Chapter 1
My eyes open quickly. My heart is racing. Just another nightmare. I try calm my racing heart and rapid breathing. I look at the time to distract me from what my subconscious reminds me of. Six forty.
I get out of bed and head to my on-suite. I have a quick shower and brush my teeth before heading out in just a towel. I head to my walk in wardrobe, which is right next to my on-suite. I grab a random pair of joggers and a tank top. My typical workout gear. I shove my hair into a ponytail and go down 2 sets of stairs to the gym. I go onto the treadmill, that's in front of the window overlooking the garden. I run for half an hour. Running the effects of my nightmare off.
"Miss King," someone says behind me. I turn of the machine. I turn to see our 50 year old, but sprightly butler Harvey. "Breakfast is in ten minutes."
I smile gently at him. "Thank you Harvey. Please call me Rebecca," I tell him. He nods before leaving. No matter how many times I tell him to call me Rebecca he still calls me Miss King.
I head upstairs to see Freya, my main maid, in my room laying close on my bed. She has only been a member of the staff for a few years so she's one of the younger members. Yet she's still tried to help with the fiction between me and my mother, who thinks I should wear the type of clothes that queen bee's wear. "Hi Freya."
She jumps placing a hand on her chest. "Miss Rebecca you startled me," she says. "I was just putting your clothes for the day on my bed. A pair of jeans and a designer top. Your mom requested something trendy but I know you don't like skirts or dresses so I found an in between."
"I can get my own clothes Freya. I've told you; you guys don't have to wait on me," I explain as nicely as possible.
I quickly get changed. I let my hair out and run a brush through it. I head downstairs to the family dinning room to find my father reading the business newspaper while sipping his black coffee; mother reading the latest vogue magazine, only interested on what they say about her clothes and my little sister Izzy on her Ipad watching some show through her earphones, obviously lost in her own little world again.
I sit down and mom looks at what I'm wearing before she smiles appreciatively at me, well my clothes. Father puts his paper down before turning to me with a blank but demanding face. "I want you to come to the office after school," Father says sternly. "I need to get you a bit familiar with how it works. I'm sure you've forgotten by now as it's been a while."
I nod knowing its not up for discussion. When father retires I have to take over father's business while Izzy gets mother's fashion empire.
Father's kitchen staff walk in and put breakfast on the table. I thank Sophie, a younger member of kitchen staff, who puts my plate in front of me.
Father looks at me when I do this. He waits till they left the room before speaking, "why do you thank them? It's their job. They don't need to be thanked they get paid more then enough."
"Because it's polite," I reply. "Just because they are paid doesn't mean they don't deserve a thank you for their work." I finish eating and leave the table.
I've had staff since I was very little like still in nappies little. They are more like family then staff. That's why I make a habit of learning all their names and personalities. My nanny is called Gertie. She was 30 when she started looking after me when mother went to work again.
I'm in my room packing my school bag, when there's a knock on my door. I turn and see Gertie there. "What's the matter Becca?"
I let out a long sigh. "I really don't want to be here. Father looks down on me thinking I'm incapable of taking over the business. Mother only cares about looks and keeping up appearances. Izzy only cares about herself. She's their perfect, spoiled child."
Gertie sits down next to me. "Oh, Becca you do belong here. You know me and the rest of the staff love having you here. You're family. Besides you shouldn't worry about your parents or Izzy. You aren't going to change them." She smiles at me.
"I'm a disappointment to them. Father's only giving me the King empire because mom already promised Izzy she would take over hers," I say putting my head in my hands.
"You're going to get into Cambridge University. That's an accomplishment on its own," Gertie says. "You haven't asked your parents to buy your way in you're doing it on your own. You're strong and the champion swimmer. You are most definitely not a disappointment."
I hug Gertie. "Thank you Gertie I needed that." She laughs. "I wish Izzy understood better then I could talk to her."
She starts laughing as she gets up. "Come on go to school Missy," she says getting up patting my back.
I grab my bag and head to the garage. We have ten different cars; one for me, one for mom and one for Izzy when she can drive and the rest are Father's.
I roll down my window. "Can you take Izzy, I'm a bit too busy?" Izzy goes to the school that's like a sister school to mine. Instead of having everyone together they split us up and Izzy is still there.
"It's half an hour in the opposite direction, I'll be late," I snap mother sends me a warning glare. "No, I've got school which is more important then Izzy's school. Sorry, but no."
I quickly wind up my window and keep the car lock on as Izzy tries to open my car door on the passenger side. I open the garage door and drive off. I look in my re-view mirror to see a fuming mother.
I shake my head. The nerve of her. I'm not a driver. They love paying people to do things, so pay someone to take Izzy.
My phone rings and I answer it through the hands-free mode on my car. "Rebecca Clara King. That was incredibly rude," my mother's voice thunders through the car.
"You have reached my voicemail. I'll call you when I want. Leave a message after the beep," I say in my ringtone voice.
I end the call. I quickly go through my contacts. I click call and they answer immediately, "Hey. I can't meet up today father wants me at his office." I say in a sombre tone.
Phillip lets out a soft chuckle, "So they don't know you meet me every week. I bet your mother doesn't know I exists."
I laugh, "Probably not. I swear if you showed up at the house one day... My mother would go mad and father would still be a dick like normal. That's actually not a bad idea."
"Mmm... You know what, I might do that. He paid my mom off, but he didn't pay me," he tells me. "I'll come later today. What time you get back?"
"About 6-ish. But get to mine for about 5 and say you were meant to meet me. But don't tell mother who you are. Say you are a university student trying to get me to study there." I say, laughing at mom's reaction later.
"See you then," he says hanging up. Father is going to get his comeuppance today. I hope. I've been waiting till he was ready. Now Father's secrets will come to light and all those years of treatment will show how poor of a father he has been.
I pull into my allotted spot. It's a private school for the elite's kids. My father and mother being one of them.
I get out and walk into the building. The fact it's private means we can wear what we want. Unlike public schools that have to wear uniforms. It used to have a uniform but with enough complaints from children whose parents started to pull out in funding so an agreement was made students can wear reasonable clothes unless you're representing the school in any way, shape or form.
This school is full with the fanciest cars, designer clothes and bags (mainly my mom's stuff. Gotta support one of the school's board).
But like most schools you have that one small group who think they rule everyone because they are richer and better then the rest.
I stand at my locker. When the crowd parts, I roll my eyes. Like I said, they try to rule the school. I just ignore them. What's the point of being them when all they'll be remembered for is being bullies and drama.
I do some work and people leave me alone, I look up to see the teacher droning on about something, so I take out an earphone.
"This is a partnered assignment, no you can't do the work alone or choose your partners," she says. The class groans. She goes through the list, "Miss King you're with Mr Danielson." I roll my eyes; Oscar Danielson, a cross between a jock and a geek, walks over and sits next to me.
"So, Miss King, do you know what we've got to do?" He asks with a smug smile. I put my earphone back in and he nudges me repeatedly until I take it back out. I glare at him. "We've got to create a fake business and what the business is depends on what pack she gives us and how much money we have in it."
"She realised how long this assignment is," Oscar replies, "I would have thought this would be an easy assignment for her though."
I snap my head up, "You don't know me!" I snap at him. "I may be absolutely useless with this. Don't assume things, it makes an ass out of me and you!"
My teacher gives me a pointed look and walks to the next desk. Oscar passes me a folder with secretary on it, I look at his and it says CEO. I grab it out of his hands, "You don't think it would be better if I had CEO? I've been preparing for this since I was born."
Oscar looks at me wide-eyed, "But... you don't see many woman running the massive company's with multiple businesses."
I hand him the secretary folder, "Sexism gets you nowhere in life." Oscar glares at me.
I look over to him, "What's the matter?"
"The wage is minimum wage. £8.50/hour..."
He looks at me, wide eyed, "That's low."
I roll my eyes, "It's a starting business, you're lucky that you're hired at all."
I look over the investors, one investor, "Shit. Kane tech. Why Kane tech?" Oscar looks at me.
"Yo, King, thanks for the money." I look and see George smirking at me.
I shoot him a devilish smile, "Right back at ya," His face pales. "What? Do you think they all said King? Ha, that's hilarious!"
I look over the company, I flip through the headings. I sigh, this is going to take a good two hours to remember. I feel eyes on me. Turning I see Oscar looking at me inquisitively, "What?" I snap.
The bell goes and I slip the pack into my note book, "We'll need to go over some details for this assignment soon. I can't today, but if we meet up tomorrow, that will do."