Katarina

"How's school?" James asks moving his Knight forward. Shit he almost has me. Also since when does he care about school? "Good."

"Come on give me more than that. You cant just rely on Soccer for the rest of your life. Have you talked to that girl? Altas was it? She has a great future ahead of her especially at such a young age."

"I'm working on it." I huff out feigning innocence as I checkmate him. He looks down at the board and for the first time he looks proud.

"Ill give you by the end of the month to have an idea. If not we'll do it my way." He mutters picking up his coat and leaving. Well thats just great.

Now I have another thing to worry about. I have to meet up with Atlas. I miss her. Plus I need to talk business.

"Jesus finally I thought we were gonna stay here forever." Victoria sighs dramatically making me smile. I almost forgot she was here. The tension between my father and I suffocates me completely as if the fear makes me stop thinking.

He's never hit me or anything. I wouldnt think he will in the future either. What he does is in my opinion way worse. He makes sure your ruined if you ever think of messing with him. Makes you depend on him forever.

Thats why I haven't been able to leave this fiasco. He's blackmailed me more than once.

I guess thats what all business men's ideology is to survive in this world. I've been taught it since I was born.

"Wanna go to Atlas's"

————

"Did you tell her we were passing by?" I shake my head shrugging. "What if she's busy?" Vic rolls her eyes annoyed at me like usual.

"Not my problem."

"You know I thought you were supposed to be against people coming into your house unannounced."

"Oh shut up."

I knock on the door leaning against the frame as I hear shuffling inside. Then a kid yelling. More footsteps.

The door opens and I give her my best smile as she looks at me with her hair disheveled looking like a parent. Which she is but I mean like an actual parent.

"Hey." I grin and a little toddler with blonde hair and green eye pops her head between Atlas's legs. "Hello!" She yells.

"Go to mommy." Atlas whispers slowly forcing her out with a subtle push at her face. "What are you two doing here?"

"What you dont want us here? Do you hate us that much? Jeez Atlas. And I thought you were the nice one in our friendship." Vic frowns.

"N-no of course not. I just would have cleaned the house up if I knew guest were coming. Come in sorry." She rants. I see what she was doing. That little snake was manipulating her into feeling bad.

"Sorry for the mess again." I walk in toys strayed around, the pillows on the couch thrown around creating a small little cult circle as Arden plays in it with her stuffed animals as her servants.

"Whats with the weird kid." I mutter not expecting her to answer.

"I'm not sure really. Shes like really bossy too so make sure you say no to playing games with her unless you want to be forced to play with her for hours. No bathroom breaks either. She throws a tantrum if you try using the bathroom."

I laugh as she stares at me completely serious. "Well who told you to fuck someone without a condom in highsch-" Vic slaps me on the shoulder before I can finish my sentence and I hear a chuckle behind me.

"You never change do you?" Tate mumbles taking a seat on Atlas's lap.

"If you ever get tired of her tell me." I wink and she rolls her eyes as Atlas clenches her jaw. God I love pissing her off.

"Ha ha your humor is incredible." Tate says sarcasm dripping through her voice. "Yes I know." I congratulate myself bowing.

————

Victoria

I want to kill her.

Grab this pillow and suffocate her.

"Whats with the ring?" Atlas asks ignoring Kates attempt to piss her off. "Long story. We got married and I need to talk to you about something important." She shrugs while Tate and Atlas both look at us like the world is falling apart.

"Im sorry repeat that? Because there's no way Victoria would marry you. In a million years." Tate says looking between the both of us.

"I think I said that before I signed the papers." I mumble.

"That doesn't matter at the moment. Atlas I want to propose a partnership." Katarina says seriously. The gleam in her eyes from before is gone and as horrible as it is to say it. She looks exactly like her father right now.

"Oh uhh. Right now? Do you want to go in my office so we can discuss it?" Kate nods her head and they both leave as I sit there awkwardly.

"Sooo. Hows the whole having a kid thing going on?"

Tate and I were never truly friends. The only times I can think of when we were nice to each other was when I drove her to one of my parties after she had a fight with Atlas. Besides that. Nothing else.

"Honestly if it wasn't for Atlas I don't think I would survive. That child is a maniac." I look to the side to find Arden choking out a stuffed bear.

"Oh Atlas's sister has been teaching her jiujitsu." She says like its the most normal thing in the world for a two year old to be strangling a stuffed animal to death.

"Alright then." I mumble.

After hours of talking about absolutely random things Kate finally jogs down the stairs with Atlas behind her.

"Come on lets go my wife." I roll my eyes at her incessant need to call me wife all the time as I walk ahead of her.

"Ill see you Saturday Tate."

"Text me."

"Since when were you and Tate friends?" Kate questions looking at me weirdly. "You left me with her for hours. What was I supposed to do? Sit there in the corner and speak when spoken to?"

"Calm down I didn't mean anything by it. I just find it weird. I thought you guys hated each other."

"Well I thought I hated you too but we're married now so..." I look deeply at absolutely nothing. "You don't hate me anymore?" She questions.

"I do. I just hate you a little less."

"You see? You just needed some good dick-"

"I take that back never speak to me again."