"The papers are here madam." The butler came in with his stiff outfit bearing a silver tray with a few newspapers which he handed to Callie before bowing to Callie and walking away.
She examined the papers one after the other and smiled, drawing Faye's attention.
"What is that Mom?" She asked suspiciously.
"I had the papers put in an announcement for Nova and Caden's engagement, we have to give the public prior warning before we send invitations to the engagement party." Callie explained while Faye ran her hair through her hair in frustration.
"I cannot believe that you could do this when we are not even sure that there will be a wedding, in the first place I cannot believe that you let him pick her." Faye said derisively to her mother as soon as they got home, Callie was sitting and having a cup of tea while Faye paced about the room and Ethan sat watching them both.
"It is not like I could do anything to stop him, you know exactly how your brother is." Callie said as she sipped her tea. She was disturbed by Nova's behavior and appearance, she had thought that she was getting a sweet daughter in-law but apparently the girl was a wild one, unfortunately Caden had now decided that she was the one so they would have to go along with it anyway.
"You could have used your own discretion to choose a proper wife for him and not let him do it, how could you trust him with that? Now look at what that has gotten us, such an uncouth girl has been given the chance to join our family and she has the nerve to scorn us." Faye continued
"Caden spooked her, you know how overwhelming he can get. I am certain that if her father speaks to her she will reconsider and we can clear all this up. There will be a wedding." Callie said decisively and Faye's blue eyes flashed with anger.
"We would not have to deal with such a stupid situation in the first place if dad had not insisted on Caden being his successor, he would be content with playing with his toy cars and stamps while I took care of the company."
"We have been over this, Caden despite all of his issues is very proficient at his job. You are well taken care of, why do you keep complaining about this?" Callie said, not wishing to get into this same argument again.
"Because that is bullshit and you know it, I am the first child, why him not me? The reason dad refused to let me be his successor is simply because he is a misogynistic old fart who was still mentally in the dark ages." She continued with anger.
"That is not true Faye, your father loved you so very much, he just wanted to protect Caden. You know that he seems strong but he actually really needs something that will help him feel grounded and immediately he showed interest your dad encouraged him further. He never did that to hurt you."
"Who has heard what happened to Jake Bolden." Ethan broke in, trying to diffuse the tense situation by steering the conversation to another direction.
"Jake Bolden? I have not seen his mother in a while, why? what happened to him?" Callie asked while Faye directed an angry glare at her husband for interrupting them.
"He has been in the hospital for over a week now, everyone is talking about it. I am surprised none of you have heard of it.." He answered.
"That is because we do not engage ourselves in idle gossip." Faye cut in.
"Whatever is wrong with him?" Callie asked ignoring Faye.
"No one knows, he was found in a hotel unconscious and since he gained consciousness he has been unable to say a word, he seems very afraid and just keeps mumbling. He has been transferred to the psych ward. People are hinting that it might be serial attacks and could be affiliated with what happened to the French diplomat Jacques Martine"
"A serial killer? that is just awful." Callie sighed.
"There is some merit to him being in the hospital, at least Lupita will not have to deal with his dirty abusive way, honestly if any man tried to raise a finger against me I would cut off his family jewels." She said menacingly and Brett gulped while Callie looked at her in distaste. "I hear the serial whatever he is appears to be targeting abusive men and as far as I am concerned that is good riddance."
"Why do you have to be so vulgar? Cases of domestic violence should be deal with and resolved within the privacy of the family and in the case it becomes too much then the police can be involved and never for some vigilante to mete out some grisly form of justice, how are we supposed to be sure of our safety?" dropping her tea cup and saucer before getting up out of her seat she headed towards the door. "… I will go and visit dear Anne, she must be going through so much." She said before disappearing up the stairs.
When she was gone Faye turned to Ethan and growled at him. "Why did you interrupt me?"
"Because you were beginning to rile up your mother and there was really no point to doing that." He said gently.
"What do you meant there is no point?" she snapped angrily.
"Because you know how it is when your brother is dead set on something, he is going to get it because your mother will support him. We cannot afford to antagonize her, you know you can't." Ethan said, forever the voice of reason.
"In any case this is a good thing, if Nova despises your brother and they get married there is bound to not be any babies from them and our own children will be the heirs to the Knox fortune." He continued.
"I do not want a girl like that joining my family and I do not want my children to gain an inheritance simply because my brother was unable to have children. I want that company because I deserve it." She said.
"And you will get it my love, you just need to be patient and work smart." He said and stood up and went behind her and rubbed the tension out of her shoulders. " we will weather this storm together and you will come out victorious."
Faye relaxed and let Ethan's soothing touch calm her down. She hated to admit it but he was right, she needed to stop fighting, let Caden marry his little rebel, with any luck she would wreck him and leave before she could wreck the family too, then she could swoop in and fix everything. Then they would know that she was the better, more intelligent and more capable sibling.
She turned around and looked up at Ethan and wrapped her arms around his middle. As annoying as he could get sometimes she loved him very much and appreciated his support even though she would die first before she told him that.
Her musing was interrupted by a text tone and she pulled away from Ethan's arms and dug around in her pocket for her phone. When she pulled it out and looked at the screen her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.