Chapter nineteen
The Chase Family Home, Kensington
October 2022
Violet
Six weeks. Six long weeks of being under house arrest with my parents.
Every day is the same. My father disappears most mornings before the sun is up and returns after dark.
My mother spends her days in the kitchen or preparing something in the house to please him.
Men patrol the gardens holding guns with knives strapped to their waists.
In the little time I’ve spent outside, they watch me intently as I wander the vast gardens.
I couldn’t run even if I wanted to—there is no way out.
I was able to keep my phone. My mother checks my call history and messages daily.
The only person I’ve been in contact with is Samantha.
She has been essential for my sanity. We talk about her work and the other girls at the apartment where I lived for a short while.
She tells me stories that make me smile, especially about her horrendous dating experiences, which seem to be a weekly occurrence.
I’m hopeful she will be allowed to visit soon.
My father doesn’t watch me with the same disdain he did in the beginning. I’m being a good girl.
***
It's a cool autumn afternoon when I receive a message from my father to meet him in his office at four o’clock.
He wants to discuss my plans moving forward.
I take a shower and slowly dry my hair before applying a layer of makeup.
My dress is a simple floral design that finishes at my knees.
The soft material skims over my stomach, which has developed a small bump in the past few weeks.
After slipping on my ballet flats, I take one final look in the mirror and head to my father’s study.
His door is closed. The dark wood is old but has been sanded and polished to a high shine.
I stand outside for five minutes, not wanting to go in and face him.
I can hear his deep voice on the other side talking to someone on the phone.
His tone is abrupt and annoyed, but it always is.
He runs his business the same way he does his family—brutally.
Once the talking stops, I gently tap the door.
“Come in,” he barks, and I push open the door.
He is sitting in the red leather wing-backed chair behind a heavy wooden desk.
Rows of bookshelves line the walls, filled with ancient volumes.
My father’s rare book collection is valued in the millions, and it’s his pride and joy.
No one is allowed to open a book without his permission.
I received the cane at the age of twelve for removing one from the shelf.
“Violet,” he says as he meets my gaze, “thank you for being so punctual.”
He glances at his watch. “Bang on time.”
“You wanted to see me, sir,” I say meekly, dropping my eyes from his. If I look at him too long, my face will be true to my thoughts. He’ll know I have no respect for the evil dictator that he is.
“Yes, I did. After six weeks of being home with your mother and me, you seem to have settled back into our lifestyle. Your cooperation has been appreciated.”
He leans back against his chair and crosses his arms over his chest.
“Sit down, make yourself comfortable. You won’t be leaving for a while. We have a lot to discuss.”
“Thank you for taking me back after embarrassing you and my mother so badly. After abandoning my family and my responsibilities as your daughter.” He smiles darkly at my words. “I’m sorry, Father. Sir.” I take a seat in the identical chair opposite him.
“Your apology is appreciated,” he says, “but in some ways, it is unnecessary. What started as the heart-breaking devastation that my daughter had left turned into an opportunity. A lucrative business arrangement.”
My face contorts in confusion, and he laughs.
“As I said, we have a lot to discuss. But first, I have some good news for you.”
He leans down and presses a button on his intercom, then speaks into the microphone. “You can come in now.”
The door opens immediately, and a man I never thought I’d see again walks in.
Aiden Marley comes into my father’s office dressed in his trademark designer suit with a perfectly pressed white shirt.
He smiles, the way he used to when he would see me after weeks apart, back when I was desperate to see him, the days when my heart filled with joy at his presence.
My father stands and strides over to him, shaking his hand dramatically. “I’m glad you could join us, Aiden. It would be best if we tell Violet the incredible news together. I know she is going to be overjoyed.”
My hand rises to my throat in memory of the last time I saw him, when he pinned me against the wall in Harry’s apartment.
When he reduced the airflow to my windpipe, even though he knew I was pregnant with his child.
The bruises he left behind marked my skin for days as a reminder of how violent he had become. A man I never truly knew.
“Violet,” Aiden says, “you’re looking radiant. Pregnancy suits you.”
He walks over to me, leaning down and placing a kiss on my cheek.
I recoil from him; he bristles but doesn’t say anything.
I look to my father for guidance. He ignores me and moves back to his chair.
Aiden takes the seat beside me. He moves to take my hand, and I pull it from his grasp, placing it on my knee.
“You may be wondering what this is all about,” my father says, and I glare at him. “Don’t look at me like that young lady,” he reprimands. “This situation is a result of one you created fourteen years ago. Even if you weren’t aware of it.”
“Father, sir, I don’t understand.”
He holds his hand up to silence me. “If you keep your mouth shut, I will inform you,” he growls.
“I’ll tell you the plans from now on and how your life is going to progress. But understand, my daughter, nothing is up for discussion. The deals are done, and the paperwork is signed. Your life and the life of the child in your belly is mapped out.”
My focus moves from my father to the man sitting beside me. A man I used to adore and now despise. A man who ripped my youth from me with lies. A man whose child is in my womb.
“As you know, back when the two of you started a relationship,” my father gestures to the two of us as he begins his tale, “Aiden and I were loosely business associates. His advertising agency headed up the sales team of our property business. It was a successful venture in a lot of ways.
We both were seeing a good return on our work and investment, as well as making positive connections in many major cities across the globe.”
“That we did,” Aiden agrees, and the men smile at each other. My father rises from his chair and walks over to the cabinet where he keeps his prized whiskey. He pours two generous glasses, passing one to Aiden and keeping one for himself, then retakes his chair. The men toast silently to each other.
“Then you took it upon yourself, Violet, to follow your childish heart across the Atlantic and turn up on Aiden’s doorstep. He was shocked to say the least. I was aware your relationship had progressed beyond him checking in on you, not that I was best pleased.” My father chuckles to himself.
“I remember that phone call,” Aiden adds. “I’m glad we weren’t in the same city that night. My body may have been found in a watery grave. You were thermonuclear.” The men raise their glasses again in silent agreement.
“That evening you arrived in Chicago,” my father says, “he called me and told me where you were. Over time, we came to an agreement. Something that suited both of us.”
“An agreement?” I ask, confused.
“Aiden being fond of you, he wanted to keep you. You honestly don’t think I could have brought you home if I wanted to, Violet. You were able to stay in Chicago because I allowed it.”
He tents his fingers and places his elbows on his desk, then leans forward.
“This man has been a loyal business associate ever since. I consider him one of my closest friends. We have worked well together. He has run some of my most lucrative operations, and all I had to do was give him my daughter. It was a sacrifice well worth making.”
“I still think I got the best part of the deal,” Aiden replies.
He turns to face me, lifting his hand to my cheek.
I close my eyes under his touch, unable to look at him.
“We were very happy together, weren’t we Princess.”
I reopen my eyes and blink at him with a bland expression on my face.
What I really want to do is spit at him, but I know that would not be a wise move.
The situation I am in is a dangerous one. I need to be compliant.
“Then everything went to shit in the summer with the news report and that bloody baseball team,” my father continues.
“I told you that deal was a bad move.” Aiden holds his hands up and nods toward my father in surrender.
Both men laugh. “You disappeared without a trace, sneaking out of the country and turning up in the apartment of Harrison Waite. Only to run again.”
He rolls his eyes. “There is a bit of a pattern here, my child. When things get difficult, you bolt.”
“That won’t be required anymore,” Aiden interrupts. “Our predicament is sorted.”
“Predicament?” I hiss, and he grins wickedly.
“Unfortunately, Marissa wasn’t overjoyed to discover I had a mistress. She took the children and filed for divorce.”
He shrugs. “Someone called her and told her about you. My suspicions are it was one of your brothers. Not that it’s an issue—family was never one of my goals. It was a good thing to have for appearances’ sake. I always preferred being with you, Princess.”
My father taps his desk with the small hammer he keeps to restore order when meetings spiral out of his control. We both return our attention to him.
“So, as Aiden is now in the process of a divorce, our original agreement is being reinstated,” my father says bluntly.
He looks at me, awaiting my reaction. “You will return to America with him and resume your life at his side. He is the father of the child you carry. Once his divorce from Marissa is finalized, you will marry quietly. Life will return to a better version of what it was. You will have your man,
and your child will have their father. These past months will be as if they never existed. They will be gone and forgotten.”
“You’re speechless, Princess,” Aiden says with a dark smile. “I felt the same. Complete euphoria that you will be returned to me. Once again, you’ll be mine.”
“I’m going fucking nowhere with you,” I shout, pushing myself to my feet.
The anger bursts from me. Aiden rises. I turn to him and prod at his chest with my finger.
“There’s a small fact you’re forgetting.”
He smirks and raises an eyebrow in question.
“I didn’t know about your fucking wife and kids. You lied to me. I don’t want you.”
He grabs my wrist in his hand and squeezes. “It’s not your choice, Princess. It never has been. You’ve been sold. You’re mine in exchange for my loyalty to your father and his operations. We will be returning to Chicago together.”
“I don’t feel well,” I say, turning to my father. “Please, can I go to my room? I need to lie down. I feel nauseous.” He nods but smiles nastily.
“Before you go,” Aiden says, “there is one other bit of good news I have for you.”
I glance at him. “I’ve booked our wedding for February next year. Our baby is due in January I assume, from what I’ve been told and working out the dates. My divorce will be finalized before the year is out. This time next year, you will be my wife. We will be a family, the three of us.”
“Incredible news. We will celebrate now as we discuss business,” my father interjects, once again raising his glass. “Sleep well, my daughter,” he calls to my retreating form as I leave the room.
Back sitting on my bed, I pull my phone from the drawer in my bedside cabinet.
The only contact number I have is Samantha—I know my messages are monitored.
I can’t risk being caught, but I am not going back to Chicago with that lunatic.
Praying that my father hasn’t gone as far as recording my calls, I dial her number.
The phone rings twice, then disconnects.
My heart sinks. A few minutes later, my handset buzzes to life.
“Hello, Samantha,” I answer.
“Violet,” she trills down the line. “Lovely to hear from you. It’s been like three hours since we spoke.” She laughs, and my lips move to a sad smile. Talking to my friend is the only light in my life right now. “Do you miss me already?”
“Always,” I say. “I need your help. I’m in trouble.”
“How can you get in trouble locked in a mansion? Have you run out of tea?” She giggles at her own joke.
“My father has agreed I’m to return to Chicago and marry the man who is the father of my baby.”
She falls silent. Over the past weeks, I’ve come clean about my situation during our phone calls.
“Please listen. There is a lot you don’t understand, but I need you to get a message to Harrison and my brothers. You need to tell them I’m in trouble. I need them.”