Khalia Austin was the eldest granddaughter of the prestigious Austin family. At eighteen, she had just graduated from high school and was finally ready to take control of her own life, only to have it ripped away from her in an instant. Her grandfather, Warren Austin, had blindsided her with the announcement that he had arranged her marriage. The betrayal burned through her veins like wildfire.
Furious, she had stormed out, leaving her entire family behind without a second thought.
Warren, however, wasn't the kind of man to let his granddaughter run off without a trace. He immediately sent his most trusted right-hand man, Mr. James Clavette, along with two other men, to track her down. That was why Khalia had been hiding, ducking through dark alleys and slipping past security cameras. She had no intention of being dragged back like some caged bird.
But that was hours ago.
Now, everything had changed.
Just before she stumbled upon Sean, Khalia had been at home, sitting at a dinner table she never wanted to be at, surrounded by people she despised.
Her family.
The Austins were a picture-perfect family in public, but behind closed doors, they were anything but. Khalia's mother had died giving birth to her, leaving her father, Rueben Austin, to remarry a woman named Sierra, a decision Khalia would come to regret more than anything. Sierra and her daughter, Emily, had never accepted Khalia as family. To them, she was nothing more than an inconvenience, a stain on their perfect little world.
They made her life a living hell.
For years, Sierra and Emily tormented her, belittled her, treated her as if she didn't belong. And for years, Khalia endured it, hoping, praying, that her father would protect her.
But Rueben never did.
He stood by, pretending not to see, pretending to be the doting father in public while turning a blind eye to the abuse in private.
It wasn't until Mr. Clavette caught Sierra and Emily red-handed, cruel hands raised against Khalia, that everything changed. Without hesitation, he had whisked Khalia away to live with Warren Austin, severing her from the toxic home she had known.
At first, Khalia hated it.
She resented her grandfather and Mr. Clavette for taking her away, for making decisions about her life as if she had no say. She had cried for her father, begged for him to take her back. But Rueben had simply stood there, cold and unmoved, watching her leave without a single word of protest.
Not even a goodbye.
That was the moment Khalia had truly understood her father had never wanted her in the first place.
Over time, she had stopped crying for him. Slowly, she accepted her new reality, learning to live in Warren's mansion, in a world where she was not loved, but at least respected. Eventually, she forgot about Rueben altogether.
Until tonight.
That evening, Warren had called for a family dinner, and Khalia had obeyed without much thought. But the moment she stepped into her grandfather's mansion and saw Rueben, Emily, and Sierra seated at the table, a cold sense of unease settled in her chest.
She froze in the doorway, her hazel eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Emily, ever the spiteful brat, sneered in response. Her lips curled into a smirk as she scoffed, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder.
Sierra, always eager to remind Khalia of her place, rolled her eyes. "Is that any way to greet your father, you little brat?" She spat, her voice dripping with condescension.
Khalia clenched her jaw but forced a smile onto her face. She wouldn't let them get under her skin.
Ignoring Sierra completely, she walked up to Rueben and wrapped her arms around him in a brief embrace. "Hi, Daddy. Welcome."
Rueben smiled at her, placing a hand on her back as if he were truly pleased to see her. "Hello, Khali. How have you been?" He asked, his voice gentle, his expression seemingly full of concern.
Khalia fought the urge to scoff. What a joke.
She knew the truth. Her father didn't care about her, he never had. He was only playing his part, acting the role of the loving father in front of all the right people. But Khalia had long since learned to see through the lies. She didn't need her magical eyes to tell her that every word, every smile, was an illusion.
Once, she had longed for his love. Once, she had cried for it. But not anymore.
"I'm doing well, Dad. How are you?" She replied, her voice perfectly neutral, her smile flawlessly faked.
Before Rueben could answer, Warren entered the room, his presence commanding as always.
"Ahh, you're all here," he said with a grand wave of his hand. "Let's go eat."
Khalia's gaze flickered at her grandfather, her suspicion growing.
She knew him very well. Something was off. He was up to something.
And she had a feeling she wasn't going to like it.
As Khalia followed her grandfather into the dining room, a nagging suspicion crept into her mind.
What are you up to, Grandpa? Why did you bring them here?
She rarely saw her father's side of the family anymore, especially not by her grandfather's invitation. Warren Austin was not a man who did anything without reason. If he had called for this dinner, it was for something important. And judging by the gleam in his eyes, whatever it was, it had already been decided.
The long, polished oak dining table gleamed under the chandelier's golden glow. The air carried the rich aroma of roasted meats, decadent sauces, and fresh bread, but Khalia had little appetite.
As always, Warren took his place at the head of the table, exuding authority without saying a word. Khalia slid into her seat beside him, her usual place, while her father, Rueben, sat directly across from her on the other side.
Rueben Austin, the only surviving son of Warren.
At least, the only one left alive.
Years ago, before Khalia was even born, the Austin family had been different. Her grandfather had been a different man, one who smiled more, laughed louder, and had no reason to carry the weight of grief.
Back then, he had his wife, Noelle, and his two sons.
Noelle had been the love of Warren's life, and together they had built a family filled with love and promise. When she gave birth to twin boys, the Austin family rejoiced. Robert, the eldest by minute, had been destined to inherit the family business, while Rueben, the younger twin, would have played a supporting role in the legacy.
But eighteen years ago, everything changed.
Robert's death had been sudden. A tragic accident that had shattered Warren and Noelle's world.
Their firstborn was gone.
Grief sank its claws into them, and neither of them ever truly recovered. Noelle, especially, carried the sorrow until it consumed her. When she passed away, Khalia was only ten years old, but the loss had hit her harder than anything before. Her grandmother had been her favorite person, the one who made her feel loved, protected, and cherished in a way no one else had.
Her death left a hollow space inside Khalia's heart, one that no amount of time could ever fill.
Warren, too, had been devastated. But unlike Rueben, who had moved on and started a new life with Sierra, Warren had refused to let go of the family's legacy. He had thrown himself into raising Khalia, ensuring she was safe, strong, and ready to take on the Austin name.
To him, she was the future of the Austin family. Not Emily. Not Sierra.
To Warren, they were outsiders, leeches clinging to Rueben for wealth and status. And Khalia knew that no matter what, he would never accept them as part of their family.
As the maids moved gracefully around the table, setting out steaming dishes of gourmet food, Khalia leaned closer to her grandfather. Lowering her voice, she whispered,
"What's going on, Grandpa? Why are they all here?"
Warren's eyes twinkled with something unreadable, and he gave her a warm smile, his voice calm yet firm.
"Let's eat and enjoy." Khalia narrowed her eyes, studying him. He was up to something.
She could see it in the way he held himself, in the glint of satisfaction behind his gaze. She had lived with him long enough to know when he was keeping a secret.
What are you planning, Grandpa?
But she wasn't the only one with a restless mind.
Across the table, Rueben's thoughts raced as well.
When Warren had first called, inviting him to this dinner, he had been puzzled. The Austin family didn't gather unless it was for a specific reason, birthdays, holidays, or rare occasions.
This? This was unusual. And Warren was stalling.