Handcuffed Rebel

6. The Calvary

6. The Calvary

Kaitlyn
It's like my parents swapped bodies. My dad was behaving like my mum and my mum, well she wasn't behaving like her usual self. She came up with this ridiculous story about me being kidnapped and it took them so long to get me back. The media was buying into her crap as usual. If it's one thing Natalía Paxton knows how to do is to get the media eating out the palm of her hands. I'd expected her to unleash her wrath on me, but it was the complete opposite. She'd greeted us at the air strip with tears in her eyes. I didn't know if they were real or not but the media obviously believe they were. Then she'd gone on to give numerous interviews on behalf of me and the family. On one hand I was grateful that I didn't have to explain where I was for the past three years to anybody outside my family, but on the other hand I wish I had stayed away. Instead of my return fixing the problems that had developed it seemed to make them get bigger.

"I can't believe you've been alive all this time and didn't tell me."

"It's complicated, Kei."

"I'm your best friend! You should have at least told me."

I sighed. Trying to get Kei to see reason at this point was a waste of time. "I couldn't." He threw his hands up in the air and stormed away. Jax and Safiare hadn't been here when we got back. I wanted to ask about them but my mum made it clear we weren't on speaking terms. So I held my tongue. Uncle James although disappointed with me was more accepting of my presence. No one would speak directly to me. They'd talk to each other over my head, but never directly to me. It was frustrating. The more they did it, the more my temper rose.

"Can you all stop talking like I'm not here?"

Conversation paused around me for a few minutes. My mum looked me dead in the eye. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware we were taking feelings into consideration. I must have missed that memo. I was under the impression that everyone does whatever the fuck they want." I opened my mouth to reply to her but Antonio stopped me.

"It's not worth it. Remember she's helping you."

I scoffed, but reined my temper in. "Fine." If my mum thinks for one second I'm going to roll over and play dead because I made a decision about my life then she has another thing coming. She'll learn soon enough that she isn't the only bitch here.

My father arrived a few minutes later. He said nothing until he'd changed out of his suit and returned.

"Well," my mum prompted him.

"It's all taken care of." I sighed. "You're expected to surrender your passport. You're forbidden from leaving the country for the next six months."

"What?"

He continued like I hadn't spoken. "You're forbidden to own or operate any businesses during this time as well. You're also not allowed to buy lease or rent any property for the next six months. Also, any property that you own legally will be confiscated by the federal government."

"That's ridiculous. They can't do that!"

"I've already applied for the termination of your British citizenship." He pulled files from his briefcase. "Sign and return to me along with your passport. "This one is for the citizenship renunciation, and this one is to say that you've agreed with the punishment meted out." He can't be serious. I needed to travel. I can't stay here for six months. I have a son. There was no way I'd bring him into this mess of a situation. "Your bank accounts have also been frozen. But I doubt that will have any effect on you at all. You can leave the documents in my office once you've signed."

"What happens if I attempt to leave the country?"

"You'll be arrested on charges of attempting to flee. Your secret would be exposed and you'd shame the family. I don't really care about myself when it comes to that, but I'd rather you not disgrace your mother after all she's gone through to cover your tracks." He turned and started to walk away but stopped as if he remembered something. "I'll be closing down the London branch of Accosi International. You've lost the right to be affiliated with any business under the Paxton-Accosi name. I'll ensure the workers are properly compensated for the effort they've put in these past few years." With that statement he was gone.