The hush money was good for the alcohol and affairs.
Robert Kent had far too much money and he knew it. It was all too easy to pay off the bellboy who brought his mistress' bags up, or the assistant that had to be let go for reasons too impolite to speak about anywhere besides the steam room at the country club.
His wife, Jennifer, was quiet about it. She was well taken care of, spent her morning in the garden of the large estate, and her afternoons having tea with the other ladies lunching. No one dared speak about the whispers that sounded behind her back, after all, it would be a shame for their husband to suddenly have to clean out his desk because 'rumours' flew. She was well aware, but she preferred not to acknowledge it.
The children were not oblivious to it, either. They could tell when their father came home with a hint of a smile, a whiff of perfume on him that they hadn't smelled before. It was either women or alcohol, usually both.
Their private school uniforms were always freshly laundered and ironed by the staff, from the butlers to the nanny of the week. A rotating schedule of polo, chess lessons, private tutors, ballet or whatever else could keep them busy was enough to fill the gaps between the charity galas held to put on a good face for the company and the business dinners where the men always spoke shop at the table while the women and children were silent.
The hush money was good for the alcohol and affairs, but it wasn't enough to keep Michael from leaving. At barely eighteen, the middle child and younger son left in the night. His bank account was cleaned out down to the very last cent, and his cards weren't used after that.
A note on the dining table read only three words, and yet his twin sister, Grace, would never stop looking for him in the faces around her. Through the galas and the parties, she looked around for him as if he'd actually be there. Standing in his perfectly fitted tuxedo by the door, waiting for the night to be over just like he did before he made the great escape.
Robert and Jennifer didn't bother looking for him after the first week, if he didn't want to be a part of the family then he didn't have to be. They were far too proud to ever beg and grovel.
William, the oldest child, wasn't particularly bothered by his brother's absence from the Christmas cards or private jet rides. He went to law school and by the skin of his teeth managed to stay in his father's good graces. He was the shoo-in for taking over his empire someday.
Everything from real estate investments, internationally traded stocks, manufacturing or whatever in particular caught Robert's interest at one point in time, it all added up to a great fortune.
Billions, in fact. The family made from old money had always been of particular interest to the public, mostly because they always seemed so down to earth! So well balanced, so generous.
Everyone loves a philanthropist.
Grace had never particularly enjoyed the limelight, the English heiress was all too familiar with the camera flashes and press releases, but after Michael disappeared it was more unfulfilling. Sometimes she wondered how he got away, but she didn't have the guts to do it herself.
Everything would've been fine if it wasn't for the drink in her hand and the blonde woman on the other side of the room.
She was gorgeous, and she was about to ruin Grace's life.
—————————————
The old Grace can't come to phone right now.
...Why?
Oh, cause she's dead!
Forget everything you knew about Grace Kent and her family.
They are not here.
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