From Hate Flourishes Love

The Move

Kai's POV

I tried to fit in as many of my clothes as possible in the single suitcase I owned. Mrs.Storm told me to leave my old clothes behind and only make use of the ones that had gotten from the professional stylist. However, some of my clothes held precious memories and I just couldn't leave them behind. It was sad how little was in my room to move. I always imagined moving from home would be exciting as I would be setting out on an adventure into adulthood.

Somehow I managed to skip a few parts of adulthood and was getting married. Moving in with the man who would be my husband in a few weeks from now. Life had a way of going completely unexpected. I made my bed for the last time.

I look at my favorite blanket and think of a plan to carry it with me. I fold it neatly and put it on top of the suitcase.

The house was so still, as it had been archived. My parents decided that they would try leasing the house. Dad seems to be making enough at his new job to get an apartment in the city close to my mom, and once her treatment is over, she maybe could work as a CNA again.

I am happy my mom's treatment is going well. She had a bright smile whenever I Facetimed. I'm careful to avoid conversations about my pending marriage. It is a bit hard trying to convince her that my future-in-laws were actually very nice people, albeit them using our family's financial ruin to coerce me into marrying their son.

My dad wouldn't bear the guilt, everso abruptly he would share some plan for our family to go into hiding and I had to convince him twice a week that Zander or his family hadn't done anything bad to hurt me, yet.

And I had the opportunity of having the Storm name attached to mine, which would be great career-wise. If I'm going to be a part of the family I might just use the resources that came with the family name to my advantage.

Just yesterday, I found out that they owned some fancy clinical trial companies. And I was going to apply for an internship at the company under my new surname.

It seemed like Storm Industries owned a few companies across North America and Europe. I didn't feel like doing a full investigation on their companies. Mr Storm had forwarded an extensive list of business operations that I should familiarize myself with in my email, but I'm too tired to worry about pleasing him. There was even a whole document about what was expected from me as Zander's partner from working at the family's nonprofits to entertaining business dinners.

I almost fell asleep reading the first paragraph. It was clear that I'm going to need to attend an etiquette course just to survive the marriage as well as take up business as a minor. I've very little interest in business, and I don't even know if I'll be able to survive the course load.

I feel completely unprepared for the life I've subscribed to.

"Breathe, Kai." I push my doubts about becoming a Storm to the back of my mind and pack the last of my stuff into boxes.

Wheeling my suitcase down the stairs, I visit all the rooms in the house as a way of saying goodbye. I keep the clothes I had places to give away in a duffle bag.

In the laundry, I find Zander's sweater and place it over my suitcase, noting that I should return it to its owner.

With nothing else tying me to my house, I bring my single piece of luggage, and multiple boxes outside. I close the door and hide the key behind a loose board in the wall for my dad to find it.

Outside, I realize it'll be stupid to carry this much stuff onto a bus and opt to call an Uber. I open the app store to download the Uber app on my phone when a familiar car starts to approach the driveway. Out of the car, steps Zander who greets me with an exhausted look.