Page 130 of When Hearts Ignite

I smile and clasp her hand in mine, giving it a soft squeeze. “And I’ll be a phone call away, but you have my support with you always.”

Grace told me she wanted to talk to her father in private, just the two of them, before meeting her siblings, and I respect that.

She glances at me and leans her head against my shoulders. “We’ll be fine. Things will work out the way they should.”

“Yes. And if they don’t, I’ll be here because we’re a team.”

Cracking the stiff joints in my neck, I clasp Grace’s hand tightly in mine as we stroll into The Menagerie, an intimate wine and cocktail lounge within The Orchid. It’s one of their hidden gems, which Sarah, Jack’s girlfriend, once mentioned in passing. Emily made the reservations before they left LA.

She said, “This is in between a coffee and a full-on meal, since this conversation is more serious than a passing hello or idle pleasantries and I don’t want you two to suffer through a few hours of stilted silence of a meal if things go south.”

I bite back a grin as I think of my energetic sister, who has had her wars with our parents before she got to her happily-ever-after with Adrian.

“Wow, this place is beautiful. I didn’t know it was here,” Grace marvels as she takes in the elegantly decorated lounge, with its dark green and gold wallpaper of hand painted foliage and vines and glittering pendant lights shaped like twigs and tree branches, a nod to nature.

I tug her past the sunken velvet setting, where only one of the ten tables is currently occupied by patrons quietly enjoying a peaceful moment in one of the busiest cities in the world. My eyes skim my reflection as we pass by a wall of gold-trimmed mirrors. My hair is brushed and styled, jaw freshly shaven. I look normal in my navy suit with a white dress shirt and maroon tie. But even from a passing glance, I see the sharpness in my eyes, a brightness not there before.

I know I can only attribute the change to the beautiful woman next to me, Grace.

“There are a lot of hidden gems and nooks and crannies in The Orchid. It’s almost like a city within a building,” I murmur.

She looks breathtakingly radiant in a lavender wrap dress, which brings out her eyes and clings to her beautiful curves. Her hair is fashioned into some sort of updo, with wispy strands framing her face.

My queen.

We stop in front of one of the private rooms and she whispers, “You got this, Steven. Whatever happens, it’s us against the world.”

A burst of warmth hits my chest and I push open the door, finding the serious faces of my parents and the casual bearings of my siblings and their husbands already seated around a table, quietly chatting.

The conversation pauses as they take in our arrival. Mother looks regal, her hair swept up and pristine as always. Father appears shocked as his piercing gaze pins on Grace, his lips parted open in a soundless gasp.

James sits ramrod straight, his gaze sweeping over my face as if to check if I’m okay. I give him a nod as I turn my attention to his wife, my oldest sister Jess, who gives me a warm smile.

I clear my throat. “Where are Violet and Lucas?” My niece and nephew are the cutest little creatures in the world.

“They’re with my parents. They’re visiting,” James answers as Grace and I take a seat next to Emily and Adrian.

Emily doles out an impish smile. She wiggles her brows as if to tell me, I got this as Adrian curls his arm around his wife and cocks his brow at me, a look I can only describe as sympathy because I knew he went through his own share of hell with my parents.

“So, Steven and Grace are here. Let’s air out all this nonsense, shall we?” Emily clasps her hands together and looks around the room, waiting for someone to start.

My father lets out a heavy sigh, his eyes weary, like he hasn’t slept in the last few days. “Before I share my story, I want to make it clear that Grace isn’t my daughter, even though, for a few years, I treated her as one.”

He gives us a sad smile. “Steven, that day, I was shocked you found out about the affair. That was what I was referring to before I fainted. I didn’t know you saw the confrontation and kept it inside you for all these years.”

I nod before sneaking a glance at Grace, finding her quirking a brow slightly at me, as if to say, what did I tell you? I give her hand a squeeze. You’re always right.

Father continues, “I failed you all. I should’ve come clean a long time ago, but I was ashamed of myself. As someone who prided himself on adhering to morals and standards, I blew through one of the most important ones—fidelity.”

Mother chokes on an anguished sob and blinks her eyes rapidly, clearly trying to stem any outward displays of emotions.

“You know our relationship was not based on love. For a lack of a better term, we started as a business arrangement. Your mother’s family and financial influence to infuse money back to our family name and bring back TransAmerica to its glory days in exchange for the Kingsley name. I had a duty to my family as the only son to do this. It was ingrained in me growing up, especially since I was the only man in my family with your grandfather passing away when I was young.”

His hands clench his tumbler in a tight grip, his knuckles stark white. An old ache resurfaces as I take in his solemn face. I know it must be hard for him to discard his pride and tell us his past, something that’d mar his character.

“I was content. Your mother and I had a respectable relationship and, I believe, even fondness. She loved to drive our social calendars and make friends, whereas I was content with my work. But in our circles, we needed to have good relationships with other families. So, we complemented each other. We fulfilled our duties and had three beautiful children.”

Father sweeps his gaze at me, Jess, and Emily. I bite my lip and wait for him to continue.

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