that you know, Griffin?" He spits my last name in anger.

I nudge my head to the side, "I'm not sure that you want me saying it in a place that is clearly not sound proof and we are not alone."

"If you do get married to my son tomorrow, what do you want in return?"

"You drop the charges against Shane to allow him to leave the country, and his Chinese citizenship should be returned. Do that, and I will gladly do nuptials with your son."

"Deal."

I nod, not trusting my mouth to not say something stupid. But before I could leave, Joey said something that made me stop in my tracks.

"Remember Griffin,"

"What?"

"You know how deals work. Cross me, and everyone you hold dear will be gone. The bluff that you hold over my head would be worthless."

"Then I guess now is the time I tell you that your beauty has grown to be a carbon copy of Yzma."

-

The ride out of the British estate is a silent one. Shane pulls up in a duplex at the corner of town but still near the estate. It has twenty-four-hour surveillance, barbed wires, electric fences and land mines. It looked more like a Government prison than a house, but the occupants were valuable.

"Why did you do that?" Shane cuts the engine and gives me his full attention.

"I said I would clear your name, and I did, didn't I?" I look out the window and admire the ducks in the pond nearby.

"If I know you as well as I do, there's a catch. What is it?"

"I've sacrificed enough to ensure that Lola gets to be happy when all this blows over. I suggest that you do the same when the time comes." I smile slyly and turn to face him.

He scoffs at my statement, "Since you've been off the grid for the last three months, let me fill you in finally. Lola hasn't acknowledged my existence since her wedding night."

"I won't assume who's at fault and take sides but remember, family comes first. Get your priorities in order unless you want to decide who you want to be loyal to right this minute." I glare at him when he takes longer to reply.

"I'm not sure what game you're playing, Peyton, but if someone dies because of your need to act like a Martyr, then I want no part of this!"

Can people not know how to remain loyal after the deal is done?

I raise an unamused brow in Shane's direction, "Say that again, and I'll make sure I help Jordan end your life. Now I'm going to sleep, and I suggest you do the same. Tomorrow will be a long day."

Without another word, I walk out of the car and into the Sandel Mansion.

Not much is known about Charlie's father, but he was a rich man with ties to ruthless people. There is a rumour that he was part of the Empire, he was killed, and the issue was swept under the rug. I never bothered to find out because there were certain parts of the Empire records I wasn't allowed to look through. Speaking of Mrs Sandel, as soon as I walk into the Mansion, she walks in with frizzy bed hair and a butcher knife in hand.

"If you are here for my son's head, you will have to get through me first bitches!" She sends the knife through the air, and it lands close to the top of my head.

If I were Peter Pan, I can bet on the fairies of Neverland that my shadow would have run away.

"Nice to see you again, Mrs Sandel," I wave with a smile despite the large blade that hangs above my head.

Mrs Sandel's features change from pissed off to excited in seconds as she runs to me, pulls me into a bone-crushing hug then proceeds to kiss every inch of my face.

"I missed you, young lady." With one more kiss on my forehead, she holds me to herself.

"Are you okay?" She whispers.

Am I okay?

I walked away from probably my Mr Right. I am about to get married to my best friend's boyfriend, who is also my stepbrother, and they are both blissfully ignorant of my whereabouts.

My sister is still married, as far as I know, and her knight in shining armour just finished having an argument with me.

I am okay indeed.

I allow only a tear slip from my eye that wets her shoulder. This will be the last one I will ever shed. I am ready to face Nature fully prepared.

Mrs Sandel pulls back and wipes away the trail that the tear left as if she knows the mantra that I just ranted in my head. A shit grin takes over her face.

"Dinah called, and we can continue our reunion in my study."

Like mother, like daughter, Mrs Sandel pulls me through the house covered in pictures and antics from different places. We enter her study, sketch pads and cloth materials littered everywhere.

"So Caleb Parks?" She smirks as we sit on the fur couch across from each other.

"Jezz, you kiss a guy and never hear the end of it." I fake a gag and fight off the blush taking over my face as the memory of us kissing comes to mind.

"Your face tells me otherwise," Like a drama queen, she decides to sip her water as if it were tea. "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure the talk I had with you is still vivid in your memory, but if not, I am more than ready to be a grandma."

If I were drinking water, I would have spat it out.

I sigh.

"What's eating you up, doll? Judging by the screaming match you and Shane had, it must be something big." She raises her brows expectantly.

"I am getting married to Danny tomorrow,"

"Not surprised, but is Jordan aware?"

Not gonna lie. That question took me off guard. I almost forgot about the current Don of Spanish Mafia, that will stop at nothing to have me as his once again.

"Nope, but if he is, I highly doubt he would crash the wedding." I snort.

She cocks a brow, "It's like you've forgotten that love can drive the sanest of people to the brink of mental unbalance."

"Oh, don't I know it. If by chance he does, there is only so much and yet so little he could do. By coming unannounced and with malicious intent, I'm very sure that my father and Joey would raise hell. After all, this wedding has been anticipated for a long time now."

"But if he comes, what is supposed to happen?" I turn to face Shane.

He still has a scowl, clearly not happy with how everything is going. Get in line, bud, because nothing goes as we plan.

"For starters, if things go south, I need you to keep Lola out of harm's way. What better way to end matrimony than a bullet war." I smirk.

"What use am I there?"

I turn my attention back to Mrs Sandel.

"Mrs Sandel, I never pictured you as a fan of blood and gruesome murder?" I say with surprise.

She snorts, "Then dearie, you have much to learn about me then. I'll come to make sure that you make it out alive."

I sigh and look away, "Were it not for my life, we wouldn't be here, and my mom would have set the records straight."

I feel a grip on my shoulder, "I once told you that your martyr act will get you killed one day. My theory may come to pass sooner than we know it."

"Shane Li!" Mrs Sandel glared at her son, "I've told you to call me Chloe already. I may have been married, but I'm not that old."

I shrug off her request, but she's not having any of it.

Chloe moves closer to me, "I hope you know that your mother does not regret having you."

I snort; I find that hard to believe.

"Now that we are done with the bedtime stories, I believe we have to sleep. I have a wedding tomorrow, and I don't wanna walk down that aisle while bearing a striking resemblance to Ursula." I try to make light of the matter and divert the spotlight from myself.

Shane snorts, but Chloe sees right through me and shakes her head stiffly while giving my shoulder a firm squeeze.