Page 67 of Vicious Kingdom

My parents might consider me a postscript, but even they wouldn’t celebrate such a thing.

Taking steadying breaths, I laughed off my mother’s comment. This wasn’t a party for me. Once in the safety of my room, however, the white dress begged to differ.

I frowned at the thing.

“What the hell is going on?” There was no one to respond to my query.

I pulled off my tee shirt, bunching it under my nose and taking a deep breath. “I write my own story.”

But this newest twist left me reeling.

It took minutes to adjust my ponytail and turn it into an elegant chignon at the nape of my neck. My makeup was minimal, and I didn’t bother adding more. Just a spritz of scent, which clashed with the smell of coffee beans, and then I slid into the dress and heels.

Dashing back downstairs, I went straight to my father’s office. He would give me an answer.

My rapid knock was answered by Uncle Jon opening the door. He smiled. “Ah, there she is.”

I returned the smile, but my own lacked warmth. “Can we talk?”

“Hi Annaliese,” my cousin called out from where he sat in an armchair. I raised my hand in greeting. While he hid it well enough in public, Jonatan had a weak constitution. His health was always troubling him, random flare-ups of inflammation that made him feel really shitty, no matter how many doctors he saw or how many health retreats he took. By the looks of it, he wasn’t feeling well tonight either.

How my uncle and father thought he was the rightful heir to the media empire was beyond me.

“Annaliese, what did you need? We’re very busy.” Dad didn’t even look up from his laptop.

“Mom said something about a party?”

“Yes?” He flicked a glance at me.

I took a few steps into the room, wincing when Jon closed it behind me.

“She said it was an engagement party?” I struggled to get the words out. They sounded pathetic to my own ears.

“You didn’t tell her?” Uncle Jon laughed in disbelief.

“Carole was supposed to.” The flicker of annoyance in my father’s voice told me his instructions hadn’t been followed. “Sit down, Annaliese.”

“I’d rather stand,” I began, but the look of warning in his eye had me collapsing in the armchair across from my cousin.

Shit….This was bad.

“Your mother was supposed to tell you earlier this week,” Uncle Jon began.

“But you haven’t been home,” my father grumbled.

“We’ve arranged a match for you. You’ll like it.” My uncle’s smile was genuine.

I resisted flicking a glance to my cousin, who was muttering under his breath.

“To protect our interests in the company, we’re offering our competitor an alternative to his shares. Leonard Baldwin has agreed to our terms, and he’ll be here any minute to celebrate your impending union.”

I blinked at my father. The nausea ebbed. “Leonard…Baldwin?”

“You fancied him once,” my uncle encouraged me. “You two even dated for a few months?”

“Secretly dated,” my father said coldly. “But he’s willing to take you back.”

“Leonard Baldwin?” I repeated, scarcely able to believe this was happening.