The Accidental Star

THE PAST

ANNE

FEW MONTHS AGO

" How is your steak, honey? " Emma asked me sweetly from across the twelve seater dining table.

I rolled my eyes as I continued to cut my steak into small pieces, not in the mood to play along with her concerned step mother act.

" I had  Francisco specially flown these meats when I learned you're having dinner with us, " Emma went on enthusiastically. " You can imagine how troublesome that was. But it's been ages since we last saw you so I want this night to be extra special because we miss you.  "

Sure, I thought dryly still not bothering to look up from my plate.

No doubt the 'special' meal cost a fortune considering how Emma loves to squander my father's money in the name of love for her new found family

" What do you think, Anne? " My father's voice cut through my thoughts. " Did your mother do a good job with tonight's dinner? "

Clenching my jaw, I looked up and saw my father looking longingly at Emma, his eyes sparkling as he devoured the sight of her in a very flimsy black almost-lingerie dress.

" It's stepmother. " I corrected him in a tight voice.

Turning to Emma, I gave her the same sweet smile she has been giving me the entire evening. " You shouldn't have really gone through all these trouble. But thank you. "

There's no force on earth that's going to make me call her mother.

" Oh don't worry about it, honey, " Emma said dismissively as she lifted her fork and took the chunk of meat off it with her mouth.

I watched in disgust as she closed her eyes and chewed her food seductively, as if the taste of steak was making her orgasm in her chair.

The worse part was, my dad was staring at her, as if in trance, lustfully.

Unable to watch the spectacle before me, I pushed my chair away from the table and just as I intended, it made a loud creaking sound.

Anton, my father's butler, quickly rushed to my side and helped me pushed my chair away. He knew as well as I do how my father hated the sound of wood creaking against the marbled floor.

" Marianne! " My father exclaimed as he whipped his head to look at me, breaking Emma's spell over him.

Good, I thought triumphantly as I pushed myself up.

" I need to go, dad, " I said as I threw my napkin on the table. " I just remembered  I forgot to turn off the oven. "

My father looked up at me in bewilderment.

" Oven? " He echoed. " What are you doing with an oven? Where is Anabelle? Should she-?"

Anabelle was my nanny  who turned into my stay out housekeeper when I moved out of my father's house few years ago.

" Ana is away for a few days, " I interrupted as I went over to him and gave a quick peck on his cheek. " I really need to go. I'll see you next week, dad. "

" I'll see you at the shareholders' meeting, " my father told me.

" Right, " I quickly nodded. " The meeting. "

MartinCorp, the empire my father inherited from my grandfather, was set to have the second shareholders meeting in two days. The agenda was pretty straightforward: the chairmanship of the company.