Princess

Chapter 9: The Billionaire Façade

Ariadne

The dinner party at my father's penthouse started off fine. Everyone was enjoying each other's company and laughing happily. The Hales and Ryders were all close family friends who had known each other for years when Mom introduced Jackson and Anthony to one another. We were basically family.

I always wondered how Anthony put up with Jackson after he cheated on my mother. Anthony Hale's love for my mom was renown–they were the best of friends. It seemed there was a lot more to that story than any of us would ever be privy to.

I was sandwiched between Robyn and Bella near the head of the table. Robyn kept me sane. I talked to her for the most part, occasionally answering a question or two from someone else but mostly keeping my head down. Damon sat opposite me, between Christian and Maria, while I did my very best to avoid his gaze.

"Did you guys ever decide on the honeymoon?" Christian asked Bella.

Bella hesitated momentarily. "Milan, Venice, Bologna. Doing a tour of Northern Italy."

Jealousy stabbed my heart. I had never been to Northern Italy and it was always a dream of mine–everyone knew this. Both Christian and Bella looked at me immediately and the room fell quiet, sensing the shift in the air.

I raised my gaze from my still mostly full plate and trained my eyes on my sister, smiling sweetly because she deserved the entire world and nothing less and I was so happy for her. "That sounds lovely. As you know, I've never been. Send me a postcard."

"You've never been to Northern Italy?" Maria Hale asked me, sitting back in her chair. "It's fun to backpack. You could even do it alone, darling. You should go!" I smiled at her, knowing she meant well. Anthony shifted uncomfortably beside her, pressing his hand on hers firmly, telling her not to breach the subject.

"That does sound like fun, Maria, but I'm not allowed to travel alone, unfortunately," I responded, my throat closing slightly.

"Aria," Christian said, a gentle warning in his voice.

"Why not?" Robyn's face contorted into a frown. She couldn't possibly understand my deranged family, coming from her frightening albeit functional family dynamic.

"My father doesn't let me."

"That's not the entire truth, is it?" My father leaned back in his chair, looking utterly unfazed at the commotion stirring at the table. "There is a reason why I do not let you."

"Dad, please, let's just drop it," Bella pleaded. "We'll go together one day, Ariadne. I promise." She turned to me with a gentle smile that did nothing to alleviate the sensation of burning daggers around me.

"Don't know if that will cut it, Bella. Dad loves to keep me shackled here. That's why my apartment is just four floors down."

"Enough." Dad's voice roared loud enough to shake the silverware on the table. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Damon and Anthony's instincts kicking in, pushing their chairs back slightly, ready to pounce if needed. Claudia winced beside Dad, knowing what was to come, because the days there wasn't a fight when my father and I were in a room were rare.

"My dearest angel," he sneered, making my nickname sound crueler than ever before. "You are forgetting to mention that I am not comfortable with you traveling alone because you tried to run away from home. Not once. But two times in your childhood."

I didn't think it was possible, but the room fell even quieter and I was hyper aware of the reactions around me. Robyn's hand flew to her mouth and Maria stared at me in shocked silence. Christian and Bella closed their eyes in pain. Anthony, who of course knew this, looked down at his plate with a grim expression covering his face.