Struggle For Power [✓]

Chapter 2

Selena's POV

Once we entered the dining room after exchanging a few pleasantries, we all sat down at the top half of the table in close proximity of one another. Michael remained at the top proudly, while Justin and I were directly opposite. Jaz, as she preferred to be called, was sitting beside Justin.

"So, how did you two love birds meet then?" Justin says, taking a seriously big gulp of his alcoholic drink in front of him. To be honest, I don't think I had seen him without some form of drink that didn't contain ethanol in.

Justin was a handsome man, there was no denying. His face was carved to perfect from the bone structure to the sharp jawline. He did fix up well, though his suit screamed Michael. He had the same glistening hazel eyes as his father, only they didn't have as much spark. They were duller, not full of life.

I previewed a big grin towards Michael as I felt slightly shy for some reason.

I knew Michael kept our relationship very private, however, I didn't realise how private until now. Despite being in a relationship for 10 months and engaged for a few weeks, I didn't know much about his family either. He didn't even tell his son a significant amount, the one person I thought he would confide with. He probably didn't even know my name.

"Well, we met each other in the park about a year ago when I was on lunch break from one of my meetings. I was taking an infuriating business call and I was too concentrated on the conversation that I just tripped over and spilt all my coffee down her dress."

"It was embarrassing, everybody around us was watching and laughing at us," I say.

"At least you didn't actually fall to the floor. I nearly ripped my best suit on impact." He gives a low bellow.

"That was the day I decided wearing a light colour dress was a good alternative to my usual dark clothing. It went everywhere and I think I had to bin the dress once I was home." Michael and I both start to laugh at the story at the dinner table, while Justin watched us both with a vague bored expression.

Jaz was too occupied with her dolls to take notice of anything beyond her young fantasy and adolescent ideologies. In a way it was sweet, yet it gave her no preparation of what the real world is like.

Sometimes I wish I could be like that again.

"It was truly a special connection from the moment our eyes interlocked." He takes my hand in his and I began to feel my cheeks burn from the blush developing slowly. "Fate truly was on our side that day."

"Well, after I had stopped calling you an idiot for being so careless." I chuckle slightly, so does Michael. Again, Justin just seems too bored that his eyes were in a battle to stay open. I bet he would love to escape the room, better yet escape the house from all this.

"So you met while being engaged to Kate?"

"Appears so," Michael says blankly.

"Surely explains a lot."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Michael turns his full attention to his son now. His voice was stern.

I could feel the awkwardness surrounding the room right now. Nervously, I started playing with my fingers under the table, secretly hoping it would hide how I felt.