Perfectly Flawed

One - I Expect Grovelling

Chapter One

Gabrielle straightened her posture, adjusted her blazer, relaxed her face and pushed open the doors to the drawing room. She resisted the urge to wince at the ladies sitting with her mother.

"Oh, Gabrielle, I was wondering when you'd arrive."

"Sorry mother," Gabrielle said, floating into the room the way she'd been taught, "father was teaching me."

"No bother dear," her mother said, in a way that Gabrielle knew really was a bother. "You've met Mrs Hadley, Mrs Trelawney and Mrs Cook of course?"

"Of course, good morning ladies, it's lovely to see you all again." Gabrielle nodded as the server placed tea on the table for her. She took a seat next to her mother, tucking her feet in daintily and smiling at the older ladies.

"Mrs Hadley, I do believe I met your niece last week!"

Gabrielle made small talk, impressing the older ladies with her impeccable manners, conversation and beauty. While the ladies gushed about debutante balls, jewelry and idle gossip, under the sharp, watchful eye of Gabrielle's mother, Gabrielle's mind was elsewhere. Numbers and legislations and dates swirled through her mind, so fast and so full that it was a feat to have been acting so domestic.

When the ladies finally left, Gabrielle waited in the drawing room, knowing her mother would like to talk to her.

"You were late Gabrielle. We agreed you would be here to welcome the ladies with me. Any socialite knows that-"

"Mother, I know. I'm sorry, I really am," Gabrielle kept her voice and level and earnest as possible. She knew not to let emotions get in the way of anything.

"Do not interrupt me child," her mother, Paula, gave her a sharp look. "I expect more punctuality next time."

"Of course. I'm sorry."

Paula eyed her daughter, searching for something. "Other than that, the ladies were delighted with you. You'll be a fine young lady."

Gabrielle's pretty face stretched into a smile. "Thank you mother."

Paula nodded and stood. "Now go get ready for school. With the semester starting tomorrow, you need to be rested and ready. You are representing the company, remember that."

Gabrielle nodded, kissed her mother on the cheek and left the room. She waited until she was on the stairs until she undid the buttons of her blazer and pulled her long brown hair out of its bun, exhaling for the first time in what felt like hours.

Entering her room, she kicked her heels off and began cleaning up the papers she had thrown on her bed in a hurry to get ready. She had come straight from her Father's law firm, armed with finance reports, budgets and legal battles that she was meant to study before leaving for school in a few days.

Gabrielle had known since a young age that her father was a very powerful man. It wasn't until she had grown up that she realised simply how powerful he was. Tristan Montgomery was the founder and CEO of a multi-billion dollar, prestigious law firm, rivaled by only one other in the world. His business was run emotionlessly and smoothly - and he had a plan for all his children. His eldest son, William, had moved the England where he had established a firm there, which was doing extremely well and only adding to the profit and prestige of the family name. His younger children, twins - Gabrielle and James - were slightly more difficult. He needed someone to take over his position as CEO when he retired, and had for a long time been torn between the two. He had seen something in his daughter that his son was lacking, which was why Gabrielle was taken under his wing since the age of ten. James, not left to pursue his own dreams, had been pushed down the law path, groomed to become one of the company's top lawyers and retain the family name.