We walked in silence on the bustling streets of New York with our hands entwined but our minds elsewhere.

We didn't speak because we didn't have to.

But there came a time when we were forced to speak when we walked into the same office building that held everything the Stavros family had built thus far. It came in the form of my father.

I was shocked to see how much he had changed in the past five years. He looked less like a business man and more like a Yedi. He had grown a beard that nearly reached his chest, his stomach was protruding from obvious over eating and not enough exercise. There were wrinkles on his face that weren't there before but I knew they weren't caused by years of laughing and smiling.

He looked completely different, he looked like hell.

He was speaking with another business man in the lobby of the building, talking over a closed file but our eyes had met automatically, as if on instinct and he waved the man off instantly.

I tried to warn Marco of the impending doom we would be facing but it was too late, Quinton was already standing in front of me, catching Marco completely off guard.

"Eliza," he said with enthusiasm that I didn't believe in my whole twenty four years of being near him. He always knew how to manipulate people, it was his job after all. "And Marco my boy," he said with much more honestly, pulling him in for a hug.

Marco almost sent him flying to the floor by how fast he shoved him away. On instinct Marco shielded me with his body.

It didn't take long for me at all to realize what Quinton wanted. He locked eyes on Marco and mine entwined hands like a baby looking for his pacifier. All he saw was a pot of gold.

Twenty-four years of being a horrible father, of not even accepting the truth that we are in fact related, and being a total asshole has made me hate Quinton more than almost everything else on the earth. I knew what he wanted from me, the only thing, and that was what I could give to him.

He thought that if I married Marco than I would be sharing my wealth with a father and sister who had tormented and pushed me away from the very beginning. But Quinton obviously forgot how much Marco hated him and his daughter.

"How long has it been," he asked me with a grin. I couldn't help but notice the bit of smeared lip stick on his neck. Apparently he finally moved on from his wife who left him after she found out about me.

As much as I hated her I felt bad for Riley. Her mother left her when she was only a year old because her Dad couldn't keep it in his pants. She grew up without a mom because of me but I grew up without a dad.

"Not long enough," I sneered.

Living with Shai the past five years had taught me how to stand up for myself when I need to and how to really hate Quinton. There is no one in the entire world who hates my father more than Shai. I don't know how many times I had to listen to him spew cuss word after cuss word describing Quinton. Shia had been my mother's longest friend, it was only right that he feel protective of her and hate the man who broke her heart.

Shai made me promise him something years ago; if I were to ever see Quinton or Riley again I would speak my mind and stand up for myself. It might not have been something my Mom might have condoned but Shai refused to let me be bullied by them any longer.

Besides, I didn't need Quinton when I had Shai.

Marco squeezed my hand in reassurance while Quinton blinked in surprise before his eyes turned icy and he glared at me. Marco coughed once, catching Quinton's attention.

"We need to leave," he said simply. "It wasn't so nice to see you again." Marco moved to step past Quinton but he only moved to block his way.

With a clenched jaw he said, "Funny thing you should say that because I'm here to be present in your meeting."

"Excuse me," Marco growled. "Why would that be?"

"Your father wanted a lawyer to be present during the meeting of course. I wrote up the contract already and I have it ready for both you and the gentleman to sign."

"Couldn't my Dad ask someone else to help out," Marco seethed.

Everyone knew how much Marco hated Quinton as well for how badly he had treated me my entire life. There were many moments in my life when Quinton was a bully to me, vengeful for ruining his marriage and for mine and my mother's lives playing out better than he had expected.

Shai might be number one of Quinton's enemy list but Marco was close behind in second. Marco was the only one who knew how mean Quinton really was.

Out of all the mean comments and glares given to me by my father, I remember the time I was eight years old. The Stavros's were having a Christmas party like they do every year and as usual Quinton and Riley were invited as well as my Mom and me. Well Marco and I were wandering off like we always would and we saw something we shouldn't have seen. My parents were in the walk in pantry off of the kitchen. My father was yelling at my Mom, cursing her for ruining his marriage and for not getting rid of their baby, me. My mom defended my honor which got her a hard punch to the stomach.

Quinton didn't see either of us as he left but I had to hold Marco back before he could run after him and stab him in the back with a knife. My Mom made us both promise that we wouldn't tell anyone because she didn't want to ruin Quinton's life more so than she already had. I respected my Mom for her selfless heart but I was angry that she wanted to protect him.

Since then Marco has hated Quinton just as much as me. I'm surprised he's still alive actually.

"I've been with this company longer the same amount of time your father has boy," he growled. "I'm the most reliable lawyer you have. You should feel damn lucky that I won't let you get cheated out of this deal."

"I'm not making a deal than if you're going to be there," Marco snarled back.

Quinton laughed dryly. "Why is that? Maybe because you've always hated me or because you don't want me to tell Eliza about what I know about you."

I felt Marco's hand go slack in my own. Fear began to creep up inside of me.

"What are you talking about," I asked Quinton confused.

"Let's go El," Marco insisted, trying to pull me away from my father. I saw the look of desperation on his face and the look of amusement on Quinton's. It made me feel sick.

"Why can't I tell her," Quinton mused. "You obviously won't."

"If she's going to hear it from anyone it will be from me," Marco snarled, pulling my hand again. This time I let him drag me away.

"Marco," I whispered as we walked away. "Is this the thing that I didn't want to know?" Fear and curiosity were battling inside of me but I couldn't pick which one I wanted to act on. I wanted to know but obviously at the same time I didn't.

Marco didn't answer but that was an answer all in its own.

We were almost out the door, Marco's hand was on the handle when Quinton shouted from behind, "You should really catch up with your sister Eliza! I know she'll want to tell you all about what's happened since you've been gone!"

From the clear amusement in his voice and the way Marco freezes than drags me out of the building suddenly I knew what the secret is.

The air outside was warm from the hot sun and people are milling about in tank tops and shorts, paying no attention to Marco and I as he struggled to pull me down the sidewalk. I didn't have anything to say because it was clear to me what Marco's secret had been this whole time.

He signaled a taxi as I stood in tortured silence, trying to keep calm inside.

He let me slide in first and when the door closed behind him he let out a deep breath.

"I uh," he stammered, wringing his hands in his lap. "Eliza," he sighed.

"You were with Riley while I was gone weren't you," I asked in a monotone voice. To keep myself from not panicking was a lot harder than it looked.

Marco winced and turned his attention to the people beyond the window.

"It was a mistake," he murmured and I could honestly hear the regret in his voice.

"Was it," I snap and instantly want to take the words back. I promised him I wouldn't get mad at him when the secret did reveal itself and I intend on keeping that promise, no matter how much it hurts.

Marco sighed and before I had the chance to apologize he said, "I was heartbroken Eliza, you know that. In some way I wanted to get back at you so I..."

"You can say it," I said softly, reaching out to grab his hand. I didn't want this to tear this apart just as much as he did.

He looked down at our hands than looked up to me with a small frown. He opened his mouth and told me the truth but it was so much worse than what I expected.

"I dated her for two years."

...
Sorry it's so short and crappy but it's my first week of senior year in high school so there was a lot to do. I will get back into writing a lot in maybe a couple weeks, until then updated will mostly be on the weekends and Monday.