Joseph’s office is full of antiques, stained glass, and reclaimed wood. It’s like walking into a fucking church. He doesn’t look up from his desk as we enter, not until we each take a seat in the middle of the room. His dark hooded eyes settle on Saskia first, hardly glancing my way. My sister’s whole facade is about to break. I crack the bones in my neck, not once taking my eyes off him, making him look at me instead.
Yeah, that’s it. Look at me you bastard.
After a few seconds, he turns away to the papers neatly stacked on his desk. “So you’ve finally shown up?”
“You said we had to come to St Moritz, you didn’t say we had to stay here.”
The muscle in his jaw tightens and relaxes. “I would have thought it was obvious, but you’re not the brightest tool in the box, are you?”
I grit my teeth and force a slight smile. I have predicted A* grades in all of my elected courses, and I’m first in every class, as per the agreement. The best has never been good enough for Joseph even if it’s acceptable to his legal team.
He doesn’t say anything more when I don’t rise to the insult. He continues to flick through his papers. We wait seven whole minutes without anyone saying anything. Until Saskia shifts in her seat, drawing his attention back on her legs.
“What did you want to talk about?” I say abruptly, forcing the fucker to take notice of me.
He frowns. “You’ve moved out of the estate?” he drawls, like it’s an afterthought.
Saskia glances at me nervously. I convinced her to move out when I did. She refused to live in the frat house so she’s staying with a friend in Windsor. While it’s true Joseph doesn’t come home often, I don’t like that he could turn up at any moment with me not there.
“We’re old enough. It doesn’t break the terms of our agreement.”
He stops writing and interlinks his long fingers, leaving forward with his elbows on his fancy glass desk like cunt. “Agreement? Rather a trivial way of putting it. You mean the absolute requirements of inheriting my family legacy?”
Fucking whatever. We’re not infringing shit.
Externally, I break out a cold smile. “Yes, that’s what I meant, Father.”
“Fine. Both of you being gone means I can sell the place.” He goes back to his papers. After he finishes reading through, he takes a pen from the desk and signs every page. Whatever contract that is, I can’t help but notice the business logo is missing from the top of the document. Either it’s a personal document or his PA isn’t doing her job properly.
“Sell?” The question comes out before I can stop it.
“Do you have a problem with that?” He glances at me as shuffles through the paperwork. I keep my eyes devoid of emotion. Saskia glances between the both of us, but I don’t indulge her while Joseph is watching. He’s waiting for a reaction. I shutter my features and give him nothing.
I shrug my shoulders. “Nope. Do what you like.”
“Oh I will. It’s already been appraised for sale.” He leans back in his chair and eye fucks my sister like she’s a piece of meat. “Among other things that are of no use to me anymore.”
“Why doyou think he’s selling the house?” Saskia says sulkily as our driver parks up outside the resort she’s been staying at. I absolutely refuse to let her stay in the family chalet. I don’t give a fuck what Joseph wants. There will be dinner and drinks later this evening. Even if it makes him look fucking stupid, I’m not going and neither is Sas.
I shrug. “No fucking idea.”
“Oh, don’t,” she hisses.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t treat me like I’m made of glass.”
“How the fuck am I doing that?”
“By keeping me in the dark.”
“Sas, come on. As if I would—”
Without warning, she grabs the nearest thing to her and throws it at me. It’s a bottle of water. I duck just in time and it bounces off the interior partition between us and the driver and lands between my legs. Lady fucking luck is shining down on me because it misses my balls, barely.
“Watch it!” I snap.
She grabs another water bottle. “Are you going to tell me?”