Vince's eyes found me immediately, and my eldest brother moved towards me with such a determined pace that even Sonny, sitting next to me, straightened up. What a pity my bodyguard is useless at such times.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Will and Shane handing Uncle Monty the keys to their fancy cars, who then passed them over to an elegantly presented parking attendant.

Vincent, when he was right next to me, extended his hand towards me and motioned for me to get up, but as I wasn't in a hurry to do so, his long, slender fingers gently grabbed my wrist and pulled it. He wasn't using force against me, rather rushing me. With no other choice, I obediently stood up, but I also unscrupulously returned his gaze with my own, extremely determined.

"Hailie," he began quite gently, which surprised me because his eyes were devoid of all feelings. "What was that supposed to mean?"

I swallowed without breaking eye contact. Vince was frowning, probably trying to read from my face the reason for my shameful behavior. Maybe he even thought I lost my mind. Well, I tried to show him that I was one hundred percent aware of my act.

But just in case, instead of speaking, I just shrugged my shoulders foolishly, which was probably not the best answer as my brother shook his head slowly.

"No, Hailie. I'm asking you what was that supposed to mean?" he repeated seriously, looking down at me.

I raised my hand towards the restaurant building, never taking my angry gaze from my brother.

"Didn't you hear what he said?"

"I am not talking about what I heard, but about what I saw."

"Hailie, you threw a knife at a man," Will joined, stepping closer to me. He was serious too and kind of worried.

I lifted my eyes to the sky, then glanced at the rest of my family standing somewhere in the background, watching us.

"A-and what about this remark about an adult movie?!" I shouted, agitated that someone dared to tell me off in this situation.

"Calm down and don't raise your voice," Vince warned me.

"I won't calm down! How is it that I go out to a restaurant with my family and suddenly have to listen to an old guy who in the past tried to kidnap me planning MY marriage, that I don't want at all, to some other, arrogant guy who at the top of it all threatens me! And all this even before we were served the starters!

I was boiling with anger. Sure, maybe I shouldn't have thrown the knife, but I'm not psychotic, I don't normally do such things, and my brothers should understand that I was really upset there!

An elderly, but still very dignified couple was just leaving the restaurant. A woman with a beautiful gray bun and a cream-colored dress covered with sparkling diamonds, and an equally gray-haired man in a black tuxedo. They just heard my outburst and looked at me as if I'd just grown two more heads.

Vince and Will stared at me without saying a word, probably wondering what kind of lecture would be appropriate right now. I thought I heard Tony's muffled cackle somewhere in the background, but I was too focused on controlling my rage to be sure.

"Come on," Uncle Monty said, taking a few steps towards us. Maya was clinging to his side, and for the first time since I'd met her, her expression was truly gloomy. She approached us together with her fiancé, but this time she didn't fight like a lion in my defense, but her mind was wandering far away. "The girl is right to get angry. This Adrien's gone too far, eh?"

Will held out a straightened hand in front of him.

"Of course, he's gone too far, but that's a completely different story."

"How's that a different story?" I grunted, wishing my favorite brother was on my side. "It's the exact same story. I wouldn't have thrown a knife at him if he hadn't provoked me!"

Vince was already opening his mouth to shut me with some sharp remark when his beautiful, shiny black car pulled up next to us. The valet immediately got out of it and stood beside the open door, gazing politely at our company. Then our eldest brother sighed impatiently and pointed at me.

"You're coming with me, get in," he said because when we were coming to the restaurant, I took the opportunity to have a ride with Maya and Uncle Monty in their red convertible, which, they bought for themselves last week, paying no more attention to this purchase than to buy a pair of socks. Maya believed that naturally in every garage there should be a red convertible because it's a stylish and classic car and its absence is kind of as if a woman didn't have a small black purse or a white lace bra or a red thong in her wardrobe... And then Dylan told her to shut up.

Oh, speaking of Dylan.

"It's not fair that Dylan can throw forks and no one blames him, but when I throw something, then there's a big deal," I complained scowling, taking a seat in the back.

"Hailie, you didn't throw something but a knife," Will replied, leaning to the inside of the car so I could hear him well. His blue eyes sparkled with a harshness that I very, very much disliked.

I looked away from him at the headrest of the cream leather seat in front of me.

"Dylan, you too," Vince decided after a moment, taking the seat next to the driver.

The meanest of my brothers rolled his eyes, but he obeyed, prodding me to move, he jumped in the back with me. Great, Dylan in this car is just what I needed.

Will took the seat behind the wheel and we drove off immediately, making room for Shane's blue Lamborghini, which the valet was just handing over to one of the twins.

I sighed deeply, getting ready for the scolding that began almost immediately. Vince seemed to chose not to be the driver on purpose to focus his attention on us. Good thing he was sitting in the front and he couldn't keep glaring at us, although I didn't like the fact that he could see me in the side mirror.

"What's the matter with you two? We've gone out to dinner at a fancy restaurant, we're doing this to ease the relationship between our families, and my siblings throw cutlery? Two-year-olds have more polish than both of you," Vince began immediately, his voice irritated.

"You won't tell me he didn't piss you off," Dylan snapped, staring angrily at the back of Vince's head.

"Yes, but words are one thing and actions are another. You know our rules, and yet you have allowed yourself to be so mindless."

"What rules?" I broke in, irritated that I don't know something again.

Vince paused for a moment as if he wasn't sure he wanted to let me in on them, but Will did so without taking his eyes off the road.

"Not only we have powerful friends. Charles and Adrien too. We work with Charles, but not with Adrien. If we didn't follow any rules, chaos could ensue, which would eventually lead to unhealthy competition and maybe even deaths. Therefore, one of the rules that we do not violate is immunity. And now, by hurting Adrien, you've given him the green light to pay back," Will explained bitterly.

For the first time, I felt anxious.

"Will he want to hurt me?" I asked softly, getting slightly worried.

"No. Due to the circumstances, he claims to let it go, which doesn't change the fact that such a situation shouldn't have happened at all," Will explained. His hands gripping the steering wheel were almost as tight as his jaw.

"Okay, but it's not her fault. She didn't know what kind of war it might've ended. And that dick deserved it because he crossed the line," Dylan interjected, and I glanced at him, surprised that he was defending me. I expected him to be the one who shouts at me the loudest.

"Yes, you are right that it isn't entirely her fault. You, on the other hand, should've known better. I am not saying that you shouldn't defend your sister, especially when someone indulges in such distasteful remarks, but do it in a civilized and, above all, deliberate way. Throwing objects? You only show in how tragic condition your self-control is. It is unwise to reveal your weaknesses, especially to people like Adrien or Charles. Not to mention, I don't think Hailie would have thought of throwing knives if you hadn't given her the idea," Vince was explaining, and Dylan was sitting in such a lazy position next to me, communicating his indifference with all his attitude, though I was sure that under this act, he was really listening to our oldest brother. Especially since Vince was right. But I couldn't resist the temptation to say:

"He didn't have to give me the idea, I'd have come up with it myself."

Of course, everyone heard me. Dylan smirked and gave me an amused look, but Will rubbed his face wearily with one hand.

"Hailie, we appreciate it, we really appreciate that you protect your dignity. The problem is, they're not the right people to test. Did you see what Charles did to the waiter?"

"Charles is a freak," Dylan interjected.

"Exactly."

Dylan had a little more arguing with Will, but Vince and I hadn't spoken that much anymore. I was glad that two of my oldest brothers seemed, despite their disapproval, to let me go with my stunt without serious consequences. It was only when I really realized what I had done. I threw a knife at Maya's ex-fiancé! And he even started to bleed! Crazy.

I wasn't very proud of myself, but I can't say that I didn't feel at least a small, tiny bit of satisfaction. Because he deserved it a little. A lot actually.

The twins were the first to get home, as they showed off with their usual fast driving, while Will's style was rather more careful. They were waiting for us in the garage and as soon as we got out, they started to whine that we hadn't eaten, that they were hungry, that Eugenie hadn't prepared dinner because she'd thought we'd eat out, that there was nothing to eat, and all these arguments were needed to justify the fact that they had already ordered around ten boxes of pizza. We all went to change from dresses and suits to some more comfortable clothes. I also tied my hair into a ponytail and decided not to wash off my make-up yet because I wanted to enjoy it, as I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to put it on the next time. Then I went downstairs, where several of my brothers were already settling on the couches. At the moment when boxes of deliciously aromatic, freshly baked brick-oven pizza landed on the coffee table in front of us, everyone magically appeared in the living room.

Maya chose the seafood one that I was just glancing at, but ultimately I was not persuaded by those protruding tentacles and stuck to traditional toppings like salami. I also liked the one with tuna, onion, black olives, and maize. It was perfect and the yellow cheese was so well-melted that every bite tasted like a dream.

"And who the hell needs some tagliatelle with white truffles if pizza will always be number one anyway," Uncle Monty sighed with satisfaction, gobbling down the second piece before I took the third bite of the first.

"Actually, what happened to the food we ordered in the restaurant?" I asked when I suddenly remembered about it and I was already attacked by tremendous remorse when Maya spoke up to the rescue.

"The staff will take care of it. The food is untouched and paid, so they will most likely share it and take it home. I talked with them," she said, and when she saw the pleasant surprise on my face and a kind of admiration that in all this she managed to take care of such an important matter, she shrugged and added, "I don't like a waste."

"My gem, she always thinks of everything," Uncle Monty praised her, giving her a loving and adored look that made my stomach cramp. When will someone look at me like that...?

"Of course," Maya smiled in response, though it was a bit pale, too pale as for her because her joy usually always spouts like a fountain.

"What did Charles tell you?" Vince asked her straightly. We all looked at her and wanted to ask her the same question, but I think we didn't have enough courage, so our eldest brother took over.

Maya looked down. She was really behaving out of character.

"If you don't want to speak now, that's fine, but I'd like you to come to me later and tell me everything. This is important."

She sighed and nodded, lifting her head again, slowly returning all the looks.

"Dad said that it all isn't lost and that when I give birth, I can leave the Monet's bastard with him and move to Adrien. And then I could bear as many of his children as I want," she muttered with a heavy heart.

"Motherfucker," Uncle Monty growled, but from his controlled anger at her words, I concluded that she'd already told him this before.

"Fucko," Tony said simply, raising his eyebrows.

"He... he's sick!" I whispered to myself, but a little louder than I intended. I looked sympathetically at Maya, unable to understand how a father would say such things to his daughter. Her green, depressed eyes met mine.

"He is, Hailie. Crazy and unpredictable," she sighed again and raised her eyes to the sky, then snorted without a trace of humor. "And to think that I, stupid, thought that maybe we could talk to him, convince and invite him to the wedding. Idiot!"

"Hey, hey, come on. You had good intentions," Uncle Monty cooed comfortingly, putting his arm around her.

"I really don't feel like having a ceremony anymore," Maya growled.

"We don't have to make a big event out of it. For me, it's enough if the two of us are present. We will exchange rings and it's gonna be the bee's knees, you'll see."

"You don't understand!" Maya sighed. "I was supposed to have a wedding like a queen. I was supposed to have a freakingly expensive dress with a miles-long train! I was supposed to have red carpets, fountains filled with the most expensive champagne, trained white pigeons who would fucking bow at the sight of me! The world-famous orchestra was supposed to play, my carriage was to be harnessed to the most beautiful and dignified breeds of horses, I was to get a mountain of presents, sip martinis, dance till I can't feel my legs, only to say goodbye to the guests in the middle of the party and fly to the disgustingly luxurious hotel somewhere at the end of the world," Maya lowered her voice dramatically and buried her face in her hands. "I gave up on these dreams because I'm pregnant and there is no time to plan such an event. Instead, I wanted to have a normal wedding, invite my loved ones, and enjoy their presence. And now it looks like I won't get even this!"

Maya hid her face in Monty's chest, and he clumsily grabbed a piece of paper towel to wipe his pizza-greasy hand on it, and then he embraced her, muttering soothingly into her ear.

"But to be honest, maybe it's better Charles won't be here. You never know what kind of shit he'd come up with," Shane remarked with his mouth full.

Will shot him a significant look, criticizing his indelicate behavior.

"Honey, don't worry about it. Think about all the nice things that await us," Uncle Monty chattered. "We'll buy a house..."

"We can't even buy it here!" Maya wailed.

"Why not?"

"Oh, please! With my father around? In the same country? He'll be haunting us, he'll be forcing his arguments, he'll always want to prove to me how wrong was the decision I made! Without his approval, I can't live here, it would be a nightmare!"

"Okay, okay. We don't really want to live here. Do we want to? We don't want to. Remember how you liked Sydney? Maybe there?"

Maya looked up and sniffed as she considered her fiance's idea.

"Australia is wonderful, but for a vacation. I don't want to live permanently in such a remote area," she announced.

"Okay, then maybe, I don't know, Sardinia? You liked it there too."

This time Maya wiped an invisible tear from her eye and straightened a little.

"Baby, I can't live on the island, I need something more vibrant. You know, with many shops..."

"You could fly to Rome or Milan whenever you want."

"Too much trouble," Maya protested.

I listened to their discussions with silent fascination as I chewed on another slice of pizza. It's remarkable how some people live lives out of touch with reality. Suddenly, Maya clapped her hands together.

"France!"

Uncle Monty nodded, apparently pleased that he had managed to brighten up his fiancée and could go back to eating.

"Why not, I have a soft spot for Saint Tropez. We could buy a yacht."

"No, no, I meant Paris."

"But honey, wouldn't you rather live somewhere near the beach?"

"Then we can spend the winter season in Paris and the summer season in Saint Tropez, or maybe Monaco?"

"I knew we'd come to understanding," Uncle Monty winked and he and Maya both chuckled and a smile appeared on my lips as well. I had such a strangely warm feeling for them.

"So where are you going on your honeymoon?" Dylan asked.

"Hawaii or Fiji."

"Hey, we should go to Hawaii too," Shane picked up, nudging Tony.

"Fucking yeah! Let's go to Hawaii!" Dylan rubbed his hands together.

"I want to go to Hawaii too!" I joined in, and my eyes lit up with excitement.

"You all have school," Will muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Fuck it," Tony waved his hand.

"No fuck it."

I already thought that nothing would save this tragic evening, but the pizza and company were amazing, so finally the day didn't end so badly. Of course, my stunt won't be forgotten so quickly. At one point, for example, Shane cleared his throat.

"I just want to remind everyone here that our little sis threw a knife at Adrien Santan today!"

Only Will and Vince fought not to show their amusement, so I wouldn't accidentally take it as praise for my behavior. But everyone else laughed, not hiding at all how surprised they were at my act. Okay, I said before that I wasn't proud of myself, but I was getting closer to changing my mind.

There was also some teasing. For example, when I wanted to grab a small table knife that someone had brought to spread sauce on pizza, Dylan took it from under my nose and served me himself.

"I think we need to buy Hailie plastic cutlery," he said.

"I think if I need plastic cutlery, then so do you."

Later, when I fell asleep, I took a moment to analyze the events of today, and I still couldn't believe that it was my hand, getting information from my brain, that decided to grab the knife and throw it just like that at the stranger man who was talking some rubbish to me. I wondered what my mom would say. And then I also wondered what my dad's reaction would be... And even being half asleep, I swallowed. Jesus, I hope no one will tell him what happened!

The next day, Vince unexpectedly offered to take me to the foundation. He had something to do there, quick and easy enough that I could go with him. It was a Sunday so he warned me that a lot of the staff are off today but it wouldn't hurt to at least see the building and look around here and there. I agreed to this offer with great enthusiasm.

We drove less than half an hour when we stopped in front of a complex of nice, quite newly-built gray-colored buildings. Some parts of them were glazed with unnaturally blue panes. Some of the buildings had to house various types of offices, but the one on the right probably belonged entirely to the foundation, because over the main entrance, also glazed, there was a silver inscription "Monet Foundation".