Marriage of Convenience

Chapter 24

"Don't you see what a disgrace you are to the family Esther?" Mikael's large frame towered over his wife. "I will not have you ruin the Mikaelson name with your indiscretions. You will be on the first flight to England as soon as possible."

Esther made no remark. She did not tried to defend herself. She didn't even have the courage to look up at Mikael.

"And you will never see that man again. Do I made myself clear?" His words cut through Esther like a knife.

"I won't see him again." She replied. Her voice monotone, an automated reply. Most of her responses to Mikael were automatic. She told him only what he wanted to hear, yet she knew hiding the pregnancy would have destroyed her completely.

Mikael had not been in the states in months.

The man she married had quickly faded with success. He was driven for money, power and control.

And at what cost?

He had lost Esther's affection nearly three months into their marriage. He had never laid a hand Esther until today.

Slapping her across the face when she admitted to her adulterous ways. She had been sleeping with Mikael's lawyer, Mason Lockwood.

She knew her actions were unforgivable, but he was there when she was weak and vulnerable.

He loved her when Mikael didn't. He held her when Mikael was away. He kissed her when he didn't call and made love to her almost every night Mikael was gone.

A night of reckless passion destroyed her life in seconds. Yet she knew when she found out, she couldn't let the child go. She loved the baby that grew inside of her even if Mikael would not.

"After you return my dear, you will give me more children. I demand it of you. I don't want to hear your excuses." Mikael knew that Esther didn't want children right away and he respected it up until this point. She had betrayed his trust. She had committed the ultimate sin; adultery.

After the boy was born. The baby boy, Niklaus took the name Mikaelson. Mikael held resentment, but it was mostly towards Esther.

He tried his best to love the boy, yet his anger caused him to lash out.

He tried his best to bring him up as his own, yet one thing stood in the way.

Klaus' real father.

With a little bit of money and some persuasion, Mikael took Mason out of the picture. His murder looked like a suicide and not even Esther knew the of Mikael's plan.

He felt it was the only way that his son could truly be his.

With Mason gone, the pain didn't cease. The murder haunted him causing him to lash on even more on Esther.

When Rebekah was only seven, Mikael reached an all time low.

He caused pain to his only daughter by trying to get to Esther.

She wouldn't speak to him for weeks. He knew his actions were far below honorable and he knew that Klaus watched his every move.

Klaus was only fifteen and knew what his father did was wrong.

Klaus would never hit a woman. He would never beat a woman as badly as his father hit his mother.

He watched as his father begged for forgiveness. Esther threatened to leave, to divorce him and sue. Mikael did everything in his power to keep Esther.