Chapter 2

• Kathleen stood up from her chair and ran a hand on her now curled and glossed hair. She smiled slightly at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't look quite ugly, did she?.
• "You still haven't lost your touch, eh," She said to Carolyn, who was looking over her shoulder. "I believe that should be your thank you," Carolyn said to her and she chuckled softly.
• "And you are welcome." She added, Kat, sighed as Carolyn's hands grabbed her shoulder and turned her over.
• Her look on her was weird, she was thinking of what to say, Kathleen could see it. "You have to behave yourself," Carolyn finally told her and she rolled her eyes at her, "Oh, stop now!. I already gave you my word."
• "You give words and break them," Lillian said, wheeling herself into the room. Kathleen turned around, "Granny, I promise if he behaves well."
• "He's a charming boy. A prince, don't forget who his father is!." Kathleen shook her head. "She's told me that multiple times." She mumbled to herself.
• She picked up her small mirror and looked at her face closely.
• "They are all the same, granny. Remember, Loretta's brother caused what happened to him. He spits while he talks, and Jackson eats a lot. He's fat and bossy. And this one, I heard he's rude. Gosh, I do not know what will happen today." Kathleen listed feeling irritated.
• "Bla Bla Bla. If you continue like this, People will think you're portentous and ominous. You'll never get married, my child."
• Kath tossed the mirror on the table and grabbed her phone. She turned and stepped forward to stand before Lillian.
• "Love, grandmom. Love matters!." Kat stated, giving her a small kiss on her right cheek before walking out of the room.
• She walked out, standing in front of Mikael. He looked tidy and clean in his tuxedo. He had brown hair, blue eyes and looked quite good. "Not bad," She muttered to herself as he opened the car door and she went in. Kat breathed out when he sat beside her and the car moved.
• ***
• As Mikael ordered what he wanted, Kat watched him closely.
• "How can I get someone like Aiden ever?." She asked herself. Though this one is close to being him, he is not him. Gosh, she can't believe what she's thinking of right now. For five years, she had never had this thought, she was so obsessed with power, fame and she succeeded.
• Love was the least of her problems, but when her grandma thought of a baby daddy to Nicole, she couldn't help but think of him now. No one would measure up with him, she had lost contact with him and never heard of him after she left Sequim that day.
• "Kathleen, I believe you know who I am, and I know who you are. Perhaps, we could tell more about ourselves." The young man began etiquettely.
• Kat smiled at him and acknowledged the white lady pouring the wine into their glasses.
• "Thank you," She said to the waiter who smiled and left. Kat picked up a glass and sipped a little.
• How bored can she get at such a time?.
• "You know me because we've done business before, however, you also know I have a daughter before agreeing to come out with me, and I get that you don't mind at all."
• He blinked.
• Noticing her domineering nature, he smiled. "I certainly don't mind, though I'd like to mind knowing you." He stated and Kat's lips curved up in a smile.
• "You'll get to know me if you come closer."
• "You're a beautiful lady." He could not help but admit.
• Kat sat up, courteously "And you're. noble," Kat answered him. Mikael is the only child of Finn's family. They were among the richest in Sequim and her grandma demanded she treat him like a prince. And Kathleen knew what he wanted, a lady like her to rule with him and Kathleen found it rather demeaning, she preferred being the lord of herself.
• And perhaps, that was the reason he acted curtly and not rudely to her. He wanted to impress her.
• "Thank you for noticing." He said, then shifted his tie stylishly, revealing the numerous gold rings he put on his finger.
• Kathleen snorted to herself, "Showing off, I guess."
• ***
• The dinner with Mikael was boring with him doing most of the talking, telling her his stories of his adventures, great power, and riches. It was all about him. Soon, he wrapped it up and decided to go home. He didn't entice her at all.
• As his car pulled up in front of Houston's mansion, the car door was opened for Kathleen by his driver and she climbed down.
• "Well, when do we meet again?." He asked her. Kathleen was boiling inwardly, who would want to go into another boring session with him?, "I'll call you," She replied, briefly.
• He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then he turned and entered his car. Kathleen watched his car drive out of the gate and turned back to the mansion.
• Surprisedly seeing Lucas leaning against the door with folded hands, she walked up to him. "Why are you out? it's cold out here." She said to him,
• "I was waiting for you to come home." He told her. Her eyes squinted, "Why?. Why won't you wait till tomorrow?." She asked him.
• This was the month of February, and so winter isn't gone yet. The cold weather was getting to her as her arms were bare.
• "It's urgent. Come in." He answered, then he turned and started walking in. Kathleen followed behind curiously, thinking of what was happening. Soon, they were standing alone in the sitting room, where the maids and servants or housekeepers were all gone.
• He sat and she sat too. "What do you want to talk about?."
• "I heard you're traveling back soon." He said, in an unfriendly tone, Kathleen breathed out and clasped her hands together. "Yes. Why?."
• "When are you going to tell me?." He asked sharply. He was angry and Kathleen knew why. She hadn't wanted to tell him, not now.
• "I..I.."
• "Perhaps, hiding it from me because it's Seattle?." He asked again and her lips parted, she was stunned.
• "How did you know about that?." Her voice was low.
• "Come on. You shouldn't be asking about that. You know I would find out about it."
• "I know you will but I didn't expect you to find out so soon. Are you spying on me?."
• He raised his brows, "I don't have any reason to spy on you."
• "You have. Yes, you have. You've been doing that since I started handling the business, you think I don't know?. Why would you spy on me?." Kat asked, pissed, and raising her voice at him.
• "That...Your grandma asked to keep an eye on you."
• "Well, we're both guilty after all," Kat told him and stood up to leave. She walked a few steps ahead.
• "You're going to meet him." He said, and that stopped her in her tracks. She turned.
• She behaved like she didn't know what he was talking about, "Who?."
• "Nicole's father."
• Kat blinked and blinked again, no one has ever referred to him as Nicole's father for such a long time. It was new to her and unfamiliar to her ears. Being reminded of him hurts her so much.
• "I'm not going to meet anyone. I've set up a branch and I'm going to be there for a short time. And do I explain why I had a branch set up there too?." Kat asked him sarcastically and contemptibly looked at him for bringing Nicole's father up.
• "What about Nicole? Are you going to leave her here?."
• "I'm going for a meeting and not a vacation." She snapped.
• Lucas knew she was angry.
• "You're going to leave her again. Do you love your girl?."
• She shut her eyes in anger, she was boiling and her cheeks were red. She clenched her fists angrily, speaking lowly but deadly, "How dare you?." Her eyes narrowed at him, "How dare you question the love I have for my daughter?."
• "Why won't I?. You're always after this job or meetings, making sure you take care of the company but not for once, have you stayed with Nicole. I don't care what you think right now but that girl, lying innocently in her room yearned for you, prayed that her mother comes home every day, cries when she sees other kids' moms take them to school. You don't know..you don't know what you're doing to her now. And I don't think you know what you're doing either." He finished up, glared at her, and walked away.
• Her eyes softened.
• It was as if her legs got stuck on the floor, "Is this what I'm thinking right now?. Am I a horrible mother too?. What have I done?." She asked herself.
• Tears spilled down her eyes as she forced herself to walk into Nicole's room. She opened her room and walked in. Nicole was sleeping peacefully on the bed. So innocently.
• "My baby.." She choked out and sat beside her on the bed. Her hand went to her mouth, keeping her from waking Nicole up.
• "I'm sorry, my love. I didn't know what I was doing, I didn't." She cried out, running her hand on Nicole's hair. Nicole stirred up and slowly opened her eyes. She was a light sleeper.
• "Mummy. Why are you here?." The little girl asked, her voice very low.
• "Oh.." Kat sniffed and wiped her tears away. "Are you crying?." Nicole asked again.
• "No. I'm not!. Just..just something got into my eyes, but it's all gone now." Kat answered, sniffed again, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
• "Nicole. I'm sorry." She said, then trailed off.
• Nicole was confused, "Why are you apologizing?." asked Nicole.
• "I'm just sorry. I will take you out tomorrow. What do you think?." She suggested changing the topic. Nicole's eyes glinted, her mom doesn't know how much she wanted this.
• "Okay, mommy." Nicole nodded.
• "Now close your eyes and sleep," Kat told her, kissing her forehead and watching her close her eyes.
• Kat can't imagine the pain she's always felt these years that she had been away.
• "I know I'm horrible in all things but not being a mother. I can't imagine my daughter going through what I went through as a child." She thought inwardly.