With Love

Chapter Forty

Hello everyone!!

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"I think I need to work with him."

Jasper leaned his head back, staring at me in confusion. "No, you don't."

My fingers twiddled under the desk. "Jasper," I said imploringly, "He knows what he's doing, our father is not an idiot, he's run this empire for over thirty years."

The two of us sat in my office early one morning. A week had passed since my parents had returned, and it seemed as if they were here to stay. Their arrival didn't make much sense to me, they claimed to only return when the creator of the hit list had been dealt with but yet here they are when the attacks are at their worst.

People are starting to realize that it doesn't take much to kill us. They're slowly understanding that we're not the Gods we pretend we are in this world, we're just human. And humans die very easily.

"Ana, he's going to try to take control back," Jasper said, his voice suddenly soft as if he knew the ramifications of what would happen if our father did take over from me. He would be trapped. With a baby on the way and a secret fiance, our father would never approve of.

"I know what I'm doing, Jasper," I said, staring directly into his eyes, "you need to understand that some things are better the way they were. Our father never let anyone get away with exploiting our family, and we won't let this carry on. I need him to help me."

Jasper's lips thinned, his fingernail scratching at the wood on his chair situated in front of my desk. He sat back in his chair and laid his ankle on his knee, leaning his elbow on the arm of the chair and scratching his jaw.

Neither of us spoke for a few seconds.

"Fine," he announced, pushing to his feet and fixing his waistcoat, "throw away everything he's given you." Jasper walked to the door of my office without looking back. "But don't expect me to stand with him, he can burn in hell for all I care."

I blinked in relief but kept my face passive. "No one disagrees with you, Jasper, least of all me." My fingers brushed over the new scar on my cheek left by my father's rough hands that day after shoving me into the cemented wall.

"I hope you know what you're doing," he muttered before shutting the door behind him.

Left in the silence, I whispered to myself, "I hope so too."

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Lunch appeared to be a family affair today. I walked into the dining room to find both of my parents, Uncle George, and all my siblings, including a stony-faced Jasper. My footsteps slowed to a stop as I took in everyone.

My father noted my mother glancing at me and stood up with a flourish. "Anastasia, please, have a seat at my right hand," he said, holding out an arm in the direction of the chair.

I pursed my lips and tilted my head to the side. "No, you can sit at my right hand," I decided, walking over to where he stood and pushed his plate of food across to the seat in question.

Waiting for him to explode in a fit of rage, I was pleasantly surprised when he bowed his head the slightest bit and sat down.

An uncomfortable shocked silence settled over the table as I took my seat. Elijah's jaw dropped open as he stared between my father and me. Chef Joe walked into the dining room and served a plate of food in front of me. I smiled in thanks as he left.

"So, Amari, how is school going?" My mother asked, cutting the tension as she stabbed a fork into her salad.

Amari gave her a flat look that could rival mine. Huh, impressive. "School finished more almost two months ago, so pretty great," she said laying the sarcasm on thick. My eyebrows lifted at the attitude, impressed that she would blatantly use it in front of our parents.