I'M CURRENTLY SITTING at my desk, doing my make up and hair ready for the dinner tonight with Sebastian and his family.
I know that I've known the Kingsley's all my life, but I've never known them as Sebastian's "girlfriend", so it's important that I give them a good impression. To show them that I'm making Sebastian a better person, that I'm a good girlfriend. I need to do this for Sophia. That's what I keep telling myself.
I mean, he's her big brother, and sure she also has James as her other older brother, but he's moved to Chicago so she barley sees him. It doesn't help that her parents are always away on business trips, and she's just started her first year at Worthington Preparatory, so it's going to be a scary time for her. I've seen Sebastian look out for Sophia during school hours, not even embarrassed to be seen with her. Even though he's a total ass to everyone, some more than others, he's so loving with her. And to see her heart get broken by her big brother being sent away to boarding school in London? That's something I don't want to see.
With that thought, I finished doing my hair and makeup, which resulted in being a natural look with pin straight hair, I walked over to my walk in closet to get my outfit for the dinner.
I decided on wearing a mid thigh white bodycon single sleeved dress, with a slit going through the middle section separating the top and bottom, also joined with another slit going up my left leg. I paired my dress with my white 4 inch heels, making me stand taller and my posture straighter. For accessories, I'm wearing 4 necklaces, each one shorter than the other, with a couple rings on my fingers, and diamond earrings.
Taking a last glance in the mirror, taking a deep breath, I turned around to walk out of my room and down the stairs.
"Where the fuck are you going?" I heard Lucas ask me, barley audible because he was stuffing his face with popcorn. I looked towards Lucas and Natalia as they cuddled up on the couch, Lucas's arm wrapped around her stomach, gently stroking where I'm assuming the baby is supposed to be.
"I'm going to Sebastian's apartment for dinner with his family. Is that okay with you?" I asked him, my lips quirking up into a smirk.
"I don't see why you need to wear, that. They already know what you look like."
"So? Can't I just dress up to make myself feel better about myself?"
"Oh be quiet, Lukey. You're only jealous because you wish you could look as hot as Alexandra." Natalia quirked up beside Lucas, giggling at his pouty face, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
"Thank you, Tal. I sincerely hope that your baby gets all of your looks and not Lucas's, because that poor baby would be scarred for life!" I giggled at Lucas, quickly walking away towards the elevator, as he picked up a pillow and threw it in my direction.
The soft hum of the elevator was interrupted my the blaring noise of my phone, signalling that someone is ringing me.
"What?" I asked into the speaker if the phone, already knowing that it was Sebastian.
"Well hello to you to, Lexi." He replied dryly to me.
"Shut the fuck up Sebby and get to the point already."
"Where are you? You need to be here in 10 minutes!" He scolded me through the phone.
"It takes a long time to look as good as me." I defended myself quickly, rolling my eyes at his impatience.
"I need to talk to you about our deal, Black. I forgot to mention something before this dinner." He told me quietly.
"What are you talking about?" I asked him, as I walked out of the elevator towards the doors of the lobby, walking outside to see Jeffrey waiting there for me by the backseat of the limousine. I smiled at him in greeting, waving at him with my hand that's holding onto my black Gucci clutch. He opened the back foot for me, smiling at me in return.
"Well, you know that I said we'd only have to fake date for a month?" He questioned me quickly.
"Yes. And that month is almost over by the way, a week left to go." I told him slowly, confusion laced through my voice.
"Right, well about that. I kind of told them that we were planning on being together for a long time, as in for at least a year."
"What?!?" I whisper yelled at him, not wanting to draw Jeffrey's attention to me.
"I know I know, I'm sorry, I panicked. They were talking to me about the Christmas holidays, because you know how we always go to France for Christmas to visit my moms side of the family? Well they were telling me to ask you to come along with us, and I said sure I'll ask you. But then they started asking me about how serious we are with each other, and if we are that serious about each other, then they'll think of lifting the threat of me going to London, because apparently they don't want to see you heartbroken." He finished off his ramble, panting for breath.
"So let me get this straight. I'm going to France with you guys for the two week Christmas holidays, we're meant to go out for the rest of the year, and you might not be going to London because your parents think that we're madly in love?" I asked him slowly, sighing in response to the extension of our deal.
"Yeah."
"Fine, I hope you know that I'm only doing this for Sophia. Not for you, and definitely not for revenge on Jackson, I'm not stooping down to his level. Sophia is like a little sister to me, and I'll do whatever I can to make her smile." I told him sternly, making sure he got the message loud and clear.
"I know, and I appreciate the way you are with Sophia. She needs a female influence in her life, because I mean mom is barley ever home. So to have you as a female influence on her, is pretty damn great Lexi. And for that, I thank you. I mean it. I just want to be a good big brother to her, and I just hope that I'm enough for her." He told me quietly, his voice cracking slightly at the end.
"She loves you, I hope you know that." I told him sincerely, not wanting to get emotional with my arch nemesis on the other line.
"I'll see you soon, Lexi. Thank you, really." He told me as he hung up, probably not wanting to get emotional in front of me.
Sebastian Kingsley getting emotional? Well that's new.
•••
"Oh Alexandra, you look so beautiful! My son is very lucky to have a girl like you on his arm!" Mrs Kingsley gushed at me as I walked out of the elevator, her French accent noticeable as she speaks.
"Thank you so much, Mrs Kingsley. You are looking very beautiful yourself." I greeted her, complimenting her back as she came over and hugged me, kissing both of my cheeks softly.
"Alexandra, how many times have I told you to call me Anna?" She laughed at me, calling over her husband, Robert Kingsley.
"Alexandra, my darling, looking as radiant as ever." Mr Kingsley told me, a small smile on his face as he came over and took my hand in his and kissed it.
"Thank you, Mr Kingsley. It's very nice of you both." I thanked them both with a wide smile.
"Alexandra Black, you should know by now to call us Robert and Anna. There are no need for pleasantries here." Robert chuckled softly at me as I had a light blush coating my cheeks from embarrassment.
"Alex? Omg you're finally here! Sebastian's been driving me insane with his constant pacing! God he is so whipped." I heard Sophia yelling from the top of the stairs, quickly running down them towards her parents and I. I immediately engulfed her in a big hug, both of us saying how beautiful each other look.
"Is that little Alexandra Black? In that little white dress?" I heard someone exclaim sarcastically behind me. I turned around to see none other than James Kingsley.
"Hi James." I replied to him, giggling quietly, walking over to him and giving him a hug. He kissed my cheek quickly, ruffling my hair playfully.
"Get your hands off my girl, James." A voice said behind me. Mr Sebastian Kingsley.
I turned around to see him walking down the last few steps, wearing black dress pants, a white buttoned shirt tucked into them, although the top few buttons were undone, leaving his tanned chest exposed for everyone to see.
He approached me slowly, as I pulled away from James. His arms circled around my waist pulling me closer to him, leaning down and giving me a quick, chaste kiss.
Well that's also a new thing about Sebastian Kingsley today.
"I can't believe it took you guys this long to get together." Anna said beside us, smiling brightly at us both.
"Yes well, mama, she kept on resisting my irresistible charms, until one day I cracked her, and she fell deeply in love with me." He smirked cockily at me as I rolled my eyes playfully at him, jabbing my elbow into his side.
"Well then, let's all head over to the dining room!" Anna laughed at the both of us, grabbing Roberts hand and walking over towards the other end of the apartment, quickly followed by James and Sophia, leaving Sebastian and I alone.
"I'm your girl now, huh?" I asked him with a slight giggle, while raising one of my eyebrows at him questioningly.
"We have to make it even more believable in front of my parents okay? Mama will be easy because she's in love with the idea of us being in love. But dad? He's a lawyer! And he'll be able to tell if we're faking it, so you better put on a good show Lexi." He told me quietly, in case someone else heard us.
"Of course, my love." I responded to him jokingly, taking his hand in mind and intertwining them, smiling at him slightly and pulling him along to the dining room.
•••
I was sitting next to Sebastian at the dinner table, Sophia and James sitting opposite us, while Anna and Robert sat at both heads of the table.
We were in the middle of dinner, which consisted of beef lasagne served with a side salad. It was honestly one of the best meals I have ever tasted. We were all making small talk, mainly about Sebastian and I's 'newfound relationship', but other than that, there's not a lot of talking amongst the family of 5 and I. I know that we're in the middle of eating food, but with my family there's never a beat of silence. But with the Kingsley's? It just seems a bit awkward, and I know it could be partially from Robert and Anna not being around much in their lives, always leaving them with babysitters for months at a time. But it still doesn't feel right.
"So Sebastian asked me about coming along to Paris with you all for Christmas this year, are you sure that's okay with you?" I asked Anna and Robert trying to break the silence between the family.
"Of course it is mon cher (my dear), but didn't Sebastian tell you?" Anna replied to my question, looking between Sebastian and I unsurely.
"Tell me what?" I asked her, confusion painted onto my face.
"Unfortunately, Robert and I won't be able to attend to this years French family Christmas since we have a very important business meeting in Canada the week we're supposed to leave." She told me, sighing sadly. I looked towards Sebastian for confirmation, he just casted his gaze down towards the plate of food, a small frown evident on his face.
"Oh, well can't you guys just fly out after your meeting? I'm sure your kids would appreciate it, and Anna I'm sure you miss your family very much." I didn't mean for the part about their kids to come out, but just looking at how sad Sebastian and his siblings looked I couldn't help it.
"Are you calling us bad parents, Alexandra?" Robert spoke up sternly from the other side of the table, his eyes burning into mine waiting for my response.
"Dad!" Sebastian snapped his head up to look at his fathers, clenching his jaw in the process.
"N-no! Robert that's not what I was saying at all, believe me. I just meant, that Christmas is a time to spend with your family, to spread love and joy. I just don't understand why you would attend a business meeting during the holidays instead of spending time with your family. I didn't mean any offence, I'm sorry sir." I told him quietly, fiddling with me fingers under the table.
"I'm sorry, Alexandra, but I don't appreciate your opinion on something that simply isn't any of your business. I think it's best if you leave. Goodnight Alexandra." Robert spoke to me quite rudely as he stood up from his seat, and walked out of the dining room, leaving us all in silence.
"Anna, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone, really. I'm really ashamed and embarrassed of my actions, and I think it's best if I leave. Thank you for having me over and for this lovely dinner, and once again I'm sorry." I said apologetically as I began to stand up from my seat.
"No, Alexandra please stay. I'm so sorry about my husbands behaviour. You are completely right about what you said, but unfortunately I'm not the one who calls the shots in this family. Not everyone has a happily ever after sadly. I wish more than anything I could visit my family back in Paris, but unfortunately my husband doesn't care. He's never cared." Anna quietly tells me, tears brimming in her eyes as my heart physically breaks for her.
"Mama-" Sebastian was cut off when Anna quickly got up to embrace me in a tight hug.
"I sincerely hope that you and my son have a happiness together that I've never had with my husband. That you will live a long and happy life together." She whispers to me, tears falling from her face. She pulls away from me slowly, turning around to Sebastian.
"My boy. I'm so sorry for all the pain that we've ever caused you. It was never my choice to leave all of my beautiful children behind as we went on business trips. It's never been my choice. I hope that you'll be able to forgive me, because I love you with all of my heart. All of my children. The only three amazing things to come out of an unhappy marriage. James, Sebastian, and Sophia. I love you all so much." Anna told them all, breaking down in front of her kids, the three of them looking sadly at their mother.
Sebastian walked up towards Anna, followed by James and Sophia, all of them embracing her in a loving hug.
"We love you too, mama." I heard Sebastian mumble into her shoulder, trying his best to not break down. He broke away from his mother, passing her onto his siblings, before walking over to me quickly.
As I was about to question Sebastian on what he was doing, he embraced me into a deep hug, his head tucked into the crook of my neck. I felt a wetness fall down my neck onto my shoulders, realising he was crying, I tightened my hold on him, small tears falling down my cheeks as I witnessed the boy I've known all of my life, break down in my arms.
I was about to make a remark of 'he's ruining my dress and has to get me a new one', but I decided against saying it, holding him closer to me instead.
"Thank you, Lexi." He mumbled into my shoulder quietly.
"You're welcome, Sebby." I told him, placing a chaste kiss to the side of his head.
This is one of the most important chapters so far! We've learnt a bit more about Sebastian's family, poor Anna 😭
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Status: unedited
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Thank you and ily all🥰
- Addy :)